Authorities hush up independent page talks on the visa regime and FTA page Life after Euro 2012: page media before the election puts do not signal the end of How Europeans Ukraine in the spotlight 10 isolation for Mr. Yanukovych 13 changed Ukraine 28

№ 12 (35) july 2012

www.ukrainianweek.com for free distribution Featuring selected content from The Economist

|contents briefing focus A No-Win Situation: A Pinpoint Strike: Lytvyn’s Choice: As Vladimir Putin comes four hours Recent developments show The position of the Verkhovna late for his meeting with Viktor that the government opens Rada’s Speaker on the Yanukovych in Yalta, he shows that criminal cases against language law, regardless of the West is not the only one turning protesters and activists his motivation, will determine its back on the Ukrainian President to discourage others to his political future and his 4 continue or join the struggle 5 place in Ukrainian history 6 Politics Endurance Test: Yuri Makarov Another Carrot: The government is testing on how Russian A simplified visa regime and the how the Ukrainian mass methods of initialing of the economic part media and society are pressure are of the Ukraine-EU Free Trade prepared to protect tested on Agreement does not mean that freedom of speech Ukrainian mass the international isolation of Mr. 10 media 12 Yanukovych’s regime has ended 13 security Preventing Poverty: Uzbekistan’s Demarche: John Lucas on the rule of law Tashkent’s decision to withdraw as a guide to eliminating from the CSTO could lead to yet corruption and establishing another surge of destabilization the rule of law with the in the Asian region limited set of resources at hand 14 18 Neighbours economy Slowing down The pre-crisis eep Car sales grew during the second six months of 2011 rise in car sales at the same time as many media were buzzing with SECOND HALF Car sale dynamics 623,200 resulted from the articles about the “inevitable price rise” for imported in Ukraine accompanying cars, resulting from the equally “inevitable duty Troubled Neighbourhood: The Real Wealth 542,000 Auto Stop?credit boom. increase.” However, an inve igation launched The liquidity crisis by UkrAutoprom as a result of this media campaign From open sources many banks ill speculating on the raising of the car import duty Wojciech Borodzicz-Smoliński of Nations: A declinesuffer , infollowe manufacturingd to 47% in July 2011, did not bring any results. by a cutback talks about modern Warsaw- Learn about a new 371,000 and thein bbalanceank lending, of trade sent the car market FIRST HALF 220,600 into decline. Vilnius relations and conflicts report with a better reinforces Ukrainian car 120,000 JANUARY-MAY over culture, history and way to size up wealth producers,162,300 who expect162,600 language privileges for having switched100,000 84,000 20 24 sides in politics 26 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Society history Life after Euro 2012: The Predecessors of European Knights: Ukrainians had a chance On their long way from the North to witness the European Caucasus to Africa, Alans laid the worldview – free of post- foundation of medieval military totalitarian fear, restraint, tradition in Europe and inspired British rudeness and anger 28 mythology 32 culture & arts Destined to Fly Higher: The Philosophical Instrument of Danylo Demutskiy: Ivan Kavaleridze, the founder A talented cameraman, he was awarded with of monumental historical three arrests, deportation, imprisonment and the cinema in Ukraine and his life prestigious Stalin Prize by the soviet authorities under a totalitarian regime 36 39 navigator 7 Films to Watch Eight Days Under the Surface: Fleeing from Urban Slavery: from the Odesa The Ukrainian Week travels to the Every year, dozens of Film Festival Ozerna Cave in the Ternopil Oblast Donetsk Oblast families flee to research beautiful underground to deserted villages to start mazes, dark corridors and crystal new lives closer to nature 44 clear lakes 46 48

international monthly edition

The Ukrainian Week № 12 (35) July 2012 Mailing address: PO Box 2, Kyiv, 03067 Founder: ECEM Media Ukraine LLC Publisher: The Ukrainian Week LLC Publisher address: vul. Mashynobudivna 37, Kyiv 03067 Ukraine First published in January 2010 E-mail: [email protected], Tel.: (044) 351-1300 State registration certificate 16412-4884P of March 13, 2010 www.ukrainianweek.com Bohdan Andriytsev, Director, ECEM Media Ukraine LLC Print: ТОV SKIMP, TOV ART STUDIYA DRUKU; vul. Boryspilska 15, Kyiv Serhiy Lytvynenko, Editor-in-Chief, The Ukrainian Week Ordering number: 9707/12. Print run: 15,000 Natalia Romanec, Shaun Williams, Editors; Sent to print on 19 July 2012 Anna Korbut, Translator Free distribution № 12 (35) July 2012|the ukrainian week|3 briefing| 30 June 4 July 6 July A landslip occurs under St. An- The pro-government The 10th session of the drew’s Church, which is on the parliamentary major- Verkhovna Rada of the 6th List of Mankind Treasures of Five ity simplifies the Convention is closed, but an Continents, after the renova- procedure to elect extraordinary session may tion of Andriivsky Uzviz the VR Speaker take place on 31 July A No-Win Situation

Author: n all likelihood, the Presidential Administration Putin was deliberately over four hours late for the Heorhiy viewed the meeting between Putin and Yanu- meeting. Even with his own governors, the President Hryshchenko kovych in Yalta, in the context of the evident isola- of the RF is far more punctual. In addition, the meet- Ition of the latter on the part of the West, as an op- ing itself appeared not to bring any results for Mr. Ya- portunity to prove that the blind alley, into which it nukovych. In spite of the attempt to save face with has blundered and led the country into, is not actu- statements about “more than ten signed agreements”, ally so blind. What happened was the complete op- in truth, the issue is limited to either documents of mi- posite. Mr. Yanukovych who was supposedly of- nor importance, or the latest portion of declarations fended by the Europeans, saying that they were not about intent. For example, a protocol was signed on ready for “equal partnership”, was also demonstra- the introduction of changes to the agreement on coop- tively humiliated by Vladimir Putin. eration in the area of the certification of research and research-educational personnel at higher educational institutions, dated 21 June 2002, memorandums on cooperation in the fight against terrorism and cooper- ation in the Antarctic, an agreement on interaction in the prevention of emergency situations, fires and the liquidation of their consequences in populated areas where Russian Black Sea Fleet facilities are located, as well as cooperation in the area of air search and res- cue. However, no agreement was reached on any of the problem directions of bilateral relations that are of benefit to Ukraine. The Presidents signed a joint statement on the delim- itation of maritime space of the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea, as well as in the Strait of Kerch. However, according to Mr. Putin, “the essence of the document lies in preparing our colleagues for bringing this work to a logical conclusion – the signing of a rele- vant agreement.” Nothing more, at which, the terms are not determined. However Russian interests are provided for, as is the rejection of Ukrainian inter- ests by Mr. Yanukovych. More specifically, the docu- ment stresses the intent of the parties to ensure the development of the Kerch – Yeni-Kale navigation ca- nal, which belongs to Ukraine, by establishing a Rus- sian-Ukrainian joint venture, and in return, Moscow is ready to recognize Ukraine’s sovereignty over the Island of Tuzla, which, even without this, is part of Ukraine. There is also a similar situation with the memorandum on integration and cooperation signed by the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine and the Rosatom Corporation, which can only lead to the already existing virtually exclusive

The month 4 July 1893 9 July 1659 12 July 1892 in history Danylo Demutsky, pho- The coalition of Ukrainian Bruno Schulz, a Polish writer tographer and cameraman Cossacks led by Hetman Ivan and graphic artist, is born in who worked on the best Vyhovsky and Crimean Tatars Drohobych, Western Ukraine Ukrainian classical films, defeat the Russian army at is born the Battle of Konotop

4|the ukrainian week|№ 12 (35) July 2012 |briefing 10 July 12 July 13 July 18 July Russian Wikipedia The Prosecutor’s Office The police try to search LB.ua, a political shuts down to protest initiates a criminal case the office of the united online publication, against Russian againstM ykola Knia- opposition in Cherkasy stops working legislation restricting zhytsky, General Director after its staff faces Internet access of TVi channel criminal charges dependence of Ukraine on the Russian Federation in the area of nuclear energy. They also agreed to con- A Pinpoint Strike tinue negotiations on the functioning and continued stationing of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Crimea, When a chaotic rally to protect the Ukrainian language started on the night on the territory of which the Kremlin is expressing of July 3-4 in front of Ukrainian House at the European Square, virtually great interest in updating its armaments. every group of protesters discussed what they would do if Berkut, a special- Of course, one of the formal aspects of the Yalta meet- purpose unit of the Ukrainian police, attacked them. Two columns of po- ing that has not been formally mentioned, albeit lice with helmets and batons did not inspire optimism. But the instruction clearly seen, was the recent passing of the language to attack the protesters was not given from above. Viktor Yanukovych was law by the pro-government majority in the Verkhovna supposed to give a big press conference at Ukrainian House the next day, Rada. On the eve of the negotiations, this was viewed but did not show up, giving no explanations. The rally stayed in place. Pro- as one of the possible key arguments of the Ukrainian fessional opposition members immediately declared that this was a victory party for the conclusion of an unflattering deal with and that “the overthrow of the regime” would follow shortly thereafter. the “Russian language in Ukraine in exchange for a In fact, though, all of this played into the hands of the President. He had of- decrease in the price of gas” version. However, this ten been embarrassed at previous conferences by sensitive questions rang- version has not succeeded, at least, not so far. Mr. Pu- ing from his mansion in Mezhyhiria to the persecution of the opposition. tin was adamant, and said nothing, other than what Therefore, Mr. Yanukovych may have taken the opportunity to stay away he personally, Gazprom and the pro-Russian mass from the public eye. media had previously stated. Once again, he repeated Meanwhile, the clashes, most of them provoked by the police, were used to Mr. Yanukovych, that although no-one was forcing as an excuse to launch criminal proceedings against activists. The severity Ukraine to join the Customs Union, any kind of reduc- of damages suffered by some police officers in the clashes that served as a tion in the price of gas can only be addressed after en- basis for their appeals against activists was questionable. Still, at least five try into this organization, in passing, expressing the criminal cases have been initiated for the “resistance” of MPs against the following consideration: “The later someone becomes Deputy Chief of a road police patrol unit who tried to prevent a minivan a member of any organization, the more complex, if with sound equipment from driving onto the sidewalk in front of Ukrai- possible, it is to revise its constitutional documents in nian House, the infliction of physical injury on police officers and clashes the interests of the new member.” that occurred on June 5th when people protested against the passing of the Having also been rebuffed in its East-oriented foreign language law in the first reading. policy, Mr. Yanukovych repeated as a mantra, that “the The government has blatantly made every possible effort to provoke course towards Euro-integration remains an invariable the conflicts. Why did the special-purpose police openly help the rally priority of Ukraine’s foreign policy,” although actual of supporters of the Russian language (mostly paid for being there, ac- steps in relations with the EU do not confirm this. On cording to many sources), while forcing the protectors of the Ukrainian the other hand, immediately after the meeting with Mr. language onto the opposite side of the road? Why, a month later, were Yanukovych, which produced no results and was indic- at least two special-purpose police officers brought to Ukrainian House ative of Vladimir Putin’s lack of respect towards his for each protester in support of the Ukrainian language – most of them partner, the Russian President visited the estate of his peaceful citizens, including women? close friend, Viktor Medvedchuk, whose relations with The assumption is that the government has once more used the scenar- Mr. Yanukovych have always been strained and who is io of the soft, yet consistent narrowing of citizens’ rights to protest. The now actively conducting an advertising campaign, di- criminal cases are a perfect tool for pinpoint strikes against the most rected towards the pro-Russian electorate, and at the proactive protest participants. A similar scenario unfolded after the Tax same time, is ever more critical of the political repres- Maidan in late 2010, even though the then president and premier per- sion being conducted by the Ukrainian government. sonally guaranteed that the protesters would not be persecuted. Later, Having said this, it is impossible not to mention the ul- protesters said that the main purpose of these criminal cases regarding timatum supposedly made by Putin in the autumn of “damaged sidewalk tiles” was to “recruit” them for work with law en- 2011 during a meeting with the Ukrainian president: forcement agencies, rather than to detain them. “Either you are friends with us, or the electorate is not The passing of the language law in the second reading on July 3rd sparked friends with you.” The no-win situation in which Mr. a public outcry and the ongoing protest in front of Ukrainian House in Yanukovych finds himself is becoming ever more ap- Kyiv. Currently, four protesters are still on a hunger strike despite offi- parent, while every new effort to prove that this is not cial announcements that the protest had ended. Protesters demand that the case, has the opposite effect. President Yanukovych and Speaker Lytvyn do not sign the law.

13 July 1985 14 July 1894 16 July 1990 17 July 1846 Serhiy Bubka, Ukrai- Lviv and Krakow teams The Verkhovna Rada of the Nicholas Miklouho- nian athlete, clears the play the first ever foot- Ukrainian SSR passes the Maclay, an explorer previously unattain- ball match on the terri- Declaration of State Sover- of aboriginals in New able 6.00 metres in tory of Ukraine in Lviv eignty of Ukraine Guinea, is born to a pole vault in Paris family of Zaporizh- zhian Cossack ancestry № 12 (35) July 2012|the ukrainian week|5 focus|parliamentary crisis Lytvyn’s Choice The position of the Verkhovna Rada’s Speaker on the language law, regardless of his motivation, will determine his political future and his place in Ukrainian history

he confrontation surround- Author: failed to cross the parliamentary ing the language issue, Oles threshold, but he eventually got sparked by the party in Oleksiyenko into parliament in 2007 after the Tpower for election purposes early election, held as a result of (which they no longer keep se- the existing political crisis. The cret), has taken an unexpected parliamentary crisis in autumn turn. After parliament passed the 2008 (caused by the mounting law, sponsored by Party of Re- conflict between Mr. Yushchenko gions MPs Kolesnichenko and and Ms. Tymoshenko) allowed Kivalov in blatant violation of the Mr. Lytvyn to come back as procedure, whereby recom- Speaker and remain so after Vik- mended amendments were ig- tor Yanukovych was elected Presi- nored and voting was conducted dent, in exchange for joining the in the absence of Speaker Lytvyn pro-presidential majority. In- at the session (he had previously spired by this success, Mr. Lytvyn sworn in public that he would not often began to claim that there allow the vote), Mr. Lytvyn filed a was no other person capable of re- letter of resignation and warned parliament that he would not sign the language law. The Verkhovna The day after the language Rada (VR) did not accept his res- law was approved, ignation (Party of Regions MPs referred to Mr. Lytvyn’s emotional the parliament cut the state and said that he may change quorum to vote for election his mind once the stress is over). As a result, the “parliamentary cri- of the speaker to 226 sis” as Mr. Lytvyn himself de- scribed the situation was left in placing him as the VR Speaker in the air. the political reality of Ukraine, and that he would always be the Tried and tested material Speaker. However, it has become Volodymyr Lytvyn first came to apparent that the logic of the Pres- parliament 10 years ago as the idential Administration’s concept person who would ensure agree- had determined a specific term ment and balance out the interests and use conditions for the “eter- of different groups and political nal” Speaker Lytvyn. Once they forces within the pro-government were over, his balancing position ZaYedu (the full name of the party became a burden. was “For a Single Ukraine” while The events of July 3rd signaled the abbreviation sounded like “for that the government had decided food” in Russian) conglomerate that it could live without Mr. and other parties and MPs loyal to Lytvyn. All sources of The Ukrai- the then President Leonid nian Week agree that he was Kuchma. Later, Mr. Lytvyn at- probably unaware of preparations tempted to do the same during the for voting on the law (or that it had Orange Revolution and in the last been coordinated beforehand in a 18 months of the VR’s work in very narrow circle). The main ver- 2005-2006. For quite a while, he sion is that the Speaker has paid a managed to find a balance be- price for losing control of his politi- tween the representatives of the cal faction in parliament. Mr. old and new governments and Lytvyn himself interpreted what preserve both his seat, and his po- happened in parliament as treason litical weight. In 2006, his party by everyone, from the Party of Re- 6|the ukrainian week|№ 12 (35) July 2012 parliamentary crisis|focus gions and his party fellows to his until autumn and ensured every- close friends, including Adam Mar- one that “There will definitely be tyniuk, who put the language law to no surprises.” In this situation, the the vote in the Speaker’s absence. lack of proper reaction from Mr. His party’s MPs offered two ex- Lytvyn would show him to be a cuses for voting for the law at a person who knows nothing about party meeting on July 4th: they did what is going on in parliament and not realize what they were voting limit his role in the VR to a purely for/against, or that they were in- nominal one, similar to Leonid formed that “Mr. Lytvyn had ap- Chernovetsky’s role as Kyiv Mayor proved everything.” The first group until recently. includes MPs oriented at FPTP Secondly, Mr. Lytvyn may have constituencies in Ukrainian-speak- wanted to resign before parliament ing oblasts (MPs Vashchuk, Shers- dismisses him, which the Party of hun, Cherniy, Tereshchuk and Regions was preparing to do well in Shpak). Therefore, after the vote whether sincerely or not, they said, Speaker Lytvyn has taken as did Mr. Lytvyn, that they did not a break to weight up actually support the law. The sec- ond group is made up of MPs who risks and options but are happy for their votes to be he does not have counted and have no intention to request their invalidation. They are much choice represented by the head of the frac- tion, Ihor Sharov, a former Party of advance, once it felt that Regions MP who still has common the Speaker was no longer business with some current PR as accommodating as before. MPs. According to The Ukrai- After the first fight in the VR nian Week’s sources, the group over the language law in late also includes MPs controlled by the May, Mr. Lytvyn suggested the billionaire Party of Regions MP, dissolution of parliament. In Vasyl Khmelnytsky (MPs Pavlenko, response, the Party of Regions Belousova, Shmid, Hryvkovsky and began to buzz with talk about Remez) or MPs who are going to re-electing the Speaker. Why run in FPTP constituencies in hasn’t this happened yet? Be- Southern Ukraine (Hrynevetsky, cause the procedure requires a Baranov and others). They no lon- quorum of 300 MPs, who have to ger need Mr. Lytvyn. Instead, con- take the bulletins to vote for the dis- sent from the Presidential Admin- missal of the Speaker of the VR. To istration for their being elected to prevent losing his seat, Mr. Lytvyn parliament is crucial, and their should have discouraged the oppo- support of the Russian language in sition from supporting the initia- parliament is definitely a plus. tive. However, the passing of the language law in the first reading on VICTIM OR LIAR? June 5th was accompanied by a Commenting on his resignation storm of mutual criticism between and criticism of those who be- the parliamentary opposition and trayed him, Speaker Lytvyn said the Speaker. Thus there were valid that “emotions are always present reasons to fear that the opposition in politics, but a great deal of would vote for his dismisal to pun- thought has gone into making this ish him, provoke a split in the coali- decision and the decision was a ra- tion and cast doubt on the existence tional one”. What could of a pro-government majority. have forced him to take On July 4th, the day after the such a radical move? law was approved, the Firstly, it could have been the need for a move to save his political face and the prospect of being a stand-alone player rather than PR’s servant. Emotion could indeed have rein- forced this move as the ego of the “irreplaceable and eternal speaker” was hurt by the Party of Regions after he publicly put his name to the promise that parlia- ment would not consider the law № 12 (35) July 2012|the ukrainian week|7 focus|parliamentary crisis photo: unian photo: DEPENDANT VR changed the procedure for vot- ON HIS SEAT: sponsible leader, who is capable of tional court sent a letter requesting ing for the resignation and elec- “Business putting the prospects of Ukrainian the VR’s position on the issue on tion of the speaker, canceling the trips” and tens statehood above his own personal the very next day, July 6th. Accord- 300 MPs quorum and cutting it to of millions of interests. In the second scenario, ing to The Ukrainian Week’s just 226. Mr. Lytvyn may have budget funds for he could go the way of Oleksandr sources, the Constitutional Court is heard of the majority’s firm intent the regions of the Moroz, who betrayed the founda- ready to fulfill the task set by the to support the new procedure constituency he tions of Ukrainian identity which, party in power in the shortest term shortly beforehand, on the day the has chosen in the in fact, were innate to him person- possible to elect a new speaker at language law was voted on, there- Zhytomyr Oblast ally and important to most of his the extraordinary session on July have become fore had good reason to be ner- the foundation voters. If he does that, Mr. Lytvyn 31st and sign all laws required by vous and start looking for an hon- of Volodymyr could turn into a totally controlled the authorities. However, Mr. ourable way out. Perhaps, this was Lytvyn’s election tiny cog (as a result of the existence Lytvyn has already sent a letter to why he focused as much on the campaign of compromising information him- the Constitutional Court saying PR-sponsored amendments to VR self having cast away his political that “the procedure for electing the procedure in his speech about the prospects) in the president’s ma- Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada is “treason of his brothers in arms” chine which it can betray at any an internal issue of the operation of as he did on the language law be- time. parliament. It cannot be subject to ing passed in violation of the pro- Oleksandr Yefremov, Chair of constitutional control”. Yet, given cedure. This makes one wonder the Party of Regions’ faction in par- the chronicle of decisions by the which of the two documents en- liament, does not rule out an ex- Constitutional Court over the past raged Mr. Lytvyn more and be- traordinary session, which can be two years, it is unlikely to rule came the reason, not the excuse, summoned on July 31st. In re- against the party in power. for his demarche. sponse to Mr. Lytvyn’s letter of res- Under such conditions, the ignation and his refusal to sign the only chance for Mr. Lytvyn to save COMPETENCE TEST face and his political prospects is The Speaker has taken a break to Sticking to firm principles to refuse to sign the law sponsored weigh up risks and options. He has by Kolesnichenko and Kivalov already said that his resignation will allow Mr. Lytvyn (even if it is passed in accordance would be “a direct result of the sit- with the procedure and including uation surrounding the language the opportunity to have the amendments which even Vik- issue.” In fact, though, he does not a political future tor Yanukovych does not oppose have much choice. He can either for tactical reasons). Regardless of block any version of the language laws passed in his absence, primar- Mr. Lytvyn’s motivation now and law entirely or subtly play along ily those concerning language and his role in the past, it is his deci- with the Party of Regions, having the procedure for the election and sion to actually block the law or found a nice way out for himself. In dismissal of the speaker, 51 PR play into the hands of the govern- the first scenario, he would have to MPs applied to the Constitutional ment now, that will determine his enter into a real conflict with Vik- Court on July 5th to have its deci- place in history. The right move tor Yanukovych. But, in spite of the sion on how constitutional the re- could give him the possibility to losses and risks, this move could quirement of a 300-large quorum reinvent himself as a politician actually give Mr. Lytvyn an oppor- to re-elect the speaker is. With un- and gain new political opportuni- tunity for a political future as a re- precedented speed, the Constitu- ties. 8|the ukrainian week|№ 12 (35) July 2012

