ELMAR BROK ON JAILED PAGE SHAMEFUL CANDIDATES ON THE PAGE AFTER THE OLYMPICS: PAGE OPPOSITION LEADERS AND AN UNITED OPPOSITION'S LIST WHO TURNING OPTIMISM AND HOPE UNDEMOCRATIC ELECTION 13 COULD JUMP SHIP ONCE ELECTED 18 INTO A VALUABLE ASSET 36

№ 14 (37) SEPTEMBER 2012 WHO CREATED THE MANIPULATIVE MEDIA SYSTEM IN UKRAINE?

THE LACK OF A MEDIA MARKET MAKES IT EASY FOR YANUKOVYCH TO CONTROL THE FOURTH POWER

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01_FACE.indd 1 30.08.2012 21:04:55 2|the ukrainian week|№ 14 (37) September 2012 |contents briefing focus The Only “Regional Language”: Sleeping Beauty Walking Recent developments signal that the and Bread Crumbs: the Tightrope: Kolesnichenko-Kivalov language law The Yanukovych and the Kremlin Yanukovych and is aimed at the renewed Russification regimes are using the lack of the the media in the of all Ukrainians, regardless of their effective Fourth Power in Ukraine election season ethnic backgrounds to their advantage 4 6 11 Politics A Big Silence: Elmar Brok Yuriy Lutsenko: Yuriy Makarov talks about jailed opposition I’m afraid of excessive on the role of leaders and the upcoming micro leadership the media in parliamentary election that ambitions within the society can already be considered united opposition undemocratic 12 13 14

Leading without Leadership: They Call Themselves the Opposition: Government in the Service Yanukovych’s regime has There are no odious characters of Monopolies: turned Yulia Tymoshenko among the United Opposition’s Those in power work to strengthen into a symbol of resistance, parliamentary candidates, yet some business groups close to them yet her real influence in the might easily jump ship after the while feigning efforts to fight election monopolies opposition is waning 16 18 22 ECONOMICS Neighbours A Cure to Fend off Charles Beigbeder Erkki Bahovski Poverty: talks about his investment on the importance How Ukraine can experience in Ukraine and of Estonia save its economy its agricultural potential regaining its from a systemic independence crisis 26 29 30 Society Money Games: Faster, Higher, After the Olympics: Where did hundreds No Longer: How will Britain use of millions of hryvnias Is it time to optimism, hope and allocated from the state update the sports facilities left after budget to prepare for the Olympic credo? one of the best games 2012 Olympics disappear? 32 34 in years? 36 history culture & arts Fast Down Dagmar Eternal Questions on Film: the Rails: Ostrzhanska A feature length The turbulent talks about the documentary by director history of Czech Centre in Oleksandr Balahura is a electric trams Kyiv and Ukrainian summary of the past 15-20 38 underground art 42 years in Ukraine 44 navigator The Hero, the Son of a Hero: Rocky Steppe: The first Ukrainian full-length Mykolayiv Oblast lures tourists 3D cartoon with the energy of the turbulent Southern Buh and the virginity of its granite prairies 46 48

The Ukrainian Week № 14 (37) September 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: The Novy Druk, LLC, 1 Mahnitohorska Str. Serhiy Lytvynenko, Editor-in-Chief, The Ukrainian Week Ordering number: 12-5830. Print run: 15,000 Natalia Romanec, Shaun Williams, Editors; Sent to print on 30 August 2012 Anna Korbut, Translator Free distribution № 14 (37) September 2012|the ukrainian week|3 briefing| 29 August 15 August The Higher Special Court for Civil and Criminal Cases Unknown people rejects Yulia Tymoshenko’s appeal to overturn the deci- destroyed the tent city sion of the Pechersk Court and to close the case against of protesters against the her for lack of evidence language law in Kharkiv The Only “Regional Language” Recent developments signal that the Kolesnichenko-Kivalov language law is aimed at the renewed Russification of all Ukrainians regardless of their ethnic backgrounds