Politics|Pressure on the Mass Media Endurance Test The government is testing how Ukrainian mass media and society are prepared to protect freedom of speech

Author: Party of Regions’ plummeting sues, “TVi had undergone a tax Yuriy Raikhel rates. If this was in a democratic inspection a year before and ev- state, its spin doctors would be erything had been fine. This year he government does not like running to invent attractive slo- they found some violations. We independent press. That is gans, election platforms the voters filed an appeal against their deci- common for authoritarian would like and flattering promo- sion and won the administrative Tand totalitarian regimes, but tion. These are challenging tasks case on this issue last month.” In- also for democracies where the that require the best experts and deed, tax inspectors would hardly leaders are not very fond of jour- many more elements, including have found any violations if the nalists. The crucial difference, thorough and consistent work Ukrainian court had deemed the though, is that civil society and the aimed at long-term results as the TV channel clean. Soon, Olek- press have trained the govern- crucial element. sandr Klymenko, Chairman of the ments in Europe, Japan and North However, the Party of Re- State Tax Administration, issued America to an extent where the gions’ leaders and officials of the a decree whereby he extended the latter do not even think of perse- Presidential Administration are moratorium on inspecting the cuting or sending a tax inspection guided by the totally opposite media in the third quarter. On raid on newspapers and TV stu- reasons. Instead of a delicate and July 30, the election campaign dios because it will turn against well-thought campaign, they take would start extending the inspec- them eventually. Nor do they start chaotic moves to hush up both tion-free time for the media. All court proceedings against newspa- their political opponents, and in- in all, this would allow journalists pers and reporters. dependent press. According to and media mangers to work with- The struggle for freedom of second-rate spin doctors hired out pressure until November at speech was quite difficult and se- from Russia, it is free press that least. But that had been true ear- vere in Eastern Europe in the poses the biggest threat, and they lier, even when Leonid Kuchma 1990s and 2000s. The Czech gov- recommend the most primitive was president. With the current ernment tried to take one of the way to avoid and overcome it. To government, everything is differ- national TV channels under con- begin with, the government ent. The ban on inspections is trol yet encountered nation-wide should intimidate independent window dressing for Europe to resistance from journalists all over media and close them down if in- leave the government alone. In- the country and rallies with many timidation does not work. The ternally, the situation is quite the thousands of protesters. This latter should be done based on a opposite. There is always a way to forced the government to step court ruling. The processes of Yu- exert pressure on an independent back. Something similar hap- lia Tymoshenko and Yuriy Lut- TV channel. Moreover, even if the pened in Baltic States. senko are the perfect models to left hand does one thing, such as Sadly, the CIS had opposite follow. signing the moratorium on tax in- processes that inspired no opti- spections for the media, the right mism. Russia has not had live talk Independent media: hand, such as the Presidential shows for so long now that people from rare to extinct? Administration, does not neces- began to forget about them alto- Ukraine has very few independent sarily have to follow instruction. gether. Central Asia has left virtu- TV channels. As soon as Viktor Ya- Tax inspection has raided TVi ally no space for opposition me- nukovych came to power, the rela- yet again. Reluctant to violate the dia. Belarus does not remember tions between the government and effective moratorium, the authori- what the opposition media are. TVi, one of the few still standing, ties opened a criminal case against The era of free press was over as grew tense. To begin with, its Mykola Kniazhytsky, the channel’s soon as Father Lukashenka came broadcasting license was taken General Director. The investiga- to power. After 2005, only Mol- away from TVi and given to Inter tors seemed to care little about the dova and Ukraine still had relative owned by Valeriy Khoroshkovsky, lack of legitimate reasons for the freedom of speech. Ukraine, the First Vice Premier of Ukraine. case or the fact that the court had though, is now witnessing its sta- Now, TVi’s signal covers only ca- already deemed the opening of the ble decline. ble networks thus cutting back on previous case illegal. They have an its audience significantly. order therefore they should turn Taking the easiest way The channel managed to sur- around and march to the TVi of- It is getting worse as the election vive the first tax attack on it. Ac- fice. This scenario is nothing new: campaign draws closer and the cording to Oleh Radchenko, Dep- they repeat the same procedure media buzz with news about the uty General Director for Legal Is- over and over again. 10|the ukrainian week|№ 12 (35) July 2012 Pressure on the Mass Media |Politics drawing by ihor lukianchenko by drawing

Offsetting fear trol over the media did not save campaign kicks off, European en- The government’s actions have Qaddafi or Mubarak, nor is it very tities will monitor many things, several reasons. Firstly, it does helpful to Assad. including the government’s at- not understand the outcome of its Secondly, the government is tacks on independent media. At moves even if well-thought and acting brutally showing openly that point, tax inspectors will no planned. This signals that panic is that nothing can stop it. It seems longer feel comfortable raiding growing within the Party of Re- to follow the principle where win- the offices of TV channels and gions. If it feels that its prospects ners are not judged. Therefore, publications. While here, the case in the elections are threatened by against TVi and its General Direc- a TV channel with limited access The impression is tor was opened before the cam- to the audience, their spin doc- paign begins, so there will be no tors must be in a really bad situa- that the government violations of European standards tion. The raid on the TV channel feels trapped regarding election campaigns, is a proof of the lost campaign, at even if formally. least in the media. Purging the in- and is acting chaotically There is still hope that TVi will formational space in the era of stand this attack. The key prereq- Internet, Facebook and Twitter Ukrainians are likely to witness uisite to that is the solidarity of makes no sense at all. Leonid unprecedented falsification and journalists in the first place, the Kuchma had already tried this rigging of the election. The im- way it was in the Czech Republic. through temnyky, instructions to pression is that the government If Ukrainians fail to jointly make the media on how they should feels trapped and is acting chaoti- the government respect at least present political developments cally. In a situation this desperate, some rules of the code of decent his regime used in 2001-2004. it can do anything. conduct, everyone will feel the im- They did not help – quite on the Thirdly, the government is in pact. And a country that has no contrary. Similarly, tougher con- a rush. As soon as the election freedom has no future, too. № 12 (35) July 2012|the ukrainian week|11 Politics|Opinion Freedom Under Pressure t is impossible to be slightly pregnant. It is impossible a radio channel for office-official plankton – by all to be slightly free. Either you are, or you’re not. I means, it’s even interesting. wrote this – and stopped. Really? Freedom is relative, Problems began when the “plankton” began to come out Iparticularly when talking about freedom of speech onto city squares in an amount equal to the population and freedom of the press. It can be held in check by di- of a megapolis. But even here, Cheka agents acted ele- rect state sanctions, a phantom fear of these sanctions, gantly: the leaders of pluralism were not squeezed; the position of the owner of the mass media or even the merely several laws were passed through parliament, personal inclination or superstition of the journalist. In which raise a far from symbolic guillotine above the short, there is no such thing as absolute freedom, as we heads of any daredevil. More specifically, the Law On were taught in the USSR. Slander provides for a fine of RUR 5 million for the pub- All these complex cases of institutional, corporate or lication of information on felonies committed by any moral restrictions of freedom are being diligently re- person (such as: particularly large amounts being stolen searched by international organizations, based on which by officials), if they are not upheld by the Pechersk – reports are written, it is possible to argue about them, sorry, a slip of the tongue, of course, the Basmanny! – conduct disputes and write theses, but in the specific District Court in Moscow, which is approximately USD situation that has emerged in Ukraine, such fine lines 1,500. The Law “On the Register of Banned Sites” allows are worth nothing. Why measure finely-tuned interac- the closure of any internet resource if child pornogra- tion, when freedom is constantly being flattened under a phy, announcements of the sale of drugs, instructions roller? for committing suicide, etc. is found on them. It is The attack of the tax roller on TVi demonstrates the enough to write “You can hang yourself” on the forum, vector of the development of Ukraine far too transpar- for the lights to go out. For all their outward respectabil- ently. The Ukrainian, let me say, “government” (as of ity, such measures are evidence of the insurmountable June 3, I cannot bring myself to write the word without fear of dissent. Together with the draconian restriction Author: inverted commas), first and foremost showed the peo- of the freedom of assembly, they give a definitive diag- Yuri Makarov ple its fear, trying to shut the mouth of virtually the last nosis: panic. independent broadcaster. I am convinced that the is- In Ukraine, individual attempts at imitation are coy so sue is not about being exasperated or taking offence at far, being conducted as a test. A court ruling on the pro- harsh statements: I doubt whether the Presidential Ad- hibition of assembly was shown to hunger strikers on ministration watches anything on TV, other than “Na- the European Square and subsequently quickly hidden sha Rasha” (“Our Russia” – a TV show parodying life). away. Under the slogan of antimonopoly measures in It is hard to assume that political expedience was taken the media (I wonder whether Khoroshkovsky was con- into account: the efforts of this “government” have sulted on this issue?) and “reducing the possibility of us- driven the TV channel into ing the mass media as a key a frequency ghetto. It can Ukraine is testing Russian factor in the manipulation On July 18, the only be seen on the cable of social awareness and the Prosecutor’s Of- networks of several large personal views of the popu- fice of the Pech- methods of struggle with ersk District in cities and accordingly, the those who have a different lation to a minimum”, the Kyiv initiated a audience influenced by Ministry of Justice is pro- criminal case on TVi is restricted in ad- opinion posing the prohibition of the publication vance, both from the the activities of television of confidential quantitative, and the qualitative point of view. No, and radio organizations, the founder or owner of information this is fear. which is an offshore non-resident, as well as the es- about PR dep- In this instance, it’s worth looking at prototypes, tablishment (reading between the lines of the rele- uty Volodymyr since the regime is diligently copying the best models of vant draft law) of personal responsibility of the editor of Landik on the Ukraine’s northern neighbour, and it appears that the individual issues of printed publications for “manipula- internet publi- tion” … All of this fiction can theoretically be used in full, cation, LB.ua. former is extremely envious of the latter’s success in Since the latter constructing its vertical power structure. In the Russia but for the time being, it is being used as a test shot. made a written of the year 2000, Vladimir Putin, who had just taken the Criminal cases are a different matter. All that’s left is to request to end presidency, loved to read the highly oppositional No- rely on the strong nerves of Mykola Kniazhytsky’s col- the persecution vaya Gazeta (New Gazette) – this was said by a person, leagues and the self-preservation instincts of officials. of journalists, who at that time had access to the Presidential office. But if no reputational risk stood in the way of the im- some deputies You see, he was amused by Novaya Gazeta. He also did prisonment of the former Prime Minister and the for- – members of not make light of the daring Ekho Moskvy (“Echo of mer Minister of Internal Affairs, why not add a journal- the VR Commit- Moscow”) radio station. Morever, Dmitry Muratov, Edi- ist to them? tee for Freedom tor-in-Chief of Novaya Gazeta and Alexei Veneditkov, The fact of the matter is that based on mental capacity, of Speech have the student-president does not differ in a positive man- already stated Editor-in-Chief of Echo of Moscow were regularly in- that this issue vited to various events at the Kremlin and their journal- ner from the teacher-president. No-one knows what will is all about ists were asked to presidential-prime ministerial pools. come into his mind, not to mention what will come into ending the This ensured a showcase of freedom of speech. Thus the minds of those controlling the puppet strings. Mean- activities of the television, which addresses millions of viewers, was es- while, the roller is gaining speed and it appears that it independent sentially purged; there were no allusions to pluralism, has missed the turn to Europe. What road directions is media. but a newspaper for one percent of highbrow people and Ukraine following? “Russia”? “Belarus”? 12|the ukrainian week|№ 12 (35) July 2012 European Integration|Politics test against the violation of human rights in Ukraine. Why was this deci- sion ultimately made, despite the current situation? In her comment on this to Deutsche Welle, Rebecca Harms, co-Chair of the Green Party faction in the European Parliament, said that simplified entrance to the EU will benefit Ukrainian democrats and she did not want citizens to be punished for their government’s bad policy. However, there are also other considerations. The European Commission’s decision to recommend that the EU Council signs the simplified visa regime agreement with Ukraine is just the first step in a long chain of subsequent steps be- fore the document becomes part of European legislation. First, it must be approved by the EU Council that consists of the relevant govern- Another Carrot ment ministers of all 27 EU mem-

photо: reuters photо: ber-states. It then has to be ratified by the Verkhovna Rada and the The simplification of the visa regime and the European Parliament. No intrigues with Ukrainian MPs are antici- initialing of the economic part of the Ukraine-EU pated, but the decision of Euro- Free Trade Agreement do not mean that the pean MPs remains undetermined. The situation with the initialing isolation of Yanukovych’s regime has ended of the Association Agreement and FTA between Ukraine and the EU is Commission Trade Author: Such five-year multi-entry visas the same, which the latter linked to Spokesman John Heorhiy are supposed to be granted free of the termination of political repres- Clancy said recently Hryshchenko charge to MPs and oblast council sion and the violation of other dem- EUthat Ukraine and the deputies, judges of the Constitu- ocratic freedoms in Ukraine. In fact, EU have completed the legal proof- tional Court and the Supreme this will only be the completion of reading of the text of the agreement Court, as well as prosecutors on the the initialing process that kicked off on a deepened and comprehensive national and regional level and their on March 30, 2012, when the par- free trade area, and that the techni- deputies. This has sparked a huge ties only initialed the political sec- cal initialing will take place on July debate, since most of the people in- tion, as well as the first and the last 19 in Brussels. Earlier, after much volved in the current political re- pages of the economic section. In- debate, the EU Commission recom- pressions in Ukraine are included in stead, according to the above-men- mended that the EU Council signs this group. Moreover, government tioned John Clancy, technical pro- amendments to the agreement on a representatives are already trying to cesses for the preparation of the simplified visa regime with Ukraine. interpret the completion of FTA ini- document for signing, including the The simplification will embrace the tialing on July 19 and the signing of translation of the text into official issue of one-year visas to Ukraini- the Agreement on a Simplified Visa EU languages, will follow. With ans who are relatives of EU citizens, Regime, scheduled for July 23, as a that, the decision on the signing will drivers working on international sign that the EU does not have an depend on the political situation in routes, technical crew accompany- According to isolation policy against the current Ukraine, just like before, he notes. ing journalists, or those accompa- co-Chair of the Ukrainian government and the ex- Both the recommendation to nying sick people for treatment Green Party pansion of European integration, as conclude the simplified visa regime abroad. Also, getting a visa will be faction in the Viktor Yanukovych constantly re- agreement, and the completion of simpler for representatives of civil European minds us. Andriy Kliuyev, for in- the initialing of the Association and religious organizations visiting Parliament stance, said that “Ukraine is con- Agreement and FTA, signal that EU member-states to take part in Rebecca Harms, tinuing its European integration in the EU is still waiting for Ukraine international events. The biggest the agreement specific everyday actions rather and is keeping the door open, ready privileges go to business represen- is meant to than words.” for deeper cooperation at any mo- tatives and journalists who travel to improve the However, Viviane Reding, Vice ment. All Ukraine needs for this, is lives of ordinary EU member-states on a regular ba- Ukrainians who President of the European Commis- to change its government’s policy sis. They will obtain five-year multi- should not sion, and Elmar Brok, Chair of the or the government itself. The par- entry visas and will be required to be punished European Parliament Committee on liamentary election in October submit a shorter list of documents for the bad Foreign Affairs, have opposed the 2012, which is very much in the to confirm the purpose of their trips. policy of their signing of the agreement on a simpli- spotlight in the EU, will play a cru- government. fied visa regime, to show their pro- cial role in this. № 12 (35) July 2012|the ukrainian week|13 Politics|The Rule of Law Preventing Poverty A guide to eliminating corruption and establishing the rule of law with a limited set of resources at hand

he Rule of Law is the keystone Author: board but seem an inevitable con- tions are equally open to criticism, of a good constitution, but is John Lucas, comitant to effective government. not only for being needless restric- not well understood. Ordi- UK It is not clear where the line should tive, but often for favouring one Tnary life is hazardous, confi- be drawn, and so there is constant interest group, good at lobbying, dence shaken, enterprise inhibited, pressure to extend the grey area over others which only seek a level prosperity destroyed, if officials are which we find difficult to resist. playing field. lazy, incompetent, untrustworthy It is natural to start with the and corrupt. I live from day to day, requirement that laws should be hoping that no policeman will de- written down and published: then mand a bribe not to book me for everyone can read them and know crossing the street at an unauthor- what he is required to do. But be- ised place; I keep my head down, ing written down is neither neces- lest some tax inspector turns up de- sary not sufficient: in Iceland the manding alleged unpaid dues; I laws were not written but were re- don't improve my farm for fear that cited from memory at a yearly it will be expropriated by some meeting, and Draco's code, the crony of the governor; foreigners first to be written, was repressively refuse to invest because they know severe. Modern laws and regula- that they will not know whom to bribe and on what occasion. With- out the Rule of Law a society is con- demned to the impoverished tribal- ism of prehistoric times. The Rule of Law has been diffi- cult to defend because it has proved difficult to define. We are quite sure that judges should not take bribes, but there is a slippery slope from obvious venality to subtle pressures that are not quite above

14|the ukrainian week|№ 12 (35) July 2012 The Rule of Law|Politics why do we need the law? BIO ary of personal reason. But we go It is largely our concept of law that John Lucas is a British philosopher. further: if the law is a common pos- Born in 1929, he was educated at is at fault. We have inherited from Oxford where he later taught for 36 session of society for settling dis- Greek philosophers and Roman ju- years until retiring in 1996. John Lu- putes, they should be settled by ref- rists what may be termed the ''Big cas wrote many works on the phi- erence to actual cases, and not for Stick'' theory of law. Laws exist to losophy of mathematics, science, extraneous reasons of state. There prevent and punish determined religion, political philosophy and is nothing venal in deciding that it wrong-doers who will not be de- more. In his best-known work enti- is expedient that one man should terred by anything other than coer- tled Minds, Machines and Gödel die for the sake of the people, but it cive force. The only alternative to (1959), Mr. Lucas insists that an au- is not a valid reason for condemn- the law of the jungle is to have a tomaton cannot represent a human ing him to death. The Rule of Law mathematician and refutes compu- requires not only that judgements sovereign with a monopoly of coer- tationalism. He is Fellow of the Brit- cive power, whose word is law – ish Academy. His main books include Principles of Politics, should not be corrupt, but that they quod placuit principi legis vigorum 1966; The Concept of Probability, 1970; The Freedom of the should not be taken for raison habet. Against this dangerously Will, 1970; The Nature of Mind, 1972; A Treatise on Time and d'etat. Britons are outraged at citi- untrammelled power of a sovereign Space, 1973; On Justice, 1980; The Future, 1989; Spacetime zens being extradited to the United there arose first mediaeval theories and Electromagnetism, 1990; Responsibility, 1993; Ethical States to face criminal charges for of natural law and then contract Economics, 1997; Conceptual Roots of Mathematics, 1999; actions which were done, are not theories, most recently articulated 2003; and Reason and Reality, 2006. John Lucas helped es- crimes, in Great Britain. No doubt by John Rawls in his Theory of Jus- tablish the Oxford Consumers' Group and was its first Chair- the government has reason to curry tice. Both capture important in- man. up to the United States, but that sights, but neither is adequate on was not a reason for a British sub- its own. Natural law theories are rule of the road: they depend on ject to be handed over to a foreign based on the rationality of human collective preferences, often ones jurisdiction for something he had beings. We can reason, and work that emerged gradually over the done that was not a crime where he out what is right. But even if per- course of time. We need to be did it. Not that considerations of fectly rational and perfectly moral, guided not only by the light of na- public interest cannot enter into the I could not by reason alone always ture but by sensitivity to our social law. Men can be conscripted and discover what I should do. I cannot surroundings. Contract theories sent to their deaths in defence of discover by reason alone that I fail to formulate any plausible the realm. Treason has always ought to drive on the left in Britain been a crime. Many laws are and on the right in Europe. Many framed to protect the public. But features of ordinary life are like the Without the Rule of Law a they are laws, not covert pressures society is condemned to the on the administration of the law in particular cases. impoverished tribalism of Modern thinkers often argue prehistoric times that laws, to be laws, must be en- acted by a legislature. As a general terms for the putative contract they account of the history of law, this is posit, but capture the insight that false. Custom and public morality government exists for the sake of have long been recognised as other the governed, and that the law-en- sources of law. But there is a fur- forcer is not entitled to make arbi- ther argument from freedom that trary decisions, but has fiduciary has greater weight. Laws legislated duties that go with his office. by a legislature are written laws; Law is not primarily a vehicle of written laws can be read by every- coercion to suppress determined one, and everyone therefore can wrong-doers, but a common under- know what is allowed, and what he standing of how to settle disputes. can do without falling foul of the Only in a small minority of cases is law. He has a freedom which in actual coercion needed. It is impor- pre-Draco times was denied to or- tant that it be known to be available dinary members of the public. Un- if all else fails, but mostly simple less judges are forbidden to dream adjudication is enough, backed up up laws on their own, the citizen by social disapproval against reluc- does not know where he stands, tance to abide by disappointing and cannot plan his future with judgements. The common law ap- confidence. But it is impracticable proach enables us to identify differ- to tie down judges completely. The ent requirements implicit in the Code Napoléon tried to do so, but rule of law. We require it to be ad- failed: in being guided by the writ- ministered without fear or favour. ten word, judges have to interpret Judges must be independent of the it. In order to be reasonably sure powers that be, in order to know about what he can get away with, that they will not themselves suffer the smart guy has to consult a so- if they decide against some govern- licitor, who has mastered not only ment protégé, and themselves not the (often opaque) wording of the favour any litigant for any pecuni- stature by a host of precedents № 12 (35) July 2012|the ukrainian week|15 Politics|The Rule of Law about what it means in various court found him guilty none the room to hide, and close colleagues sorts of case. The ordinary citizen less, citing precedents establishing are more likely to spot what is go- can have a rough and ready knowl- that public morality could be a ing on. Moreover, and most im- edge of the law, and how to steer source of law. Shaw's own moral portantly, it is impossible to bribe clear of trouble, but if he wants to principles might differ, but did not a tradesman, say a plumber, to sail close to the wind he needs an entitle him to set aside public mo- come and do a job, since, being his expert pilot. rality. Nor was there a plausible own man, any payment made to A second argument for re- argument from freedom: what he him is not a bribe but an above- stricting morality from being a was doing ran counter to the gen- board payment. In an economy of source of law arises from an un- eral tenor of the law. He was try- small operators there are fewer op- derstanding of the nature of mo- ing to exploit what he took to be a portunities for corruption, and a rality. Morality is different from gap in the law, and failed. greater climate of straightforward law. We sometimes say ''There Law is not the same as moral- dealing. It is sensible therefore to ought to be a law against it'', which ity, but law and morality, along downsize, so far as is possible. In only makes sense if in fact there is with custom and convention, are particular, as little as possible not. There may be good practical the fabric which makes communal reasons – the cost of enforcement, life possible. The way that law de- Ordinary life is hazardous the avoidance of blackmail – for velops, often encompassing law not making wrong-doing a crime. and custom though not coexten- if officials are lazy, And there are deeper reasons too. sive with it, is sometimes indeter- incompetent, Christianity taught that the public minate, but in general clear morality of ancient Israel was not enough to distinguish what con- untrustworthy and by itself enough, and that one siderations should, and what corrupt needed to go beyond public moral- should not, enter into a judicial de- ity and commit oneself to much cision. We know what the Rule of should be undertaken by the State. more. But individual commitment Law requires. The difficult is to This runs counter to the inclina- is individual, and ought not to be bring it about. Britain and Amer- tions of politicians who want to be enforced on others by the law. I ica were able to do so, because in seen to be doing things. But in any may give my body to be burned or the wake of the Reformation there society in which there is a dearth used for medical research, I may were a substantial number of men give all my goods to the poor, I imbued with a natural indepen- may devote my life to helping the dence of mind and a strong sense poor in a Johannesburg slum, and of integrity, so that judges, once these may be things I genuinely freed from executive control, could ought to do, but I ought not to be relied on to interpret and en- compel other people to do like- force the law impartially; and later wise. From this it is argued, most in the Victorian age to secure the famously by J.S. Mill, and more re- service or public spirited officials cently by H.L.A. Hart, that moral- who, whatever their other failings, ity is entirely separate from mor- were honest and incorruptible. als, and that the only valid ground But the Indian Civil Service and for prohibiting any sort of behav- the Colonial service failed to incul- iour is that it is harmful to some- cate these attitudes sufficiently one else, the mere fact of its being, strongly, and in most parts of the wrong being entirely irrelevant. former British Empire corruption Mill's arguments do not hold water is endemic, and one of the chief – 'harm' is too vague a concept to causes of their poverty and back- carry weight, and when investi- wardness. The great question, gated, turns out to involve moral there and elsewhere, is how to evaluations – but should make us eliminate corruption and establish wary of reading too much into the Rule of Law with the limited public morality. We need to leave resources available. room for different individuals to Although individuals are all realise their different commit- too ready to favour corruption in ments, allowing a large measure of themselves, they do not like it in liberty in order to facilitate a flour- others. Popular opinion is ishing autonomy of will. against it, and there will al- But a large measure of liberty ways be a majority who is not a complete licence. The is- disapprove it in gen- sue came up in 1961 when a Mr eral, though not nec- Shaw had published a directory of essarily without ex- prostitutes. In his defence it could ception. Public opinion be argued that there is in England is powerful prophylactic no law specifically against publish- provided it is informed. ing a directory of prostitutes, al- Transparency spreads informa- though there are many laws tion, and small is transparent – in against procuring and the like. The a small organization there is less 16|the ukrainian week|№ 12 (35) July 2012 of honest and conscientious men, A second remedy is to dualise. we need to ration the appetite for If the Government Inspectorship having public officials, so that the is entrusted to a two-some, it will available few are placed where be dangerous for either to engage they are most needed. Judges in in any dubious practice, since the Britain are, and are believed to be other will be in on everything he incorruptible, because they are does, and neither will be able to well paid, and effectively irremov- do anything that will not be noted able. That may not be enough, but by the other. If there is a further it is a good beginning. But they are policy of having one official drawn few, and even if we down-size the from those who are familiar with State, other officials are needed, to the job and the other from a dif- issue licences, collect customs, and ferent department, there will be perform other duties that only the the added advantage that ac- State can undertake. How can we cepted departmental practices, prevent public officials becoming and not only corrupt ones, will be corrupt, if we must recruit them from a public that, while generally In an economy of small disapproving of corruption, is not committed to absoluter integrity? operators there are Corruption, because it is devi- fewer opportunities ous, takes time to develop, and can therefore be disrupted by timely for corruption changes. If officials are shunted around at irregular intervals, the exposed to critical scrutiny, lead- cosy relationships that the outgo- ing sometimes to the elimination ing incumbent has cultivated will of encrusted waste and ineffi- not be immediately available to his ciency. successor. He will have to walk The requirement to declare an warily at first, because if he shows interest is a third antiseptic. It is his hand to the wrong person, his not feasible to extend to all the venality will be known, and he will business transacted by officials get into trouble. The straight and the high requirement, imposed on narrow is the safest path. And by the judiciary, that they should dis- the time he has discovered from qualify themselves if they have whom he can safely demand a any connection with any party in- bribe, it will be time to move on. volved – often officials need to know the people they are doing business with. But if they declare an interest it alerts everybody else to the possibility that they are be- ing unduly swayed by it, and puts them in the wrong it it turns out that there was an interest they failed to declare. Measures such as these help to focus the general disapproval that most people feel for corrup- tion into powerful sanctions against it. But they will not al- ways work. Power tends to cor- rupt, and politics is about power. There will always be pressure from the top to bend rules to fa- vour the friends of those in power, and to re-Rule the Law to fit their agenda. The West is as vulnerable as the East. Britain and America like to portray themselves as para- gons of Gladstonian rectitude. But Britain is just discovering the extent of cronyism in 10 Downing Street, and the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court of the United States of America is becoming more and more a mat- ter of politics. security|Collective Security Treaty Organization Uzbekistan’s Demarche Tashkent’s decision to withdraw from the Collective Security Treaty Organization could lead to yet another surge of destabilization in the Asian region photo: reuters photo:

Author: zbekistan’s official note to gyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and member until 2005. The tide Yuriy Raikhel terminate its membership in Uzbekistan. The Treaty, initiated turned abruptly after the Andijon the Collective Security by Uzbekistan, was signed in massacre in spring-summer UTreaty Organization (CSTO) 1992 in Tashkent and ratified in 2005. The West strongly criti- has come as a surprise to everyone 1994. Islam Karimov, the coun- cized Tashkent for the violent except experts. In December 2011, try’s president at that time, was crushing of protests that killed Alexander Lukashenko proposed seriously concerned about the many people. As a result, Uzbeki- that Nikolay Bordyuzha, CSTO’s civil war that had broken out in stan went back to the CSTO, be- Secretary General, considers Uz- neighbouring Tajikistan and was coming a fully-fledged member in bekistan’s continued membership seeking ways of collective resis- 2006. in the organization before its sum- tance to the Islamist movement However, it was not long be- mit in Moscow. Back then, the Be- that was expanding in the region. fore Tashkent once more took its larusian president asked CSTO to The first public disparities own position on various issues. It “tackle some internal problems, pri- surfaced in 1999 when Tashkent often opposed fundamental deci- marily those concerning Uzbeki- refused to extend the treaty, thus sions and refused to ratify over 15 stan’s position on some issues – and exiting the CSTO. Moreover, Uz- agreements and protocols, in- you can’t get away from this; every- bekistan joined GUAM (Georgia, cluding the Protocol on the Pro- body knows it.” Ukraine, Armenia and Moldova), cedure for the Formation and Op- CSTO members include Ar- viewed by the Kremlin as an anti- eration of Collective Security Sys- menia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyr- Russian entity, of which it was a tem Forces and Means. 18|the ukrainian week|№ 12 (35) July 2012 Collective Security Treaty Organization|security Vladimir Putin may well have According to Mr. Sivkov, Uz- hydroelectric power stations. If tried to prevent Uzbekistan’s exit bekistan’s withdrawal from the they do so, Uzbekistan will get from the CSTO during his recent CSTO will have a serious impact less water which will aggravate visit to Tashkent. His meeting on its relations with Russia. the existing deficit. Hopes that with Islam Karimov on June 5th “This might not be visible ini- Moscow will help to resolve this only lasted a few hours. The offi- tially, but Uzbekistan will subse- problem have proved to be vain. cial outcome was the signing of a quently implement an anti-Rus- Moreover, Russian organizations memorandum whereby Uzbeki- sian policy in the region, causing are participating in the construc- stan joined the CIS Free Trade a deterioration of inter-state re- tion of the most contentious Zone Agreement. Yet, Russian lations.” dams, the Rogun Dam on the observers claimed that Uzbeki- Damaged relations with the Vaksh River in Tajikistan and The population stan had been persistently back- of Uzbekistan is Kremlin signal improved rela- Kambarata Dam on the Naryn pedalling on all of Moscow’s ini- 29.5 tions with someone else. Clearly, River in Kazakhstan. While oil tiatives to develop the CSTO and in this case, with Washington, and gas fuel conflicts in the world, Shanghai Cooperation Organiza- million and that is the Kremlin’s tragedy. water could easily generate one in tion (SCO). people The nightmare of Moscow’s poli- Central Asia. Once Uzbekistan issued its ticians and generals is coming Regional leadership is an- CSTO exit note, other member- true: the American enemy is get- other problem with the CSTO. states had no idea how to re- ting ever closer. Uzbekistan could Uzbekistan is trying to win it spond. Later, when Russia’s top even end up with a US military from Kazakhstan. Overall, Uz- echelons learned more about base! To hear some Russian mili- bekistan’s regional-scale hege- what was going on, officials and tary officials, this would be tanta- monic intentions face intense re- experts close to the Kremlin were mount to it being located some- sistance from its neighbours. For quick with their comments. where just outside Moscow. No this reason, Kyrgyzstan, Tajiki- Most of them noted that this more, no less. stan and Turkmenistan increas- was Tashkent’s attempt to move Looking at the issue based on ingly see Kazakhstan as a natural away from Russia and get closer the situation in Central Asia counterweight to Uzbekistan, to USA. rather than from the point of which fuels regional rivalry, espe- Vladimir Zharikhin, Deputy view of the Russian elite’s anti- cially with the interference of ex- Director of the CIS Institute, quated anti-Americanism, the ternal powers, such as China, the shares this view. In the Vzgliad CSTO is an organization of talk USA and Russia. Apparently, Uz- (Opinion) newspaper, he reminds and declarations, not action. bekistan has grown weary of all readers that Tashkent has been Alexei Malashenko, an expert at this and gone off in pursuit of actively trying to get closer to the Carnegie Moscow Center, happiness with others. This will America lately, but without much told the media that “essentially, not necessarily be Washington. success. “We realize that geopoli- Beijing is also not averse to put- tics has no room for romantic ting a little pressure on the Krem- emotion. Therefore, there will be the CSTO is an organization lin. official rapprochement, but with- of talk and declarations, Moscow and Minsk pretend out any particular love or re- that no harm will come from Uz- spect,” he said. not action bekistan’s exit from the CSTO. Konstantin Sivkov, First Vice- Nikolai Makarov, Chief of CSTO President at the Academy of Geo- throughout the twenty years of Headquarters in Russia, stressed political Issues, shares this view. its existence, the CSTO has never that there would not be a signifi- “Uzbekistan’s exit means only one tested itself in major incidents, cant impact on the CSTO. In fact, thing: its government has taken related to ensuring security in this may not be the case. Accord- the course of moving closer to the the CIS. The most obvious dem- ing to Dosym Satpayev, a Kazakh US and NATO.” After rapproche- onstration of its helplessness political scientist and Director of ment, the leaders will be replaced was the second Tulip Revolution the Risk Assessment Group, guar- with those that are more loyal to in Kyrgyzstan in the spring and anteeing security in Central Asia Uzbekistan, he notes. “That’s it. summer of last year. There was without Uzbekistan will be next They’ve decided on their course, bloodshed in this CSTO mem- to impossible. He claims that Uzbekistan's GDP aimed at the emergence of a ‘co- (PPP) per capita is ber-state, but the organization “Uzbekistan is one of the key lour revolution’ in the country. failed to respond to the situation states in Central Asia and ensur- $3,302 This is likely to happen in 18 placing it 133rd out and regulate the conflict, con- ing regional security without it is months, or two years at most.” of 183 countries firming its impotence. However, difficult. But, Uzbekistan is a sov- The French Revolution terri- in the world it’s possible that it could have ag- ereign state that has the right to fied the absolutist and feudal Eu- gravated the situation, had it in- decide on which organizations rope of that time to the extent terfered. Can you imagine Uzbek and entities it wants, or doesn’t that its ghost haunted top minis- military units trying to deal with want to participate in.” terial cabinets for almost a cen- protests in Kyrgyzstan!” Clearly, Uzbekistan’s decision tury. The Rose Revolution in Tashkent has serious prob- on the CSTO will result in the fur- Georgia and the Orange Revolu- lems with virtually all of its neigh- ther polarization of Central Asia tion in Ukraine still send shivers bours. Its relations with Kyrgyz- and the region may well continue down Kremlin leaders’ spines. stan and Tajikistan are very the arc of instability, which But this is purely emotional; strained in connection with their stretches from the Middle East to there is also a practical side. plans to construct a cascade of Afghanistan. № 12 (35) July 2012|the ukrainian week|19 neighbours|poland & lithuania Troubled Neighbourhood

flicts of the two states and their strengthen the economic security Wojciech Borodzicz- possible consequences. of not just our closest neighbour, Smoliński talks about modern but also of Latvia and Estonia. The U. T.: Relations between Lithua- Lotos company plans to use its af- Warsaw-Vilnius relations nians and Poles are the worst in filiates in Lithuania to search for the EU and are often compared to and develop shale gas deposits Interviewer: oland-Lithuania relations the cat and dog enmity. What is within the territory of the country. Oleksandr are the tensest in the EU. the reason for this? Don’t you Meanwhile PZU, the biggest Polish Pahiria The countries often conflict think Warsaw and Vilnius are hos- insurance company, intends to ex- Pover historical, national, tages of their common history? pand its affiliates from Lithuania cultural and language issues. This – This is all about politicians to other Baltic markets. Of course, instability is caused by the district and media interpreting public there are some problems in eco- of Vilnius, which has one of the views. Speaking about Polish-Lith- nomic cooperation, but it is quite biggest Polish minorities (around uanian mutual comprehension; I normal to have problems and we 240,000 people) abroad. Moscow, would like to mention the follow- can solve them together. which is trying to strengthen its ing definition which has been used It is much more complicated to influence in the region, profits in our politics for the last several analyze relations on social and po- from these conflicts that spoil any years: “a tough friendship”. And litical levels. Firstly, because of the dialogue between the two neigh- here, it is worth considering eco- issue of the national minorities, bours. Lithuania has the October nomic and political levels sepa- secondly, because of the unwilling- parliamentary race ahead and the rately. I can say that it is getting ness of the public and politicians party of local Poles is going to take better in economics: Poland is now to consider any other issues apart part in the elections together with one of four main partners of Lithu- from education, language, street Russian forces. Wojciech ania and the Polish Orlen Lietuva names, surnames and land restitu- Borodzicz-Smoliński, a director of Investment Company continues to tion. The discussions of these is- the Center for International Rela- fill the Lithuanian budget with sues are complicated by their po- tions in Warsaw, spoke to The more and more taxes. We have liticization abroad and by the lack Ukrainian Week about the con- joint energy projects that should of dialogue between the societies 20|the ukrainian week|№ 12 (35) July 2012 poland & lithuania|neighbours of the two countries. The issues of can it become an additional in- And Poles in their turn treat Lithu- the Polish national minorities in strument of Moscow during the anians as obstinate opponents of Warsaw politics provide Poles with parliamentary race in Lithuania in the revival of Polish national life in good reasons for debate. Poles like October 2012? the neighbouring country. The at- to talk about Poland’s responsibil- – The question is not only mosphere of suspicion and politi- ity to support minorities and the about the coalition of AWPL with cization is pressurized by the me- necessary intensity of this support, this force. It seems like representa- dia. Our people treat each other as as well as debate about political tives of national minorities have opponents and don’t want to listen force being the best guardian of the will to, and can, cooperate. But to anything out of the stereotypes Poles abroad. I don’t think Poland one should consider this problem framework. De-facto we do not and Lithuania are hostages of their within the framework of Polish- communicate with each other and history. Let me remind you that have not created a platform for di- the period from the 15th century to Much time and hard work alogue formed, for instance, within the beginning of the 20th century the last 20 years in Poland with was marked with almost no wars are needed to overcome Germany. The thing is that the between the two countries. It is the deficiency of openness Polish-Lithuanian conflict could modern times that have brought be presented to the world as a dis- these conflicts with the conse- and trust in Polish- pute between a disobedient and quences still fresh in our memory. Lithuanian relations uncertain party and another one Speaking of bad treatment towards dreaming of “A Great Poland from their compatriots in Lithuania, Lithuanian and Lithuanian-Rus- Sea to Sea”. Poles should better recall War- sian relations. Lack of trust be- First of all discussion is saw’s national politics in the Vil- tween the partners, and that is the needed. Important issues of Lithu- nius Region at the beginning of the case in both relations, makes it dif- ania and Poland should be taken 20th century and only afterwards ficult to overcome distrust and into account, for example, their make any proposals. suspicion as to voting lists. Mean- EU and NATO futures and the role According to the while AWPL is occupied in the race of our countries in the Baltic re- 2001 census, there U. T.: What are the most sensitive were a total of solely with the issues of the Polish gion. It is necessary to find com- issues in these relations? 553,000 inhabitants minority and isn’t really trying to mon objectives beyond politics. – These issues are usually in Vilnius, of which increase its influence on the rest of deemed to be the spelling of sur- 59% the voters. That brings more suspi- U. T.: What levels can the two names, as Lithuania has forbidden were Lithuanians, cion. It is worth paying special at- countries cooperate on? the use of the Polish letters (ś, ć, ń, 19% tention to the partners chosen for – They already cooperate in ą, ę, w etc.); the return of land; re- Poles, election unions in the country many areas. Economic cooperation forms in education for national 14% where gas and oil reserves wholly has become the best example of co- minorities and street names, Russians and depend on Moscow’s politics and operation beyond politics, and has though I don’t consider these the internet and media are over- given considerable results. Much problems to be the most important 4% burdened with Russian language. time and hard work are needed to Belarusians; ones in the two nations’ relations. 88,000 inhabitants overcome the deficiency of open- All these problems can be solved if lived in the suburbs, U. T.: Russia is the only country ness and trust in Polish-Lithuanian the two parties, mainly Lithuania’s of which in the region directly profiting relations. Bridges can be built via Poles and Lithuanians, are willing 62% from your confrontation. Why do programs, funds, projects, student to do so. But the lack of trust in re- were Poles, conflicts on historical, educa- exchange programs etc. But there lations is the decisive factor. The tional and language issues un- can be no easy way out. 22% parties treat each other on the ba- Lithuanians, dermine rapport between Lithu- sis of prejudices and stereotypes. ania and Poland based on the U. T.: Do you think the aggressive 8% platform of long-term foreign policy of Warsaw led by Foreign The main reason for this is that Russians, Lithuanian citizens of Polish origin policy objectives? What could Affairs Minister Radosław Sikor- are considered to be disloyal to the 4% this platform be like to counter- ski can undermine previous state they live in, always ready to Belarusians act Moscow’s attempts to in- achievements in this area? betray the state and always waiting crease its geopolitical impact in – Apparently the Foreign Af- for neighbours’ help. Lithuanians Central Eastern Europe? fairs Ministry and Minister Sikor- are very sensitive to this aspect – Politicians of both countries ski are the only advocates of the and Poland should understand this use old schemes. In Lithuania, tough line. Other participants of delicate issue. It is slightly remi- Poles are surely considered to be the public dialogue support peace niscent of the Poles’ distrust to- enemies of the local statehood. talks and the gradual building of wards the Germans. trust. Our country often forgets bio that it bears great responsibility as U. T.: Electoral Action of Poles in Wojciech Borodzicz-Smoliński is a deputy director of the a powerful EU state, which is im- Lithuania (AWPL) has formed the Center for International Relations in Warsaw. He is a gradu- portant for the region. We can’t Valdemar Tomaševski’s Block to- ate of the National Defense University and the European rely on the position of a superior Centre of Warsaw University. During the period of 2004- gether with the Lithuanian Rus- 2009 he coordinated the Office of Janusza Onyszkiewicz, a state. Poland is not and won’t be sian Union on the basis of protec- Member of the European Parliament. He is a participant in an empire, but it can be a regional tion of national minorities numerous international projects. In 2004 he opened the leader. That means we have to be against the state’s coalition in Belarusian School of Journalism. In 2010 he led the Po- guiders instead of using power and power. Do you think AWPL is tak- land-Belarus Regional Partnership Forum. He is a specialist forcing our partners to do some- ing care of its own interests and in foreign affairs and Polish Eastern policy. thing we want. № 12 (35) July 2012|the ukrainian week|21 neighbours|dissident vaclav havel The Man Behind the Velvet Revolution Daniel Kaiser, author of Dissident Vaclav Havel, speaks about the first critical biography of the famed Czech politician and playwright

he historical changes of the U.W.: You wrote the book in ticians have a somewhat unfortu- Interviewer: late 1980s and early 1990s Havel’s lifetime. Did he try to have nate trait of sentimentalising. Its Les Belei are often viewed in Central any kind of impact on your work? roots go back perhaps to the 19th Tand Eastern Europe as hav- I had several long conversa- century or even the period of na- ing taken place only yesterday. But tions with him in which he pa- tional revival. However, it was very time flies, and many of those who tiently replied to my questions. good that Havel went into politics in inspired these transformations are This was the only time he could 1989 and that he stayed there for the no longer with us. One key figure have guided me in some direction, entire period that he won for him- in those heady days was Vaclav which would have been natural. self. How was he different? Through Havel, the last president of Curiously, he remembered more his courage and honesty with him- Czechoslovakia and the first presi- details from his dissident years, self. dent of the Czech Republic. Jour- even though they were more dis- nalist and historian Daniel Kaiser tant, and when he spoke about the U.W.: Can the Velvet Revolution be wrote his book while Havel was more recent events during his credited to Havel? still living. He poured over his presidential career, he was at times It all depends on how you look memoirs, compared them with ar- unsure and hesitated. He helped at it. The Communists would have chival documents and met with his me in my work. For example, he surrendered power in that period subject multiple times. The contacted various people who had even without the help of Havel or Ukrainian Week talked to Kai- his letters, asking them to make Charter 77. But he gave the Czecho- ser before he set out on a tour them accessible to me. These peo- slovakian autumn of 1989 an attrac- across Ukraine to promote the first ple often demanded special con- tive visage and wrote the script for it. Dissident part of his study – the book Dissi- sent, and he always helped me To many eyewitnesses of these Vaclav Havel. dent Vaclav Havel translated into without hesitation. events, this is their best memory. While working Ukrainian and published by Tem- on the book, pora Publishers. U.W.: What do you think is the U.W.: Do all Czechs view his Daniel Kaiser most important thing he left after political activity in the same way? studied the U.W.: What sparked your interest himself? Or is there some “anti-Havel documents in in Havel? Apart from several plays, Havel opposition” in society? the Havel case Havel was interesting to me, just is also an example of how a person Of course, Havel had many kept by law as he was to any Czech who cared must conduct himself in difficult critics, and they included both enforcement even the least bit about politics. I be- times without losing dignity. He in- communists and democrats. In the agencies and held several gan to watch him while I was still a deed did more in the 1970s and the five-six years before his death, extensive teenager, i.e., in the second half of 1980s than during his presidency. when he was no longer president conversations the 1980s. Because I was so young, I His presidency is like repayment of and rarely appeared in public, with him. watched him then as an observer. the loan he issued to society when even though his presence was he was a dissident. somehow felt, a kind of quiet U.W.: A lot has been written about Havel revival took place. Here is a Havel. How is your book different U.W.: Looking at Havel from a telling example for you. Four years from others? historical perspective, does he ago I was at a wedding party. The I have always respected the come across as a typical Czech celebration continued well into the man, but as I wrote about him, I de- politician? Or did he stand out in night and the police showed up cided to resort to a healthy critical some way? and accused us of being a public method. I am the first person to He was typical in only one re- nuisance. Jokingly, we began to have compared his old memoirs spect: he wanted to do politics and yell something about human rights about trials and imprisonment with had advanced power ambitions. But and then chanted the slogan “Long material kept in the Ministry of In- he never showed it on the outside live Havel!” This was, of course, a ternal Affairs, i.e., I contrasted and had to be constantly talked into joke, but it had its effect on the po- Havel’s own testimony with every- things. It all had the appearance of lice. They laughed, dropped the thing I could find about him. No-one being quite a sacrifice on his part. matter and left. After Havel’s else had done that before. He played this part well. Czech poli- death, Czech society came to a cer- 22|the ukrainian week|№ 12 (35) July 2012 dissident vaclav havel neighbours | tain consensus: despite all his mis- Bio 1989, are coming to power in the unification of political power. takes and varying attitudes to his Daniel Kaiser economy and public life with poli- Havel was not able to comprehend policies, Havel was a great person- (b. 1971) tics lagging a bit behind. this paradigm shift, this crisis of ality. received a European thought, i.e., the ex- university U.W.: Are Czechs satisfied withEU haustion of its capabilities. This is U.W.: He was also known for his diploma in membership? How widespread is history and is a a different political world. bohemian way of life. How do German linguist. European skepticism? Czechs treat such public figures? He worked for Skepticism has been on the U.W.: You were planning to write In general, positively. The repu- Lidove noviny, a rise since the onset of the crisis in Havel’s biography in several parts. tation of a Czech politician will not daily newspaper, the eurozone. Today European So far you have published the first be seriously shaken if a scandal in- in 1999-2001 and skeptics are in the majority. Of volume about his dissident years. volving his lover erupts or he is re- in the Czech course, in the Czech Republic When is the continuation coming? ported to have a large taste for alco- office of the BBC these are not people who would The next book is almost ready. hol. Social tolerance to celebrities in Prague and want the country to pull out of the I'm putting the last touches on it and and their private life is not Havel’s London in EU. They are simply doubtful if everything goes well, I will hand 2001-2006. merit, but he proved the rule. He has been a about the need to harmonise legis- over the second part to the publisher political observer lation and oppose the euro and this year. U.W.: Are his plays still relevant with Lidove today? noviny since Yes, his plays are more impor- 2009. tant and topical than, for example, his political writings. In my opinion, some of the pieces he wrote in the 1970s are excellent analysis of the communist reaction to the events of 1968 and the way people behave in a totalitarian society. U.W.: Havel is known to have been apprehensive about signing the law on lustration… There was at least one person in his inner circle whom the state security service had forced into co- operation. This person did not wrong anyone, and it cost this per- son extremely great effort to sever connections with the security ser- vice. That is why Havel could not see such dramatic goal stories be- ing analysed by MPs who were of- ten young people of rightist per- suasions. He was afraid of Jaco- binism. However, he signed the law under pressure from his anti- Communist advisors and for the sake of a strategic union with the powerful right. I believe lustration could have been somewhat more radical, but it was generally beneficial. Initially, Havel rejected lustration laws inter- nally, even though he eventually came to think under pressure from his inner circle that they were neces- sary. They were first valid for five years but were later prolonged sev- eral times and are effective even now. Initially, opponents to this law protested, sometimes even hysteri- cally, but later they put up with it. U.W.: Do you think decommunisation is complete in the Czech Republic? In general, yes. My generation, i.e., those who were about 20 in № 12 (35) July 2012|the ukrainian week|23 economics|measuring wealth The Real Wealth of Nations A new report comes up with a better way to size up wealth

The balance-sheet of wealth Inclusive wealth per person 2008, $ ‘000* Inclusive wealth Human Natural Physical Country 2008, 1990-2008 0 100 200 300 400 500 $ trn growth†, % Japan United States 117.8 0.7 ...... United States Jap...... an 55.1 0.9 . Canada C...... hina 20 2.1 . Norway Germany...... 19.5 1.8 . Au ralia Britain...... 13.4 0.9 . Fr...... ance 13 1.4 . Germany C...... anada 11.1 0.4 . Britain Br...... azil 7.4 0.9 . France India І6.2 0.9 ...... Saudi Arabia Au ralia 6.1 0.1 Venezuela Source: UN *Con ant 2000 $ †Average annual rate

ealth is not with- They included three kinds of asset: and the number of years they can out its advan- “manufactured”, or physical, capi- expect to work before they retire tages,” John Ken- tal (machinery, buildings, infra- (or die). Human capital represents "Wneth Galbraith structure and so on); human capi- 88% of Britain’s wealth and 75% of once wrote, “and the case to the tal (the population’s education and America’s. The average Japanese contrary, although it has often skills); and natural capital (includ- has more human capital than any- been made, has never proved ing land, forests, fossil fuels and one else. widely persuasive.” Despite the ob- minerals). Japan is also one of only three vious advantages of wealth, na- By this gauge, America’s countries in the report that did not tions do a poor job of keeping wealth amounted to almost $118 deplete their natural capital be- count of their own. They may boast trillion in 2008, over ten times its tween 1990 and 2008. All of the about their abundant natural re- GDP that year. (These amounts are countries except Russia nonethe- sources, their skilled workforce calculated at the prices prevailing less increased their wealth, accu- and their world-class infrastruc- in 2000.) Its wealth per person mulating enough other assets to ture. But there is no widely recog- was, however, lower than Japan’s, offset the erosion of their natural nised, monetary measure that which tops the league on this mea- patrimony. In 14 of the 20 coun- sums up this stock of natural, hu- sure. Judged by GDP, Japan’s tries studied, these increases in man and physical assets. economy is now smaller than Chi- wealth outpaced the growth of Economists usually settle in- na’s. But according to the UN, Ja- their population, leaving per-per- stead for GDP. But that is a mea- pan was almost 2.8 times wealth- son wealth higher in 2008 than in sure of income, not wealth. It val- ier than China in 2008 (see 1990. Germany, for example, in- ues a flow of goods and services, charts). creased its human capital by over not a stock of assets. Gauging an Officials often say that their 50%. China expanded its “manu- economy by its GDP is like judging country’s biggest asset is their peo- factured” capital by an extraordi- a company by its quarterly profits, ple. For all of the countries in the nary 540%. without ever peeking at its bal- report except Nigeria, Russia and By putting a dollar value on ev- ance-sheet. Happily, the United Saudi Arabia, this turns out to be erything from bauxite to brain- Nations this month published bal- true. The UN calculates a popula- power, the UN’s exercise makes all ance-sheets for 20 nations in a re- tion’s human capital based on its three kinds of capital comparable port overseen by Sir Partha Das- average years of schooling, the and commensurable. It also im- gupta of Cambridge University. wage its workers can command plies that they are substitutable. A 24|the ukrainian week|№ 12 (35) July 2012 measuring wealth|economics mentalists (including some con- Bee counters tributors to the report) nervous. No one is more aware of these lim- Many of the services the environ- itations than the report’s authors. ment provides, like clean water Their estimates are illustrative, not The Real Wealth of Nations and air, are irreplaceable necessi- definitive, says Sir Partha. The cal- ties, they point out. In theory, culations are inevitably crude, just however, the undoubted value of as the first guesstimates of GDP A new report comes up with a better way to size up wealth these natural treasures should be were crude over 70 years ago. He reflected in their price, which hopes more economists will do the country can lose $100 billion- should rise steeply as they become hard but valuable work of pricing worth of pastureland, gain $100 more scarce. A good asset manager the seemingly priceless. The pro- billion-worth of skills and be no will then husband them carefully, fession does not really reward this worse off than before. The frame- knowing that it will take an ever- work, says Sir Partha. But some work turns economic policymak- increasing amount of human or economists do it anyway. Taylor ing into an “asset-management physical capital to make up for fur- Ricketts of the University of Ver- problem”, says Sir Partha. ther losses of the natural kind. mont and his co-authors have even A country like Saudi Arabia, In practice, however, natural calculated the value of pollination, for example, depleted its stock of assets are often hard to price well showing that one Costa Rican cof- fossil fuels by $37 billion between or at all. As a consequence, the UN fee-grower benefited by $62,000 a 1990 and 2008, while adding to its report has to steer clear of assets year from the feral honey bees in stock of school-leavers and univer- like clean air that cannot be di- two nearby patches of forest. sity graduates (its human capital rectly owned, bought or sold. It Now that economists have grew by almost $1 trillion). In confines itself to resources like gas, shown that such wealth can be some richer countries, however, nickel and timber, for which mar- measured, they must decide what investments in human capital ap- ket prices exist. But even these it should be called. In his earlier pear to have hit diminishing re- market prices may not reflect a academic work Sir Partha calls it turns, the report argues. Perhaps commodity’s true social value. “comprehensive wealth”. The UN governments should redirect their Beekeeping is one example be- report dubs it “inclusive wealth”. If investment into natural capital in- loved by economic theorists. Bees © 2012 The the notion catches on, neither stead, restocking their forests create honey, which can be sold on Economist name may be needed. “Pretty rather than their libraries. the market. But they also pollinate Newspaper soon,” says Sir Partha, “we ought The idea that natural assets are nearby apple trees, a useful service Limited. All to drop both adjectives and just substitutable makes some environ- that is not purchased or priced. rights reserved call it wealth’.” economics|car market update Slowing down The pre-crisis eep Car sales grew during the second six months of 2011 rise in car sales at the same time as many media were buzzing with SECOND HALF Car sale dynamics 623,200 resulted from the articles about the “inevitable price rise” for imported in Ukraine accompanying cars, resulting from the equally “inevitable duty 542,000 credit boom. increase.” However, an inve igation launched The liquidity crisis by UkrAutoprom as a result of this media campaign From open sources many banks ill speculating on the raising of the car import duty Auto suffer, followed to 47% in July 2011, did not bring any results. by a cutback 371,000 in bank lending, sent the car market FIRST HALF 220,600 into decline. 120,000 JANUARY-MAY 162,300 162,600 Stop? 100,000 84,000 A decline in manufacturing and the balance of trade reinforce Ukrainian car producers who expect privileges for having switched sides in politics 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Author: facturers, urged the Ministry for the high import duty and the Heorhiy Hryshchenko Economy and Trade to launch a owner of ZAZ, Zaporizhzhia car special investigation. Earlier, The building plant, who switched to n June 6, Petro Porosh- Ukrainian Week suggested the team in power last year. Ob- enko, the Minister for that importers were the ones viously, Ukraine’s major car Economic Development throwing rumours of an upcom- makers are interested in raising Oand Trade, said that the ing steep rise in imported car import duties as market distribu- government had almost approved prices into the media as they tried tion is virtually the only chance the draft bill to raise the car im- to sell their dead stock, encourag- for Ukrainian oligarchs to pre- port duty. He did not, however, ing people “to get it, before it gets serve their profits without both- mention the new rate, but he did pricey.” Clearly, the expectation of hint that Ukraine would follow car prices going up by several Ukraine’s major car Russia’s suit as he wondered, thousand dollars is supposed to “Why is the Ukrainian market fuel demand and send potential makers are interested protected with a 6-10% duty com- buyers scrambling to buy an im- in raising import duties pared to 20-25% for Russian car ported car or obtain a loan for makers, which allows them to de- that purpose. ering to upgrade their facilities or velop their production and draw In 2012, though, new ap- product lines. The crisis has al- more investment into the indus- pointments in the government ready knocked down their sales try?” Earlier, news surfaced that seem to have had their impact on almost threefold and the threat those lobbying the move de- the situation. “After taking a lot of yet another decline is looming. manded an increase to 33.4% for of time to think about it”, Petro 1-1.5 litre engine cars and 47% for Poroshenko, one of the most in- SEAMLESS ON PAPER and 1.5-2.2 litre engines, although fluential “orange” oligarchs, How likely are the higher duty recent data suggests that their ap- eventually joined the team in campaigners to get their initiative petites were tamed to 6.46% and power. His interests in the car passed and working, and how will 15.1% respectively, which will be market as the owner of large car it affect the car industry if they added to the effective 10% import assembly plants, including Boh­ succeed? Extra duty on imported duty allowed by WTO rules. dan, a corporation that produces cars cannot be ruled out this time Bohdan buses used as public as Ukraine’s trade balance is de- CAR LOBBY IN POWER: transport and assembles the clining, and this is coupled with TIME TO ACT Hyundai Accent, Elantra XD and difficulties in filling the budget. The “cold war” between Ukrainian Tucson models, is plain to see. The first problem can be solved by car makers and importers has Moreover, he has not received adjusting the hryvnia exchange been raging for a while now, with any business privileges since he rate, a move the Presidential Ad- the raise in duty having been de- joined the team in power. This ministration is reluctant to take bated for at least a year, ever since new heavy artillery in the govern- before the upcoming election, or UkrAutoprom, the Association of ment boosts the impact of Tariel by making imports more and Ukrainian Motor Vehicle Manu- Vasadze, a long-time lobbyist of more burdensome by raising duty 26|the ukrainian week|№ 12 (35) July 2012 car market update|economics Slowing down The pre-crisis eep Car sales grew during the second six months of 2011 rise in car sales at the same time as many media were buzzing with SECOND HALF Car sale dynamics 623,200 resulted from the articles about the “inevitable price rise” for imported in Ukraine accompanying cars, resulting from the equally “inevitable duty 542,000 credit boom. increase.” However, an inve igation launched The liquidity crisis by UkrAutoprom as a result of this media campaign From open sources many banks ill speculating on the raising of the car import duty suffer, followed to 47% in July 2011, did not bring any results. by a cutback 371,000 in bank lending, sent the car market FIRST HALF 220,600 into decline. 120,000 JANUARY-MAY 162,300 162,600 100,000 84,000

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

rates up to the ceiling. In theory, that they are not happy with the due to its Melitopol, not Opel- the latter option can boost both possible customs duty innova- made, engine. Most parts of the so- budget revenues and kickbacks to tions in Ukraine. Of course, those called “Ukrainian” Skoda and the party in power for protecting lobbying for higher duties may Hyundai models are actually made grey imports. If presented prop- use Viktor Yanukovych’s anger at at plants abroad. erly to Ukraine’s key top officials, the demarches of European lead- Will this approach strengthen these factors can play a major role ers, especially German and Ukraine’s car industry and make in the passing of the decision to Czech, as a response to political it truly modern, rather than the raise the duty currently being lob- repressions in Ukraine, and Party just a rebranded version of Euro- bied. of Regions representatives have pean innovations from 20 years In practice, though, extra du- certainly been hinting at that. ago, such as the Lanos labelled ties may have a negative impact Yet, how reasonable is this sort of the “nation’s car” by its creators on the state budget as energy im- response and how can it affect and designed on the basis of the port is the only segment that tops the state and the oligarchs close 1993 Opel Kadett? Especially, car import in terms of providing to the government? when taking into account the fact budget revenues. In 2009, a 13% that every generation of new car extra on the existing 10% duty on THE MOTHBALLED INDUSTRY in the industry lives just five imported cars knocked the reve- Moreover, most of those who years. Ukraine is still a few de- nues down 85%, eventually forc- proudly call themselves “Ukrai- cades behind other countries in ing the government to cede to car nian producers” are actually not. its pseudo-Ukrainian industry of importers’ demands. The last car completely assembled modern car making. So, should it Hopes to decrease the trade in Ukraine was the Slavuta model continue to mothball its car in- deficit may crash too. Limiting produced by ZAZ last year. Today, dustry rather than follow the ex- imports is technically easy, but its facilities assemble a renamed ample of the Czech Škoda brand, boosting exports is extremely dif- which has been fully recon- ficult. After all, higher import du- have already made it clear structed by the Germans? ties on cars may have an adverse Surprisingly, President Yanu- impact on the amount of Ukrai- that they are not happy kovych’s son was the one criticiz- nian exports. The major car mak- with the possible customs ing the Ministry’s plans to raise ers are in the US, Western Europe the car import duty a few days and Japan, and limited imports duty innovations ago. Perhaps, he said this for a from G7 states may result in more in Ukraine reason. An established practice restrictions for Ukrainian exports for his father is to keep his stand- to the US and the EU. child of the Chinese car industry point secret until the last moment Moreover, there is the pendu- selling at a price almost equal to to save space for manoeuvres in lous Free Trade Agreement with that of American and European choosing which decision to sup- the EU whose officials, including cars. The Lanos, for instance, is port or presenting himself as the EU Trade Commissioner Karl De nearly 62% Ukrainian, while the “nice Tsar” who stops “the plot- Gucht, have already made it clear Sens is slightly more Ukrainian ting of the mean boyars.” № 12 (35) July 2012|the ukrainian week|27 society|host cities share impressions Life After Euro 2012 Finally, Ukrainians had a chance to witness the European worldview – free of post-totalitarian fear, restraint, rudeness and anger

ost-Euro 2012 Ukraine re- Author: ety. Yet for those with a more flexi- citizens are not used to Europeans sembles an insecure girl who Natalia ble mindset than the “military- and still view them through a lens suddenly realized that she is Petrynska minded,” Euro 2012 helped to shat- of soviet-era stereotypes: on one Pactually pretty. The surge of ter several stereotypes. hand, they regard them as suspi- masochism that swelled into a tsu- Ukrainians who rarely travel cious and unwelcome, and on the nami prior to the tournament abroad have finally witnessed the other as aliens from another abated after the first football games, European worldview – free of planet, almost demigods. The erupting into a fountain of patrio- post-totalitarian fear, restraint, tournament is unlikely to dramati- tism, if only temporary, formal and rudeness and anger. Kyivites were cally change their strongly en- football-driven. A lot of Ukrainians surprised when Swedish fans trenched views of the “decaying did their best to appear civilized for drank liters of beer and showed West”, yet it may weaken the stiff- foreigners during the football fest. no aggression whatsoever. No- ened distrust for Europe as a men- As a result, the people – and not the body was trying to beat anyone tally alien territory among young Potemkin villages built by the au- up. Instead, they all smiled, sang people. Kharkiv has an opportu- thorities – were crucial to foreign- and danced. “It’s probably only nity to de-sovietize a little more. ers’ impressions of Ukraine. Com- here that they behave this way; Young people in the city demon- mon Ukrainians did their best to they must be much quieter at strated this throughout the tourna- help their country conceal its mis- home,” some Ukrainians said at ment, even if only by mimicking erable soviet remnants and dis- the Kyiv fan zone. According to the behaviour of Europeans. As couraging political situation. sociological surveys, over 70% of one Kharkiv-based intellectual put Sometimes, though, the warm- Ukrainians have never been it, their whole-hearted excitement and-fuzzy show looked too good to abroad. They do not know that with the Dutch fans was just a step be true. Everyone in Ukraine knows spontaneity and respect for indi- away from growing into a sort of a that the outstanding tolerance of viduality dominate in Western cargo cult. the police during Euro 2012 was Europe. Now, they have had a Euro 2012 will hardly bring only for foreigners. If a Ukrainian chance to see it firsthand. economic or political benefits to ever tried to urinate on a downtown Euro guests shared this sense Ukraine, yet its positive social flowerbed or put a policeman on his of freedom with many Ukrainians, and cultural impact is plain to shoulders, as Dutch fans did in inspiring them to smile more of- see. Clearly, the government will Kharkiv, he would end up in big ten—a rarity in Ukraine. Young list it as its own victory and spec- trouble. The disparity in police people dressed more creatively ulate on the football topic treatment of Ukrainians and for- and tried to learn new words in throughout the entire pre-elec- eign fans is perhaps most striking English, while many Kyiv cafes tion campaign. But propaganda in this example from Donetsk: a fan played jazz, rock and classical mu- and Ukrainians will still live their of Shakhtar, the Donetsk team, said sic instead of the usual low-quality own separate lives. If Ukrainians that city police officers raped a local pop music and “chanson,” roman- manage to realize who actually man with a baton. “The guy was ticized prison ballads popular in won this image contest and dispel just walking home after work,” he the FSU. at least one myth for themselves, added. “Meanwhile, foreigners can Accustomed to foreign tour- it will mean that the champion- pee anywhere in the city center.” ists, Kyiv and Lviv did not experi- ship was not in vain for Wary of persistent tension ence as much culture shock as Ukraine – at least for its between Ukraine and Eu- Donetsk, an industrial city whose four host cities. “We and rope and the plummeting they” have finally looked popularity of the ruling each other in the eye, by- Party of Regions, the Ukrai- passing the cliché-riddled nian government was clearly media reports and political trying to prove its efficiency and declarations. Europeans have stage a show of democracy. The realized that Ukraine is not a police were apparently instructed dangerous band of racists, HIV- to leave European guests alone, so infected prostitutes and stray they turned a blind eye to their mis- dogs. Ukrainians have glimpsed a deeds. However, it is unlikely that societal connection to Europe this experience prompted Ukrai- that will surface as soon as they nian police to realize that spontane- overcome the soviet heritage of ous behaviour from young people the “collective unconscious” that does not constitute a threat to soci- is currently holding them back. 28|the ukrainian week|№ 12 (35) July 2012 host cities share impressions|society Kharkiv: the world through orange glasses photo: reuters photo:

Most locals had pessimistic expectations for Euro 2012, so finding stadium, the arrangements. Why did they come here at all?” Many out how wrong they were was all the more pleasing. Dutch fans Kharkivites share this opinion. Vladyslav, a business owner, be- turned their stay in the city into a spectacular feast, bringing more lieves that the locals should finally shape their “geopolitical prefer- smiles, good humour and bright colours than the city had seen in a ences” after Euro 2012. “Now that everyone has seen people from long time. The Germans, Danish and Portuguese contributed to the the ‘golden billion’ countries, what ‘Russian vector’ are we talking harmony but the Dutch became the locals’ favourites. Kharkiv fans about? It’s only Europe now!” cheered for the Dutch football team almost as passionately as they More spontaneous, confident and friendly, the Dutch showed a to- did for the Ukrainian team, while the Dutch supported Ukraine in tally different model of behaviour where love for your own is natu- every game it played. rally combined with respect for others, without hypocrisy or oppo- The exciting and friendly interaction between the Dutch and Ukrai- sition. They even sang the Ukrainian anthem in downtown Kharkiv. nians created an unprecedented atmosphere around the fan zone. Designer Dmytro is surprised by how many of his friends The Dutch made posters with words of appreciation for Ukrainians changed during the orange week. His apartment is in a building while the latter made posters thanking the Dutch and hung them next to the Dutch tent city in Saltivka. “Even the local gopnyky, from their balconies and windows along the road to the stadium young delinquents, who normally hang out around the benches on the day the Dutch played their last game in Kharkiv. here and steal people’s cell phones did not touch a single for- Against this orange backdrop, many Russians who came to Kharkiv eign guest! Instead, they helped foreign fans buy beer in the lo- from nearby border towns were looking gloomy. “They are obnox- cal store, carry it back to their tents and hung out with them ious and aggressive,” Oleksiy, a manager at the car service station, there. In the morning, they excitedly told everyone how cool told The Ukrainian Week. Raised in an atmosphere of East Slavic these Dutch were and how nice it felt to talk to normal people. I unity, Oleksiy was surprised by how rude the northern guests be- have no idea how they did it but they had no language barrier haved at a Germany-Holland game. “The Dutch were the most nu- whatsoever,” Dmytro says. merous there but they were inert; must have wasted all their en- One discovery in Kharkiv was that you can forget the rudeness and ergy during the march. The Germans were fewer but they cheered enjoy life and joke around any time, not just when you are drunk. better; they outscreamed everyone. And these [Russian] drunks How long will this emotional upheaval last, I wonder? were always unhappy with something, walking through the rows, stumbling and falling, cursing at people. They hated the beer, the Author: Dmytro Shapovalov, Kharkiv

№ 12 (35) July 2012|the ukrainian week|29 society|host cities share impressions Donetsk: culture shock photo: phl photo:

Most people in Donetsk have met very few foreigners before, if Ukraine, a foreign country, was extremely obnoxious,” Sashko’s any, and their reactions to the influx of foreign fans made this friend Kostia added. “One guy at a bar pushed me on purpose obvious. The locals, especially from districts far from the city and just walked away. Later, the same guy harassed two more center, stared at them wide-eyed, taking videos of virtually ev- people. “Why the **** are you staring at me?’ he asked as I ery foreign fan they encountered. looked at him standing in the middle of the bar. How could he This excitement often resulted in a desire to help foreigners dur- behave this way in a host country?” ing the tournament. The police did not record one fight be- Another positive effect the tournament had in Donetsk was the tween the locals and the fans, mostly British. Most people in surge of Ukrainian patriotism as the city was filled with blue Donetsk speak no English at all, yet they tried their best to help and yellow flags rather than the usual Victory Day stripes on foreigners whenever necessary. cars. For the first time in the past 20 years, the emphasis was Following Euro 2012, people in the Donbas region are openly on Ukrainian pride, not Donetsk pride, and many locals wore excited about their foreign guests. Unembarrassed to smile in blue and yellow T-shirts for the national team rather than the the streets or show their emotions, the European visitors were orange ones for their FC Shakhtar. 10 out of 10 people surveyed a far cry from the NATO enemies and bourgeoisie still fre- in the streets said that they were proud of their country without quently portrayed in the local press. “I was expecting to see hesitation. Of course, this emotional upheaval would hardly last these rich bourgeois people and they’re just average guys,” long. After the Ukrainian team left the tournament, many said a woman who sold sunflower seeds next to the Donetsk Donetsk fans said “Why do you need quarter or semi-finals? fan zone. The UK fans’ protests against Sol Campbell and other Come here and see some real football,” referring to their home BBC reporters who warned the British that they would return team Shakhtar. home from Ukraine “in a coffin” sparked a furor among the lo- “Culture shock is the perfect term for the reaction to Euro 2012 cals. The fans, who actually liked everything about Ukraine— in Donetsk,” says social psychologist Andriy Strutynsky. “Some- especially the cheap beer—bought a coffin, wrote “Sol Camp- thing very important has happened, though: the socio-cultural bell: We’ll do what we want!” on it and brought it into the city barrier created by the dominant groups in this region has been center. Initially, the locals did not understand what the slogan torn down. People have experienced the joy of international said and expected a fight, but rushed to hug UK fans as soon communication and the excitement of their city and country be- as they realized what they were saying – and that was even be- ing in the world spotlight. Prior to the games, they had all ex- fore Ukraine played the final game against England in its pected something much scarier to happen. That was more im- group! portant than the infrastructure or the wellbeing of average peo- Surprisingly, many young locals were irritated by the way the ple, which hardly changed after Euro 2012. Changes must begin Russians behaved even though Eastern Ukraine still tends to in the mind and this always requires a bit of a jolt. Euro 2012 look up to its northern neighbour, especially its TV shows. “No was the jolt this time.” Ukrainian would ever behave in Russia the way these Russians did in Ukraine,” Sashko complained. “Their behaviour in Author: Bohdan Butkevych, Kyiv-Donetsk

30|the ukrainian week|№ 12 (35) July 2012 host cities share impressions|society Kyiv: jealous about freedom Despite being the country’s capital and hosting many interna- tional games even before Euro 2012, this was the first time Kyiv welcomed so many foreign fans. Kyivites are hard to impress, but the Swedes and the Spanish taught them a good lesson in foot- ball cheering: you don’t have to resort to aggression or limit yourselves to shouting ‘Good job!’ and ‘Go Ukraine!’ – try adding some creative elements such as dancing, singing and eccentric costumes. “I was in a subway with English fans,” says Mykola, who has never been to Western Europe. “All adult men, they looked like company directors and fathers, yet they were happy as kids, jumping and singing. They were not afraid to look funny. This is about being free inside. I was a little jealous because I can hardly be as spontaneous at 26 as they are at 50.” Iryna, a journalist, talked to a guide who took a group of Swedes to Kyiv’s Pechersk Lavra. “They didn’t take pictures of churches. In- stead, they liked the huge puddle. They took pictures of each other jumping into it.” “I don’t get it. How did the noisy, omnipresent and often drunk Swedes manage not to irritate anyone?” Serhiy comments. “It looks like Kyiv will miss them for a while.” Many locals, however, were more surprised by their compatriots than by foreigners. During Euro 2012, downtown Kyiv was crowded with beauties in revealing clothes inviting glances from foreigners more than ever. “We met several Swedes and went to a night club,” Hanna says. “We talked and compared Ukraine and Sweden. Other girls in the club looked like they wanted to find “love” no matter what.“

Author: Valeria Burlakova, Kyiv burlakova valeria photo:

Lviv: good old friends People in Lviv sound less excited when they talk about foreign fans 2012,” Ratusha, a Lviv-based publication reports. “Instead, they fo- compared to those in Donetsk or Kharkiv. After all, Lviv is a much cused on football and did not care about the cultural experience. more popular tourist destination even without sporting events. The impression is that the fans that came to cheer for football The locals thought that the guests who came for the tournament turned off their intellect during the games. This is true both for behaved in a different manner than average tourists. “The fans Ukrainians from other cities, and foreign fans.” from other countries did not come for excursions during Euro Many locals were happy to see familiar faces. “I’ve worked in Por- tugal for many years,” Bohdan, a man in his 50s, says. “They are nice people. They were very nice to me.” According to small business owners, Euro 2012 did not meet their moneymaking expectations. “Expectations were too high,” taxi driver Myroslav says. “Moreover, for- eign fans did not splurge as many expected them to. I know that many hotels were half-empty. They went as far as knocking the prices down to pre-Euro rates or lower but that didn’t help.” Lviv-born Oleksandra believes that the tournament did not change the way locals thought of foreigners. Instead, it will improve the impression of potential tourists. “Many peo- ple came. They will go back home and tell their friends who had never been to Lviv how nice it is. There will be many more people willing to come see the town and drink some cheap beer.” Indeed, Lviv tourist agencies report an increased number of requests to visit Lviv in July and Au- gust compared to the same period in previous years.

photo: reuters photo: Author: Serhiy Teren, Kyiv-Lviv

№ 12 (35) July 2012|the ukrainian week|31 history|ancient peoples in ukraine

The Ukrainian Week contin- ues its series about ancient peoples who The Predecessors once lived on Ukrainian terri- tory and left their cultural heritage be- of European Knights hind. This arti- cle tells about the Alans, the very first knights of Eu- rope. Read more about Celts and Goths in issues No. 5 (28) and 6 (29) of The Ukrainian Week pub- lished in April 2012.

On their long way from the North Caucasus to Africa, Alans laid the foundation of medieval military tradition in Europe and inspired British mythology

Author: n the heart of the Caucasus, in ans, while in most Eastern writings groups related to them. Old Kostiantyn the eye-catching creeks running they are referred to as Asi, As or Os. sources also describe them as an Rakhno from the central mountain range Alans are among the earliest points “untamable and brave” people who Iand the adjacent plateaus below where the historical fates of West- lived in the lower reach of the Dan- the mountains, a people known as ern Europe, North Caucasus and ube, Northern Black Sea region, Ossetians have lived since the mid- Ukraine came together. Fore-Caucasus and Central Cauca- 18th century. They are the last sur- sus. The territory inhabited by Sar- viving branch of the numerous an- FROM THE BLACK SEA matians or Savromatians gradually cient tribes from the territory of TO THE DANUBE became known as Alania, while at modern Ukraine mentioned as Two millennia ago, Alans was the the same time ancient historians Scythians and Sarmatians in name for Iranian-speaking East stopped mentioning other Sarma- Herodotus’ and Ptolemy’s chroni- Sarmatian nomad tribes. Tall and tian tribes in their works. cles. These people call themselves good-looking with fair hair and The tribes that lived in arid Alouni. Medieval Western chroni- menacing looks, the Alans were steppes mostly bred sheep and cles mention their ancestors as Al- more warlike than other ethnic horse and therefore lived a no- 32|the ukrainian week|№ 12 (35) July 2012 ancient peoples in ukraine|history Danube frontier of the Roman Em- ing discipline. Their cavalry, clad in pire in 376. This catalyzed the Mi- steel armour and arranged in tight gration Period, also known as the rows, had the best skills of the time. Barbarian Invasions, provoking a German kings eagerly invited the The Predecessors steep twist in the stable and quiet Alans to serve in their armies, while life of the Old World. An image of their own subjects, mostly march- an Alan warrior on a horse was one ing troops, learned horse riding and of the brightest symbols of that he- horse battle from them. The Alans roic epoch. Starting off from the impressed the arrogant Roman no- of European Knights territory of modern Ukraine, the bility so much that Emperor Gra- Alans and their satellites crossed tian (359–383) invited them to his the entirety of Europe and reached guard unit, reformed his cavalry the Pyrenees, its south-western based on their model and wore frontier, ending their grand march Alan clothes and armour himself. on the Mediterranean coast of Since the Alan society was North Africa. mostly war-oriented, boys were taught horseback riding from early THEY, WHO DEFEATED ATTILA childhood. According to Marcelli- The Alans joined Sarmatians, their nus, Alan warriors considered it closest related tribes, who had offensive for a man to walk. Isidore headed for the west in the late 2nd of Seville noted in the 6th century century, on the Danube. This al- that they looked clumsy without lowed them to break their union their horses. with the Huns and act on their Horse breeding was the Alans’ own. In 378, their joint army de- favourite occupation. Sarmathian- feated the Roman army in the Bat- Alan horses were a special breed, tle of Adrianople, killing Emperor popular in the West for their out- Valens. This battle is considered standing endurance. They shared an important milestone in the the military fame of their masters, western art of war. It opened the similar to the furious Alan war dogs. era of a thousand-year long rule of The breed is now known as Alano Barbarian knights. Espanol in the Iberian Peninsula. The Alans negotiated the status However, new armour, horse of federates, i.e. military-obliged al- riding skills, and special horse and lies, for Northern Italy and Gaul dog breeds were not the only from Rome after they gained con- things the Alans introduced to the trol over vast territories where they West. Their contribution to west- created their Southern and North- ern culture was far more impor- paign by A zanbek Janayev by a m paign ern Kingdoms in the areas of mod- tant than that, as they also brought ern Toulouse and between the Loire the code of knight ethics and the and the Seine rivers with Orléans as ideology of a military class. Black the capital. Until 450, menacing Sea Sarmathians who reached the king Goar ruled in Orléans, ordered West in the late 2nd century, and by Roman commander Aetius to the Alans who caught up with

lans in a Military C ainting A lans in a Military th P protect the city from Huns and Vi- them in the 4 century, made a sigoths. Sangiban was his succes- knight cavalry and changed obso- madic or partly nomadic life. The THE NATION OF sor. He led the Alans in the Battle of lete ideas about the status of war- MILITARY ELITE: Alans had no temples or shrines. The supreme the Catalaunian Plains in summer riors and warfare. According to Roman historian Am- social status of 451 that ended with a decisive vic- The Alan epoch in European mianus Marcellinus, they “stuck a Alan warriors tory for the Romans over the Huns. history features the initial model bare sword into the ground follow- served as the The Alan cavalry was put in the of Western traditions in the way ing a barbarian ritual and wor- foundation of centre of the empire’s army and de- the knights pursued religion and shipped it in awe like Mars, the pro- the knights' cult feated the dangerous army led by the starting point of the royal pro- tector of the countries they cross as Attila, the Scourge of God. tection of the church. nomads” similar to their ancestors, The Alans mixed with the local the Scythians. The Alan community CONQUERORS OF THE WEST European nations wherever they had the ideology where the military The Alans’ pursuit of war, a decent went, yet the memory of them re- elite was considered supreme and opponent and heroic death was mained in myths, legends and geo- chosen by God. Noble people did legendary in old times. But how graphic names. Their language is not burden themselves with any did these tribes end up with such a clearly different from Romance, physical labour. military role and political impact Germanic, Slavic and other lan- Some warlike Alans joined the in the West, so far from their guages of Western and Central Eu- Huns in their western march. homeland and most often among rope, therefore Alan names are Jointly, they attacked the tribes of enemies? Clearly, their number or easy to find in modern European Goths in the Northern Black Sea strength was not the answer. maps. France and Northern Italy region and, with the Goths now They conquered the West with alone have nearly 300 towns and among them; they reached the their military culture and outstand- villages of Alan origin. The English № 12 (35) July 2012|the ukrainian week|33 history|ancient peoples in ukraine

name Alan, and French Alain, are THE EMPEROR'S This is the sword of the deity of sack way of arranging protection also part of the common legacy. GUARD: The war worshipped by the Scythians in battle by fighting from behind a figures of and Alans. circle of wagons placed tightly to- THE LEGENDS ABOUT Sarmatian gether also traces back to the Al- KING ARTHUR IN THE MAKING warriors on THE ANCESTORS OF COSSACKS? ans, the Goths and the Battle of horses is on the The Alans had a much deeper im- Trajan's Column Ossetians often see traces similar Adrianople. pact on the world’s view of the me- in Rome to their own in the appearance of Also, Cossacks had the cult of dieval West, including its mythol- people in Central and Southern cold weapons. Some sources sug- ogy, epic stories and aristocratic Ukraine. In fact, Sarmatian and gest that the descendants of Cos- military rituals. Legends about Alan blood runs in many Ukrai- sacks in Katerynoslavshchyna, King Arthur and the Knights of the nians. The traces of Alan knight now Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, still Round Table and the incarnation of ethics and traditions are most prayed to old swords stuck in the knight ideals in European culture, visible in Zaporizhzhian Cos- ground in the early 20th century. were based on the Alan culture. sacks. Their lifestyle seemed to This was a common Alan ritual of Similar legends can be found in Os- have come out of the pages of Ukrainians and the Caucasus Os- setian epos about Nart knights. Marcellinus’ chronicles. setians: their old men used to wor- The image of King Arthur’s life Cossacks, too, were reluctant ship swords in their family shrines and death have much in common to live a peaceful life and work in once a year, too. with Batradz, the Nart hero re- the fields, and they pursued dan- All these, as well as many more garded by Ossetians as the model ger and wars far out in the world. ethnic, cultural and language simi- of the key traces a knight should Dying in battle was as prestigious larities encourage us to believe possess: courage in battle, mod- and honourable amongst Cos- that the contribution of the Sarma- esty in eating and drinking and sacks as it was to the Alans, while tians and Alans into the establish- high respect for women. It has men who preferred to grow grain ment of Ukrainians is far more sig- many other analogies, such as the instead were mocked and ridi- nificant than was ever assumed well-known motive of a sword in a culed in Zaporizhzhian Sich. Kill- before. A lot of features of Ukrai- stone pulled out by Arthur, which ing an enemy was something to nian culture can be traced back to was the central element in recog- brag about both among Cossacks, the Alans, the very first knights of nizing him as the king of Britain. and the Alans. The distinct Cos- Europe. 34|the ukrainian week|№ 12 (35) July 2012

culture & arts|classical ukrainian cinema Destined to Fly Higher Ivan Kavaleridze as the founder of historical monumental cinema in Ukraine

Author: Yuriy Shlapak

van Kavaleridze had a long life and an extremely prolific career. In 70 years of artistic activity he Imade about 20 monuments, hundreds of “easel sculptures” and 10 films. He also staged 10 theatri- cal plays, wrote a book of memoirs and worked on a number of other projects that ultimately remained unrealised. He was evidently destined to achieve even more. If he, like his fellow student and friend Alexan- der Archipenko, had spent most of his life abroad, he could have reached a higher artistic level. The problem of his worldview lay in the vicious circle of relationships be- tween an artist and a totalitarian system. From sculpture to cinema By the time the Bolsheviks seized power in 1917, Kavaleridze had graduated from a Kyiv arts college and completed one year in the Russian Academy of Arts in Saint Petersburg and a six month Euro- pean art course at Naum Aron- son’s workshop in Paris. His artis- tic genius won recognition even before World War I: a four-figure composition of a monument to Princess Olga, apostle Andrew the First Called and Cyril and Method- ius, built to his design, was un- veiled on 17 September 1911 in Mykhailivska Square in Kyiv. He then worked as a make-up man and sculptor in the Moscow-based Thiemann & Reinhardt film fac- tory (1911-15) with Yakov Protaza- nov and Vladimir Gardin.

The Ukrainian Week writes about prominent people in Kavaleridze was especially tional motifs with patent Bolshe- Ukrainian cinematography, who were forced to work and prolific during the revolution and vik propaganda. In the 1920s, he make serious life choices under the pressure of the state the New Economic Policy periods. made monuments to itinerant communist system. The next two articles look at the life Under Hetman Pavlo Skoropad- philosopher Hryhoriy Skovoroda and legacy of Ivan Kavaleridze, scupltor, director and sky, a monument to Taras in Lokhvytsia and Bolshevik writer; and Danylo Demutskiy, cameraman who, in spite Shevchenko he designed was leader Artem in Bakhmut and Slo- of his brilliant work in films, was convicted by the Stalin erected in Romny (now Sumy vianohirsk. The latter two are regime and forced to adapt to the aesthetic demands of the soviet government. Oblast) in 1918. Under the soviets, massive, pompous monuments in the artist tried to combine na- the style of constructivism which 36|the ukrainian week|№ 12 (35) July 2012 classical ukrainian cinema|culture & arts contrasted with his other works. INSPIRED There were also two more monu- BY CAMERA: ments to Shevchenko, in Poltava Kavaleridze tried to take his avant- and Sumy. Then came a break in garde search for sculpture, and he switched to cin- new forms in ema, exploding with films like sculpture into his Zlyva (Heavy Shower, 1928, lost), films Perekop (1930), Shturmovi nochi (Storm Nights, 1931) and Koli- ivshchyna (The Koliivshchyna Rebellion, 1933). Everything seemed to go smoothly as far Kavaleridze's ar- tistic activity was concerned. But then he made the film Pro- metheus (1935) which was deemed undesirable by the Com- munist Party. It became the tar- get of devastating unfair criti- cism in a Pravda editorial enti- tled “A rough outline instead of the historical truth”. The edito- rial was written on direct orders from Stalin. He said on this ac- count cynically: “He will be all right. This strong Georgian will unian photo: bear the criticism, and we will see Prior to World War II Ka- out that the man had been a soviet his new films. But we need to valeridze staged, under pressure agent in disguise. help him.” The article of the party bio from the Stalinist regime and the After the war the authorities newspaper were discussed for Ivan Kavaleridze watchful eye of the NKVD and with reminded Kavaleridze in their pe- four days by the staff of the Kyiv was born in 1887 his arms twisted, an inapt military culiar fashion that he had lived un- to the family of a agitation piece called Stozhary Film Studio. This was the begin- Ukrainian der German occupation, the film ning of a campaign against the mother and a (The Pleiades) with an improbable studios evicted him from his flat. “anti-historical” character of Ka- Georgian father plot about Andriy, a Ukrainian Theatre actress Liubov Hakkebush valeridze’s works. He was banned who was a de- tractor driver, who decided to re- accommodated him in her home from working with young artists scendant of a place his brother, a border guard on 17 Velyka Zhytomyrska. and making historical films, Georgian princely in the Far East, who had been Despite the persecution he which he saw as his main mis- family. He stud- killed in action. faced, Kavaleridze continued to sion. ied in the Kyiv sculpt. He made a comeback to Times changed, and this film, Arts College in Persecuted cinema 20 years after his last film like the artist’s total cinemato- 1907-1909 and Kavaleridze might have been able was released in the 1930s. He di- the Russian Acad- graphic production, was re-eval- emy of Arts in to return to his favourite historical rected Hryhoriy Skovoroda uated. A memorial plaque with 1909-1910. He themes in 1941 when he went to (1959) and Poviia (The Prostitute, the inscription “Ivan Kavaleridze, improved his ar- the Carpathians together with a 1961), starring Oleksandr Hai and founder of Ukrainian historical tistic skills in film crew to shoot Oleksa Dov- Lyudmila Gurchenko, respec- cinematography, worked here in Naum Aronson’s bush. However, war broke out, and tively. The films were warmly re- 1934-41 and 1957-61” was un- private workshop he was able to return to Kyiv only ceived by the public and the press, veiled in 2002 in the Oleksandr in Paris in 1910- in the autumn. During the occupa- but Kavaleridze was no longer his Dovzhenko Film Studio. Film 11. Kavaleridze tion, Kavaleridze refused to coop- old self and did not exhibit the in- critic Oksana Musienko writes in was mobilised to erate with the Nazis (even though novative, sculptural vision he her 2009 book Ukrainian Cin- the Russian tsar- he headed the Department of Cul- used to command. ist armyin 1915- ema: Texts and Context: “This is 17. He worked in ture in the Kyiv City Administra- When Khrushchev replaced how the authorities cut off one of the Department tion – Editor) and helped the lo- Stalin at the helm of the USSR, he the most fruitful branches of of People’s Edu- cal intelligentsia survive. Among said, speaking to writers and Ukrainian national cinematogra- cation in Romny other things, he saved cameraman painters in 1962: “There was this phy. The return of Prometheus to (1918-28) and as Volodymyr Voitenko who shot the sculptor Kavaleridze, an author of the context of Ukrainian cinema a director in the Leonid Bykov film V boi idut odni horrible works. I mean his monu- of the 1930s drastically changed Odesa Film Stu- stariki (Only Old Men Are Going ment to Artem in Bakhmut.” In the artistic landscape of this cin- dio (1928-33), to Battle) in 1979. this statement Khrushchev re- ematographic period and Ukrai- the Kyiv Ukrain- Kavaleridze had an interesting ferred to the living Kavaleridze as nian filmmaking in general.” film Film Studio experience under the Nazis — a if he were dead and also provided (1934-41) and Barred from making historical the Oleksandr man dressed in the SS uniform an “exhaustive” evaluation of his films, Kavaleridze created the first Dovzhenko Film showed up at his house and pro- oeuvre. Ukrainian film operas: Natalka Studio (1957-62). posed that he make a bust of Hit- Kavaleridze did not like public Poltavka (1936) and Zaporozhets He died in Kyiv ler. The artist replied that he made arguments, even less did he want za Dunaiem (Zaporozhian Cossack on 3 December sculptures from life only. When to argue with the head of the state. beyond the Danube, 1937). 1978. the Red Army returned, it turned So he quietly carried on with his № 12 (35) July 2012|the ukrainian week|37 culture & arts|classical ukrainian cinema Films directed by Ivan Kavaleridze Zlyva (Heavy Shower) or Kino-oforty do istorii Haidamachchyny (Cinema Etch- ings to the History of the Haidamaka Movement, 1928). This was a silent film shot at the Odesa Film Factory which did not survive to our day. According to those who watched it, it was an attempt to combine the art of sculpture with cinematography. The film consisted of static compositions which replaced each other in sequence. The director had the grand design of telling the history of Ukraine spanning the past 200 years. He used a generalised meta- phorical approach to portraying events. Perekop or Pisnia pro Perekop (The Song of Perekop, 1930). This silent film was made towards the 10th anniversary of the Bolsheviks’ victory over Pyotr Wrangel’s Volunteer Army in the Crimea. The director departed from synthesis of sculpture and cinematography in favour of the film epos, a genre in which he reached wide-ranging historiosophic generalisations. Shturmovi nochi (Storm Nights, 1931) is a silent film about “socialist construction” in the 1920s and the early 1930s. This film epic focused on two gigantic projects of the first five-year plan – the Dnieper Hydroelectric Power Plant and the Kharkiv Tractor Plant. Koliivshchyna (The Koliivshchyna Rebellion, 1933) was Ka- valeridze’s first sound film. He had to revise the script 17 times under pressure from party bosses. This was a perfectly shot his- torical-revolutionary drama with unique symbolic language con- structed using the principle of associative montage. Initially, it received thrilled reviews and was pronounced “needed” by the people but was later criticised for “formalism and naturalism”. The role of Ukrai- nian national heroes who participated in the Koliivshchyna Rebellion was subjected to an unexpected interpretation in the film. Cossack Semen Nezhyvyi returns to his photo: unian photo: native village which lies ruined and poverty-stricken. Unable to put up with the op- pression by the landlords, he incites the poor to a rebellion which Cossack officers THE YOUNG work. But film critic Nonna Kapel- Maksym Zalizniak and Ivan Honta utilise for their own purposes, betraying the ide- ARTIST horodska, who had a daughter-fa- als of the people. The film earned Kavaleridze the fame of a prominent director. with his second This was the first part of a projected trilogy that would span the history of Ukraine wife Nina ther relationship with Kavaleridze, suggested sending a telegram to from the mid-18th century to the first decades of the 20th century. Had it not been Kalynovska for numerous revisions under the pressure of censors, The Koliivshchyna Rebellion in 1920 Moscow saying: “Living, healthy, working.” The artist had to go to could have been the first Soviet sound film. the Ukrainian SSR Ministry of Cul- Prometheus (1935) was one of the central films in Ukrainian cine- ture to receive a reply and a low- matography in the 1930s. It was personally lambasted by Stalin as level bureaucrat explained to him: “bourgeois nationalist” and banned. In it, Kavaleridze tells the “There was a mistake. Mr. Krush- story of his own family. Ivas, a young peasant, is mobilised and chev was misinformed.” sent to the Caucasus. The landlord forcefully puts Ivas’s girlfriend in Kavaleridze worked as a sculp- a brothel. Inspired by the heroic resistance of highlanders against tor and playwright to the end of his the regular Russian army, Ivas returns to his native village and launches a rebellion. The film, shot with epic scope by legendary cameraman days. In the post-war period sev- Mykola Topchiy, gathered dust for decades. eral monuments he designed were Natalka Poltavka (1936) is the first film in the genre of film op- era invented by Kavaleridze. He used Mykola Lysenko’s opera kavaleridze continued to with the same title and involved noted Ukrainian theatre ac- tors who sang their parts themselves. The film was commis- work even when trapped sioned by the Soviet Communist Party which sought to monop- in the vicious circle of an olise the national classic opera heritage. Ukrainian emigrants in the USA began to work on their own version of Natalka Poltavka a year earlier, artist's existence in the and Kavaleridze was told to produce a Soviet version in record-setting time. That totalitarian system is why Natalka Poltavka premiered in New York in 1936. Hryhoriy Skovoroda (1959) is a biography of this “Ukrainian Socrates”, a favourite of Elizabeth’s imperial court and singer in a erected: Bohdan Khmelnytsky in court choir who ultimately preferred the life of an itinerant wise man Chernihiv (1956, designed jointly to the luxury of Baroque palaces. Set in plush Saint Petersburg interi- with Halyna Petrashevych), Petro ors and lush Kyiv vegetation, the film recreates the timeline of the Zaporozhets in Bila Tserkva (1971) golden period in Ukrainian culture – the Baroque. and Hryhoriy Skovoroda in Kyiv (1977). At the same time, his plays Poviia (The Prostitute, 1961) is a psychological drama based on a Panas Myrny novel in which a young Lyudmila Gurchenko Perekop, Votaniv mech (The played one of her first noted parts. Khrystia, a village girl, hires Sword of Wotan), Persha borozna herself out to a landlord and happens to see him kill his wife. (The First Furrow), Hryhoriy and She is unfairly charged with murder and thrown behind bars. Paraskeva were staged by theatres Upon being released, she becomes a dancer in a local café in Sumy, Kharkiv and Ternopil as chantant. The life of a social animal does not make her happy and disappointed, there was an unwritten ban on his Khrystia decides to go back to the countryside, which she associated with her

plays in Kyiv. center dovzhenko the national by provided photos idyllic childhood years. But her life takes a different turn. 38|the ukrainian week|№ 12 (35) July 2012 classical ukrainian cinema|culture & arts The Philosophical Instrument of Danylo Demutskiy Soviet authorities awarded the Ukrainian cinematographer with three arrests, deportation, imprisonment and the prestigious Stalin Prize

№ 12 (35) July 2012|the ukrainian week|39 culture & arts|classical ukrainian cinema Author: the shouting of the people, sud- Vadym Skurativskiy denly respond with the words: “We hear you, we hear you, masters!” I n the eve of the modern have never seen anything like this age, European civilization horse race in any other films. invented an entire system The film also shows the people Oof tools, which at that greeting the Tsentralna Rada time, were called philosophical in- (Central Council). One scene that struments. They ranged from the stands out is when an officer of microscope and telescope to the the Ukrainian People’s Republic photography of the 19th century. decides not to kill a revolutionary During the nation-formation era, worker after questioning, as this Kyiv became the Russian Empire’s officer is educated and probably a capital of artistic photography and Christian. Subsequently, the the centre for a huge number of worker does not hesitate to kill his talented photographers, from ex- saviour. At that time, the events of perts in daguerreotype to artists of the 1917s-1920s were viewed as a the World War I period. There was conflict and a tragedy of the a kind of aesthetic instinct, related Ukrainian and Russian revolu- to the observation of the world tionary elements. Danylo De- through “philosophical instru- mutskiy was able to reflect this in ments.” In time, photography was his camera work. followed by filmmaking, which subsequently resulted in the for- Poetic eye-glass mation of the Kyiv school of cine- Demutskiy and Dovzhenko spent matography, one of its representa- the summer of 1929 in the village tives being Danylo Demutskiy. of Yaresky, Poltava Oblast, filming Earth. It is difficult to say which of People through the prism quent crash were recreated in them could be considered the of the cinema Runaway Train, a 1985 Holly- greater genius. Obviously the film- Danylo Demutskiy came to cine- wood film by Japanese cinematog- making process is usually domi- matography in a very individual rapher and screenwriter Akira Ku- nated by the director, leaving the and unusual manner; not only rosava and director Andron Kon- efforts of the camera man unno- through photography which was chalovskiy who had a high regard ticed. But Earth features a unique the passion of his youth (he was a for Ukrainian poetic cinema. harmony between the great direc- member of the Nadar Kyiv art tor and the great cameraman. For union, named on behalf of the instance, the famous episode French photographer of the 19th Serhiy Paradzhanov and showing the desperate, naked her- century), but also through the Andriy Tarkovsky thought oine rushing all over the house in world outlook perspective. her tragic beauty was not only the Danylo’s father, Porfyriy, was of Danylo Demutskiy result of Dovzhenko’s efforts, but one of the representatives of the as a GoD-given cameraman also those of Demutskiy. Ukrainian social movement, a no- In addition, Danylo invented ble and a doctor. He dedicated his Another of Arsenal’s scenes an ad hoc ocular technology for his life to collecting and studying depicts the death of one of the in- philosophical instrument, the Ukrainian folklore and organized a surgent workers and his horses, camera, due to which, everything village chorus. But sooner or later rushing home to the native village that appears on the screen seems it was necessary to actually see the through the winter steppes of to have come from a poetic dream, people, not only via social-political Ukraine. The horses, urged on by like some kind of internal lan- paintings, Ukrainian landscapes or guage. Demutskiy’s incredible ex- photographs, but also through cin- bio position is a unique phenomenon Danylo Demutskiy was born in 1893 into a noble family in ematography. the village of Okhmativ, Cherkasy Oblast. He graduated in world cinema. Mr. Demutskiy was one of from a Kyiv grammar school and later from the law depart- These works impressed the those artists for whom the art of ment of the Saint Volodymyr University. He worked as a cinematographic community of cinematography was like a game, photographer and was an employee of the Vestnyk the world at that time and they are which did not require much effort. Fotohrafiyi (Photography Herald) and Solntse Rossiyi (The still impressive today. In Woody He worked with Oleksandr Dov- Sun of Russia) magazines. Later he cooperated with Les Allen’s Manhattan the main char- zhenko on his first films,Vasya the Kurbas’s Berezil theatre. In 1925 he received a golden acters are having an impassioned Reformer and Love’s Berry, fol- medal for his photos at the International Exposition of Ap- argument. Suddenly, the viewers lowed in 1929 by Arsenal, which plied Art in Paris, started to work at the Odesa film studio see the poster of the film which im- contains several brilliant scenes. as the manager of the photography workshop and shot his pressed them so much and caused first films with Oleksandr Dovzhenko.In 1932 Demutskiy For instance, a train speeding was arrested for the first time, then againin 1934 and de- the fight. It is Earth. along without a driver, carrying ported to Tashkent, where he worked at the Uzbek news- It was after this film that the World War I soldiers, who have reel studio.In 1937 he was arrested for the third time and drama began for Oleksandr Dov- lost their direction in the world imprisoned for 17 months. He returned to Kyiv in 1939. De- zhenko, drawing in his cameraman due to an excess of freedoms, ends mutskiy died in 1954 and was buried in the famous Baik- Demutskiy as well. Under the with a crash. This scene and subse- ove Cemetery in Kyiv. Sword of Damocles of Stalin’s ter- 40|the ukrainian week|№ 12 (35) July 2012 classical ukrainian cinema|culture & arts rors, they started to shoot a film rested for the first time, based on oriental, recounting the origins of entitled Ivan about soviet industri- fabricated slander. 1934 saw a the famous eastern character – a alization and the technological ex- second arrest, based on the same malicious parable about the abso- ploitation of the Dnipro River. In fabricated charges of anti-soviet lute, supposedly ancient, rule of this film, the skillfully filmed in- activity. He was then exiled to the local tyrants. This film became dustrial landscape is wonderfully Central Asia, namely Tashkent. In one of the most popular ones in integrated with the lyrical canvas time, he was able to find a job at soviet film distribution of that of Ukraine’s central river. Soviet an Uzbek newsreel studio, but time. director Sergei Eisenstein consid- was arrested for the third time in Unfortunately, when Dov- ered this filming to be the best 1937. He then suffered cruel, sa- zhenko wrote a letter to Demuts- landscape camerawork he had ever distic interrogations and almost kiy, with an invitation to work to- seen in world cinema. two years of imprisonment – the gether in Ukraine, nothing came When Ivan was finished, in the terrible and tragic experience of a of it. Danylo did not have another spirit of the 1930s, a decision fol- soviet prisoner. opportunity to shoot a single lowed that the director and his After his incarceration, he re- frame with the renowned Ukrai- cameraman had to be destroyed. turned to Ukraine a broken and nian director, though he hoped to Dovzhenko managed to escape devastated man. But then the war do so, on his eventual return to from Ukraine to Moscow (a war- began and he was forced to go to Kyiv. rant for his arrest was already be- Central Asia once more. After the war Demutskiy was ing prepared). But Demutskiy did In Tashkent he worked as a forced to shoot a propagandistic not want to leave Ukraine, his na- cameraman for an evacuated cin- film entitled Secret Agent, di- tive land, which was the source of ematographer from Moscow and rected by Boris Barnet, showing his artistic life and creativity. made a considerable contribution the heroism of soviet security offi- to the establishment of Uzbek cin- cers, and a naval film entitled Tortures and films ema. The Adventures of Nasred- Days of Peace by Volodymyr This was a personal catastrophe din is his best work of that time. It Braun. for Demytskiy. In 1932 he was ar- is a brilliant film, humorous and The Asian scenes from Taras Shevchenko, a film by Ihor Savchenko, was Demutskiy’s only significant work at that time. It was a wonderful representation of Films the beauty of the local landscapes 1926 – Vasia the against a background of the un- Reformer; Fresh bearable soldiers’ life. This film is Wind; Love’s Berry the result of a deep understanding of Taras Shevchenko and of De- 1927 – Two Days; mutskiy’s own terrible personal The Caprice of Catherine II; For- experience as a prisoner. In 1952 est Man the cinematographer was awarded the Stalin Prize (first degree) for 1929 – Arsenal this film. 1930 – Earth Danylo Demutskiy died at too 1931 – Fata Mor- early an age in 1954, several gana months into the Khrushchev 1932 – Ivan; On Thaw. He did not witness the sub- the Great Way sequent successes of the Ukrai- 1936 – Kyrgyzstan nian avant-garde cinematogra- 1937 – Spring pher from Paradzhanov to the Ily- Country enko brothers. The latter 1942 – Blue Rocks worshipped Demutskiy, while Paradzhanov and Andriy Tar- 1943 – The Young kovsky thought of him as a God- Years, Nasreddin in Bukhara given cameraman. There are very different inter- 1945 – Takhir and pretations of the films made at Zukhra the Oleksandr Dovzhenko film 1946 – The Ad- studio. There can be criticism re- ventures of garding the semantics of these Nasreddin films, many elements can seem to 1947 – Secret be a falsification and soviet pa- Agent thos, but there was no bad cam- 1950 – Days of era work in Kyiv at that time. Peace Cameramen remembered De- 1951 – Taras mutskiy. His very presence in Shevchenko Ukrainian and world cinematog- 1953 – The Cran- raphy encouraged them to work berry Grove as hard as they could. № 12 (35) July 2012|the ukrainian week|41 culture & arts|documentary photography A Chronicle of Everyday Life For almost half a century Antanas Sutkas, the founder of the now world- famous Lithuanian school of photography, photographed the unattractive daily life of common people in his country

Interviewer: learly, party organs did not given society. Actually, Ukraine Devaluation of the profes- Bohdan approve. As a result, most of has a strong school of street pho- sion of photography is the Butkevych his photographs are still in tography. Its representatives in- real problem. I remember when Carchives. Yet, even those clude Borys Mykhailov, Olek- I first encountered this sad trend. published were enough to create a sandr Hliadelov, Oleksandr Once, a hotel owner I know, asked black and white portrait of an ep- Chekmeniov, Oleksandr Liapin me to do an advertising poster och in the life of a nation and and many others. And it’s no and a photo-shoot of his staff. So, bring him worldwide recognition. wonder: you have to take photo- I made the poster and waited for Antanas Sutkas talked to The graphs of the streets in Ukraine the shoot. He never called back. I Ukrainian Week during his re- because that’s where different finally asked him, “When are we cent visit to Kyiv. historical epochs and the past having the photo-shoot?” he said, and reality, intersect. It is still “You know, we decided that it Photography is definitely possible to catch everything in was better to buy two cheap digi- art. At the same time, it is hugely Ukraine in one good shot. tal cameras and take pics on our popular unlike most of what peo- own rather than pay for your ple today call art. What would the It is often said that the ac- photo-shoot.” world be without it? At the very cessibility of photo equip- least, we wouldn’t have had the ment is killing photography Photography should make opportunity to watch films be- today. Indeed, we are living in humans more human. Once, cause the Lumière brothers an era of a consumer approach to during my lecture at a university, I wouldn’t have been there. And the photography. This is not surpris- asked students “What is art?” One modern age would not be the ing, as we generally live in a con- gave a brilliant answer: “It’s mak- same without cinema. In fact, a sumer society, with money being ing humans more human.” Photo­ good photograph is the corner- the key measure. As a result, graphy is the same. It provokes PORTRAITS OF stone of this eternal dispute, not photography and everything con- feelings in people and affects them THE GRAY DAYS: an answer to the question. nected to it have become part to through these feelings. And Antanas Sutkus this general consumption pro- through them, people can later captured the life of average Documentary photogra- cess. But common people now change things for the better in their people in the phy is the most interesting have so many more opportuni- country and the world as a whole. USSR without niche for a true artist today. ties. They can have photo rather decorations It allows you to create so-called than written diaries of their trips, I have one rule: don’t mess and ideological social documents, or authentic which is more accurate and excit- with the shot. There are many canopy ingots of an epoch in the life of a ing than before. photographers who not only shoot,

42|the ukrainian week|№ 12 (35) July 2012 documentary photography|culture & arts anian school of photography, tried to reflect the life of our compatri- ots. It wasn’t even resistance, just the only form of creative existence that was possible at that time. At one time, I turned down many op- A Chronicle of Everyday Life portunities to leave my country. And I don’t feel sorry, because I would never take the photographs but also try to affect what they up with the following rule at an I did anywhere else in the world. shoot. One of my colleagues, for early age: don’t take a photograph Our entire generation had a sort of instance, used to shout out “Hey, of someone you can’t help. For me, spiritual connection to the state. give me an expression as if your a war photograph is like specula- Every country has its own photo mother died.” If you are unable to tion on someone else’s suffering. chroniclers who understand it bet- persuade people to be natural and Even worse, it’s often deceit about ter because they live in it and are express the feelings you need with someone else’s pain that preaches part of it. I can go to a forgotten your communication, appearance violence. mountain hamlet one time, but a or sensitivity, just leave. Luckily, local photographer can be there a I’ve never had this sort of problem. Some say that you can save hundred times. Everyone should a hundred people by photo- love and photograph the country You have to love what you graphing one execution by fir- he knows best. shoot. First and foremost, I mean ing squad. But let’s talk about that you should love people. Of how photographers normally get The more totalitarian the course, you can make a career in to an execution. It’s very simple. A society, the tighter the inter-

hatred, particularly if you are a pol- yilia polunina photo: huge media resource sends them nal spring that forces an art- there with a significant amount of ist to create. And when you have itician. But you have to be loving CLASSICS OF and decent if you are an artist. It’s PHOTOGRAPHY: money. They come to some dicta- freedom, albeit quasi-freedom, the very bad that so many people push Antanas tor, bribe him or his underlings, motivation to photograph life is no these things to the background – Sutkus began and they kill people on camera. less intense – it’s different. Look at both in art and in everyday life. his career in I’ve known cases when an execu- how many truly great artists in the photography as tion was ordered. I don’t want to sphere of photography and any I have devoted my whole a high-school be too critical of many of my col- other art are being swallowed up life to showing common peo- student in leagues. There are many who go to by the advertising and manufac- ple. A friend of mine who is a top 1958. Today, hot spots with honourable inten- turing industry. Moreover, there is official in the Lithuanian govern- his works are tions to prevent and protect others so much that claims to be art these displayed in top days that it’s really hard to find ment once asked me if I wasn’t photography from experiencing the same terri- wary of shooting all these “lower- museums and ble thing. But most of the time, it true art. Worst of all, real life is not class people” and putting poorly galleris of the doesn’t work. in fashion today, while the stan- dressed people on book-covers. To world dards of TV soap operas are. Hav- this day, I don’t know how to re- Lithuania is a tiny coun- ing said this, criticism of capital- spond. try, therefore my generation ism is getting in on the act as well. is forced to be patriotic and In other words, the spring is tight- I never had the urge to take pictures of it. We simply ening again. Although not very shoot wars. I was a very sickly had to save our national self-iden- popular here yet, this is the trend child, so spent a lot of time in hos- tity, so as not to be called “russkis”. among Western artists. Even so- pitals during my childhood, where That’s why, from the very start, I cial photography will soon get its I saw pain, death and grief. I came and all my colleagues of the Lithu- second wind.

№ 12 (35) July 2012|the ukrainian week|43 navigator|reviews & event calendar films Oxygen Starvation to watch from Ukraine, 1991 rd Director: AndriyD onchyk the 3 Odesa The film is for people who are not fa- Film Festival miliar with Ukrainian cinematogra- phy of the 1990s, among others. An- driy Donchyk made a great film out Author: of the great screenplay by Yuriy An- Yaroslav Pidhora-Hviazdovsky drukhovych. He presented a detailed 7 Films and accurate image of the “joy” of serving in the soviet army with its in- ventive violence of dedovshchina, the abuse of young recruits by older soldiers, with the pathological stu- pidity of blindly following the army procedures. The film benefits from brilliant acting of Taras Denysenko as private, Viktor Stepanov as ensign and Oleksiy Horbunov as lieutenant. Show during the collapse of the So- viet Union, the film was not pre- sented to a large audience.

Earth Ukraine (USSR), 1930 Director:O leksandr Dovzhenko One of the films Ukraine is proud of, the acclaimed Earth is among the 35 films restored by the National Dovzhenko Center this year. Unlike The Potemkin Battleship and Met­­ GAMER ropolis presented at Odesa film fes- Ukraine, 2011 tivals in previous years, the demon- Director:O leh Sentsov stration of the technically upgraded Gamer is one of the most unexpected films at the festival. It is a debut feature film of an amateur Earth will be a world premier this with a degree in economics and entrepreneur who switched to filmmaking due to his interest in films. time. DakhaBrakha will play the mu- Amateurism is visible almost everywhere in the film shot on a digital camera held by hand, yet its sic for the film using folklore and documentary authenticity is what appeals to the audience (it mostly involved non-professional ac- ethnic motives in a post-modernistic tors). Gamer is a story of a boy who plays computer games professionally. He skipped school as he manner. Thus, classics will be com- got ready for the world championship. The film took several years to make. Shown at many festivals bined with modern times into a leg- all over the world, it is now presented at home, in Odesa. acy of generations.

Events From 16 August 22–25 August 24–26 August Future Shorts: Ethnovyr 2012 Ancient Medzhybizh 2012 summer 2012 Ploshcha Rynok, the square Medzhybizh Fortress Kyiv movie theater in front of the Town Hall (Medzhybizh, Khmelnytsk (19, vul. Velyka Vasylkivska, (downtown Lviv) Oblast) Kyiv) The fifth international Ethnovyr The historical and art festival will This year’s festival selection will folk festival invites musicians from take place on the territory of the 16th present the best seven films from all many countries including the Czech century fortress, which is called upon over the world, including BAFTA- Republic, Macedonia, France, to revive the medieval era times for a award winning A Morning Stroll Israel, India and Mexico, to Lviv. THE few days. Members of historical mili- from the UK; We’ll Become Oil, JATEROS, a folk festival from Spain; tary clubs from different countries an experimental film that comes Polish music and dance band Jantar, will recreate breathtaking medieval close to video art from Romania; and Vyaselle, a Belarussian dance battles where every daredevil will Guest, a Clermont-Ferrand-winning group, will join them on stage. In have an opportunity to compete film from South Korea; a film addition to music against knights. The about growing up entitled and dancing, visitors audience will have to Fireworks, and Notes on Biol- will see such events choose between the ogy, a favourite of the SXSW as a folk art fair, old crafts fair, medi- festival from the USA.Street workshops, friendship eval dance master Vendor Cinema and the UK- nights and tours. classes and historical produced Tumult about an en- costume contests. Folk counter between Vikings and bands and a night a group from a 21st century firework show will add bus tour end the program. to the atmosphere. 44|the ukrainian week|№ 12 (35) July 2012 reviews & event calendar|navigator The Spark of Life/ La Chispa De La Vida Spain-France, 2011 Director: Alex de laI glesia A topical tragic farce about an acci- dent with an unemployed man whose crippled body lures reporters, agents and paparazzi with cameras like vul- tures.

Caesar Must Die/ Cesare Deve Morire Italy, 2012 Directors: Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani A theater director stages Shake- speare’s Julius Caesar in a prison with prisoners as actors. The play flows into life: the prisoners talk to each other in play lines on a walk, in the canteen or in their wards.

Kill Me Please Belgium, 2010 Director:O lias Barco Funny, witty and often painfully realis- tic, the film shows a “clinics” or a pri- vate club where those willing to com- mit suicide are killed in the manner they pay for.

Happiness USA, 1998 Director:T od Solondz The wound on the body of Solondz, an American filmmaker, brings pain about everything from the lifestyle of average Americans, family problems and teenagers to immigrants and chauvinism.

29 August, 8 p.m. 30 Aug. – 2 Sept. 31 Aug. – 9 Sept. KoЯn Jazz Koktebel Contemporary Art Week 2012 Stereo Plaza The Poet’s House Garden (17, vul. Kikvidze, Kyiv) (vul. Naberezhna, Koktebel) Downtown and suburbs (Lviv) The leaders and founders of the nu For the 10th consecutive year, one Art platforms for contemporary art metal style, with literally 20 years of of the most popular international week in Lviv will be located all over experience, will rock Ukraine. KoЯn is jazz festivals has been bringing its the city, turning it into a single space a wild mix of grunge, funk, groove- audience the joy of good music. for art and inspiration. City streets metal, hip-hop and industrial music Well-known jazzmen, bands and and squares will host performances, that attracts audiences numbering in performers all come to sunny Crimea photo and painting exhibitions, the thousands to their gigs. Munky on to please the audience with never installations, plays, film festivals, guitar, Fieldy on bass, Jonathan Devis before heard improvisations, jazz lectures and workshops. Visual art, on vocals and Ray Luzier on drums will experiments and performances. This albeit oriented at visual perception, play songs from their latest albumThe year’s list of performers includes also makes people listen, inhale and Path of Totality which Pur:Pur; Veron- feel it. The city band members call ika Kozhukharo- will once again “future metal.” In va, Zorge Bjorn turn into one big their 10th studio Berge, Pulcinel- art adventure album, the band la, Katia Chilly, seasoned with experiments with and the Grammy coffee flavour mixing dubstep and award winning and the mouth- electronic elements Lindgren with his watering aroma into its meaty hard Batucada Jazz. of delicious rock. food. № 12 (35) July 2012|the ukrainian week|45 navigator|caving in ukraine Eight Days Under the Surface The Ukrainian Week travels to Ozerna Cave in Ternopil Oblast

Text and photos author: Vladyslav Vozniuk

Western Prospect: a huge gallery next to our camp. We used it as our bedroom

Once back in the underground base camp, some researchers had fun making these amazing fortresses from the cave’s clay

46|the ukrainian week|№ 12 (35) July 2012 caving in ukraine|navigator Ozerna or the Lake Cave, is a pearl of underground Ukraine. It lies under Visiting speleologists the fields near Strilkivtsi, a village in from Ufa, Russia: they Borshchiv County, Ternopil Oblast. Its researched a new part of name comes from the numerous crys- the cave called Vedmezhyi, tal clear lakes hidden deep within it. the Bear Zone, where bones Eight Days Under the Surface of pre-historic animals have Ozerna is one of the most beautiful speleological mazes in Ukraine, been found stretching 128 km. Living conditions The Ukrainian Week travels to Ozerna Cave in Ternopil Oblast during expeditions are next to ex- treme, as tourists have to carry their food and equipment on their backs. Wet things simply do not dry while hanging in the cave because of its 100% humidity, therefore clothes dry while being worn. The water in the underground lakes is quite hard and bitter, yet is drinkable when made as lemon tea. However, doctors do not recommend drinking it on a regular basis as the excessive amount of lime sulfur can cause kidney stones. We stayed at Koma, one of the un- derground camps. From our base, we went on long tours to the parts of the cave we found most interesting. We had to creep on all fours through the corridors above the water, crawl- ing through piles of stones. Every part of the cave the flashlight catches through the darkness is made of one of the three basic materials here: lime, water or clay. Other than that, the caves are exhaustively dark and quiet. Perhaps, that was why the brain generated unusually colourful pictures in our dreams. When our tour was over, we surfaced after eight days of full isolation from the outside world. The surface hit us with the smell of ozone: it is certainly much more concentrated on the sur- face. Now, we have a whole year to look at the data we collected before our next tour.

Testing the water to finish the experiment which was started by a previous expedition in 2008

A speleologist is crawling through the Lime crystals breaks in the walls have been over the underground growing in the lake in Perekhidny, or planet’s depth Transitional, one of the for millions of most difficult parts years of the cave

№ 12 (35) July 2012|the ukrainian week|47 navigator|downshifting Fleeing from Urban Slavery фото: Наталя Коммодова Наталя фото: Every year, dozens of Donetsk Author: named Chudyesnoye (Wonderful) Natalia Kommodova in the eco-village. They support Oblast families flee to themselves by selling goat milk co-villagers believe that living and cheese. People often travel deserted villages to start new in a safe environment and 100km from Donetsk to purchase lives closer to nature keeping the whole family their healing herbal teas. The cou- Ehealthy is possible even in the ple says that it is the favourable mine-polluted region of Donetsk. environment that makes every- thing grown in the village tastier AN ESCAPE and healthier and boosts the de- FROM SLOW “SUICIDE” mand. Vira Palienko, a former business- Sipping fresh milk at the woman, lives in a non-electrified Wonderful homestead, one feels wattle-and-daub house with no like a real outdoorsman. The indoor plumbing on the outskirts ubiquitous buzz of urban traffic is of Nyzhne Lozove, a deserted vil- replaced by the singing of nightin- lage near the town of Debaltseve gales and the faint murmur of a in Donetsk Oblast. Before moving stream. It is this same stream there, she had lived for 40 years that serves as the couple’s source in the mining town of Torez, of fresh water; they drink it un- working as engineer and later boiled and plunge into the freez- switching to business. Her current ing cold stream every morning to assets include a hectare of land energize for the day. with medicinal plants and a fresh- Nyzhne Lozove, where the water spring (photo 3). Vira and census lists less than 15 inhabit- her husband, Yuriy, who worked ants, is a pleasant surprise at a utility service company for 20 amidst the smog-shrouded towns

mm odova Ко natalia photo: years, set up their new homestead of Donetsk. 20-30km away from 48|the ukrainian week|№ 12 (35) July 2012 downshifting|navigator

1 2 mm odova Ко natalia photo: photo provided by m ykola voronin by provided photo

the nearest factories, it grows of family and family ties are just a just people who want to live close plenty of orchard fruit and vege- few drawbacks of modern urban to nature. To expand their ham- tables, herbs and rare plants. life. My health has improved since lets and share experience, Rassvet Fieldstones often used as con- I moved to the hamlet and quit arranges festivals and celebra- struction material are scattered my urban routine. My eyesight tions every year. Eco-villagers around the village and often re- and sleep are much better now. (photo 4) from all over the coun- semble cliffs, hence the name Moreover, I have time and inspi- try have been coming to Rassvet Skelevoye: Cliff Village. ration to work on my creative for four years now, while wary ur- In fact, it was more than just ideas,” she happily told The ban citizens come there merely to nature’s beauty and benefits that Ukrainian Week. rest and look around.

фото: Наталя Коммодова Наталя фото: encouraged Vira to quit her profit- Business owners, martial arts able business and sell her spacious RECRUITING NEIGHBOURS teachers, doctors, professors, apartment in the city. She was at- Vira learned about Rassvet buil­­ders and miners… Around 20 tracted by the concept of self-reli- (Dawn), the eco-village in Nyzhne families from different towns in ant “kin estates” promoted by Si- Lozove, from the Internet. She Donetsk Oblast and Kyiv decided berian-born author Vladimir Me- came to visit and fell in love with to build their “kin estates” near gre in the 1990s. According to his the place. Most downshifters-to- Debaltseve in the early 2000s. theory, only an environmentally be pick a place for their hamlet, After some bureaucratic snags, friendly lifestyle can save mankind form a “core” of family members they got their legitimate one or from global catastrophe. To and friends, and start looking for two hectares per family from the achieve this, people must leave like-minded neighbours in the local council, as provided by the their cities and settle down on a web. 100 families is the best num- Law on Individual Farming. For plot of land far from the pollution ber for comfortable life in an eco- various reasons, though, only six of factories, where they can grow village. They prefer candidates families have settled on their their own trees and orchards and who are ecologically-oriented, not land so far. Some bought aban- create a “loving environment” for doned village houses for peanuts their families. ECO-VILLAGES AND COMMUNITIES and have been living there tem- “This is not a utopia,” Vira ex- Eco-villagers do not belong to a particular religious group. porarily as they plant family or- plains. “It’s real. Modern cities of- They create their villages with no ideological basis and live chards and woods around their fer no conditions for harmonious according to environmentally friendly practices. They use homes, while others have yet to and proper human development. the benefits of civilization and technology to save energy, collect the courage or the cash to We lack time for the most impor- build eco-homes, and do organic farming. They conduct afford the move. tant things in life, such as self- open trainings where young eco-villagers are taught to sur- Rassvet is arranged as an au- cognition and the development of vive in nature and build eco-homes. tonomous self-governing social Communities are based on the concept of kin estates fol- natural talents. As a result, we lowing the model first promoted in Russia by Vladimir Me- community where common issues have degraded, lost the ability to gre’s series of books. They, too, have eco-friendly routines are resolved at a community coun- survive outside the city and and eat only pure home-grown organic food, while also cil. The villagers help each other turned into urban slaves. Routine leaning toward ancient Rus household traditions and fam- out as neighbours, but every owner work that makes us physically and ily order. They call themselves Anastasiyevtsy after Anasta- runs his or her household alone. mentally ill, and the devaluation siya, the protagonist in Vladimir Megre’s series. Every household is free to decide № 12 (35) July 2012|the ukrainian week|49 navigator|downshifting

4 5 mm odova Ко natalia photo: mm odova Ко natalia photo: Eco-villagers have learned or- linseeds and nettle. According to 3 ganic farming (photo 1) and vari- the eco-villagers, this diet guaran- ous artisan crafts, such as apicul- tees long life and protects against ture and carpentry, as well as how diseases. Flour, oil and sugar are to make clothes and footwear the only products they buy at a (photo 2). They also practice tra- store 10 kilometers away. ditional medicine and employ fam- Naturally, Vira’s home is no ily labour, and plan to open a place for chemicals, plastic or school in the village to raise their polyethylene. She uses mustard children using their own innova- powder or stinging nettle to wash tive system. greasy dishes while a lovage-leaf infusion adds shine to her gor- GOODBYE, JUNK! geous long hair. The locals go to Eco-villagers have stopped pro- bed with the sun and wake up at ducing garbage and that is the dawn. As close to the natural main difference between them and schedule as possible, this life is average rural people. They use nat- like a battery giving people pow- ural materials, make pure organic erful energy and strength. TVs products and save energy to mini- here are replaced by books, gui- mize their impact on the environ- tars and meditation. However, ment. Moreover, they avoid having the locals still use cell phones “junk thoughts” – what they de- and the Internet to stay in touch scribe as the problems that we cre- with civilization. They say they ate for ourselves, therefore we do not reject some helpful human must clear our minds of negative inventions. Celebrations are all thoughts and fears. environmentally-friendly here, mm odova Ко natalia photo: “We don’t plough the land, in- including workshops in artisan how environmentally friendly their stead we co-exist with it in har- crafts, team games, singing and home is based on what they think mony and learn from it,” Vira ex- dancing, with no alcohol or con- is necessary. Some, like Vira, do plains. “10 years ago, our yard was ventional overeating. not use electricity or utilities and a deserted ploughed patch. Then sleep outdoors during the sum- flowers and rare edible plants be- A BURROW mer, while others cannot survive gan to grow on it, and birds set- WITH INTERNET ACCESS without lights and a washing ma- tled here.” At one celebration, The Ukrai- chine. Nobody will intervene or try Most eco-villagers are vegetar- nian Week met a young family to change their minds unless they ians. They treated The Ukrai- of “extreme” eco-villagers origi- harm the environment or their nian Week to a tasty porridge nally from Horlivka, a town in neighbours. made of nettle and a mix of herbs, Donetsk Oblast known for its and a vitamin cocktail of honey, huge Stirol chemical plant. 50|the ukrainian week|№ 12 (35) July 2012 downshifting|navigator touch with the world and watch cartoons on winter nights, charg- 7 ing it at friends’ homes. The fam- ily subsisted on goat milk and food grown in their garden. “We were curious about living in a place that provides for com- plete fusion with nature. Also, we wondered if we could survive in such conditions—and we did,” Mykola comments. Eventually, a fire forced the couple out of their shelter. As they tend to their two hectares of land, the Voronins are going to build a new eco- house. Meanwhile, they live in their parents’ home. Young eco- villagers claim that they live in a clean environment despite being close to a chemical plant. Some regard them as strange or insane. It even took a while for their parents and family mem- bers to accept their lifestyle. Not surprisingly: both young people used to have a very decent life by generally accepted standards. Mykola, 32, holds a degree in Mykola and Vika Voronin (photo ecology and physics from Kyiv- 7) created their “kin estate” called Mohyla Academy. Initially, his “Vedrusy” in the village of Batma- dream had been to run his own m ykola voronin by provided photo nivka near Horlivka several years business. Later, he decided that it Mykola. After falling in love with ago and started an amazing ex- was ecology, not economics, that him, she quit her business and periment. Two years ago, the cou- would save Ukraine from the cri- joined the Sun Singers Caravan ple spent seven months living in a sis. Today, he is a “sun bard” that travels around singing their burrow (photo 6) that was one singer-songwriter, forager and original songs. They have already meter high and two meters wide. proactive civil activist. His wife hitchhiked across Ukraine, Rus- They could not stand up inside Viktoria, 26, is a lawyer special- sia and other post-soviet states. but had a laptop connected to the izing in land law. She owned a Today, they earn their living with web that they used to stay in private company before meeting their music. Mykola performs at gigs and produces his own CDs 6 and books. Soon, the couple is going to adopt two eco-village children from Israel and have their own baby. “We’re never short of money. Life gives us as much as we need. You can fill your life with wellbeing through your thoughts and will. The main thing is to shape your thoughts clearly and confidently,” Mykola notes. He believes that people can save deserted and polluted land, as well as dying villages, by creating eco-villages there. Yet, experi- enced eco-villagers recommend that those willing to settle down close to nature first “try out” the lifestyle. Before buying hectares and starting an eco-home, they should live a month or two in their

олою воро н і им олою chosen place to get used to the land and make sure that they can handle the lifestyle. According to eco-villagers, some of their neigh-

фото н ада е ми к фото bours have failed the test. № 12 (35) July 2012|the ukrainian week|51 B OOKST ORES KYIV 3, vul. Lysenka tel: (044) 235-88-54; 5,vul. Spaska tel: (044) 351-13-38, 33/2, Povitroflotskiy Prospekt tel: (044) 275-67-42; 107/47, vul. Saksahanskoho tel: (044) 383-61-49 LVIV 7, Prospekt Svobody tel: (032) 235-73-68 VINNYTSIA 89, Soborna tel: (0432) 52-9341 TERNOPIL 7-9, vul. Valova tel: (0352) 25-4459 KHARKIV 3, vul. Sumska tel: (057) 731-5949 IVANO-FRANKIVSK 31, vul. Nezalezhnosti tel: (0342) 72-2502 VOLODYMYR-VOLYNSKIY 6, vul. Kovelska tel: (03342) 2-1957 www.book-ye.com.ua

ONLINE BOOKSHOP WWW.BOOK-YE.COM.UA/SHOP