he regional language has been and is shared by the country’s leaders, Bukovyna, Western Ukraine, said that officially adopted in oblasts suggesting that the language law is there are already plenty of Romanian where the Party of Regions (PR) aimed at reviving Russification rather schools, and officials and police offi- Thas won recent national and lo- than protecting endangered lan- cers in Romanian ethnic regions spoke cal elections and holds a majority in guages. For instance, Ismail’s City the language before the new law was local and city councils. These include Council ruled to make Russian an offi- passed. Therefore, they do not need the Oblast Councils of Odesa, Myko- cial regional language while refusing urgent implementation of the language layiv, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro- to grant this status to Bulgarian, de- law. However, he failed to address the petrovsk, Donetsk, Luhansk and spite the fact that the local Bulgarian question of why parliament passed the Kharkiv Oblasts, and the City Councils minority amounts to more than the law in the first place. of Odesa, Sevastopol, Kharkiv, Krasnyi necessary 10% based on the latest cen- Minority languages are now irritating Luch and Pervomaisk in Luhansk sus. Ismail Mayor Andriy Abram- the PR, especially as opposition MPs Oblast, and Ismail City Council in chenko offered a typical soviet-style grow more proactive on their behalf. Odesa Oblast. comment: “having the Russian lan- Opposition MP Hennadiy Moskal has The regional status was only granted guage as the language of communica- threatened to sue Andriy Kliuyev, to the Russian language in each and tion for Ismail’s more than 80 differ- Chair of the National Defense and Se- every of the abovementioned oblasts ent ethnic groups” is enough. Andriy curity Council, for responding in and cities. This contradicts its spon- Fedoruk, Head of the Donetsk Oblast Ukrainian to a request written and sors’ declarations that the law would Council, said that other city councils filed in the Rusyn minority language. comply with the European Charter for may follow suit and try to introduce Later, he filed another request to Regional or Minority Languages. No other regional languages – Greek, for Mykola Azarov in Yiddish, probably to language other than Russian, includ- instance – yet they should think twice find out whether he, like Mykhailo ing those that are truly endangered about where they will get the money to Chechetov, views Rusyn and Yiddish and need protection, has ever received pay for the initiative. as languages that ‘just a handful’ of official protection. First Deputy Head Surprisingly, representatives of mi- people speak. Now he is continuing the of the PR faction in the parliament norities within the PR who could have experiment among regional authori- Mykhailo Chechetov explained his used the party’s influence to promote ties. In turn, the law’s sponsors were party’s reasoning, stating, “46 million the interests of their ethnic groups are forced to drop some of its clauses. For people understand two languages – actually making excuses for the party, instance, they recommended cancel- Russian and Ukrainian. Not Bulgar- a situation that parallels that of mi- ing the requirement to print voting ian, Hungarian, Romanian, Jewish— norities in the Communist Party of the ballots in the languages of different Yiddish or Hebrew or whatever you USSR. They insist that there is no need ethnic minorities. say. Only a handful of people under- to secure special status for the lan- Paradoxically, the only territory in the stand those languages. We’re talking guages of their ethnic groups within South where Russia has not yet be- about two languages here that the the PR because they were well off be- come an official regional language is whole nation understands.” fore the law. For instance, Ivan Crimea, where the share of ethnic Rus- This standpoint prevails among local Popescu, a PR member and represen- sians is over 50%. The reason for this authorities in majority PR districts tative of the Romanian community in actually lies in the PR’s reluctance to

The month 6 August 1928 16 August 1941 18 August 1941 in history Andy Warhol, a Decree No. 270 NKVD blows up the leading Ameri- is issued in the Dnipro Hydroelectric can pop-artist USSR, whereby all Power Station, killing of Ukrainian prisoners of war are 100,000 Red Army origin, is born classed as traitors soldiers and locals

4|the ukrainian week|№ 14 (37) September 2012 |briefing 12 August 10 August 8 August 6 August The 2012 The Polish Ministry Viktor The SevastopolA dmin- Summer of Foreign Affairs recalls Yanukovych istrativeC ourt bans Olympics the staff of its consulate signs the the “Ukraine without end in in Lutsk as a result of notorious Yanukovych” campaign London a corruption scandal language law in the city

Mykhailo Chechetov makes it clear that the language law has nothing to do with the protection of national The Only “Regional Language” minorities and their languages Recent developments signal that the Kolesnichenko-Kivalov language law provide equal status to the Crimean Tatar language—or even the Ukrainian is aimed at the renewed Russification of all Ukrainians regardless of their language—neglected there as a result of Constitutional violations. Until re- ethnic backgrounds cently, Russian was de facto the only official language and the local authori- ties were openly unhappy about offi- cial correspondence with Kyiv being held in Ukrainian, the only official state language. Crimean Tatars have already shown concern with the fact that the local authorities are backped- alling the implementation of the law. They suspect that the administration will raise the 10% requirement to 15- 20% or introduce some other amend- ments to the law to prevent any lan- guage other than Russian from receiv- ing official regional status. The language law’s implementation makes it possible to actually impose Russian on Southern and Eastern Ukraine, including the regions of Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizh- zhia, Kherson, Mykolayiv and the north of Odesa Oblast which are still largely Ukrainian-speaking despite the long lasting Russification campaigns of the Soviet era. Today, we may be seeing the revival of Russification efforts through well-targeted government policy. As oblast councils introduce Russian as the regional language in their oblasts, they encourage smaller territorial units to do the same. As a result, oblast au- thorities may begin to demand employ- ees of public entities, companies and organizations to speak the regional lan- guage (i.e. Russian) and ignore the re- quirement to use Ukrainian as the only official state language due to ambigui- ties in the law.

Oles Oleksiyenko

21 August 1627 24 August 1991 31 August 1919 3 September 1992 The first printed dictionary Ukraine gains in- The Ukrainian Ukraine becomes a of the literary Ukrai- dependence after People’s Army and member of the Interna- nian language by Pamvo the approval of the the Ukrainian Galician tional Monetary Fund Berynda, a Ukrainian relevant Act by the Army free Kyiv from and the World Bank writer, poet and cultural Verkhovna Rada the Bolsheviks figure, is published № 14 (37) September 2012|the ukrainian week|5 focus|The Media Market in ukraine: is there one? Sleeping Beauty and Bread Crumbs In lieu of an effective media market, Ukrainians will have to realize that they are deprived of the “Fourth Power” in yet another crisis period, something that the Yanukovych and the Kremlin regimes are using to their advantage

Author: in Ukraine clears things up. The (The Power of Money); Forbes. This Samiylo Vors success of a printed publication comes from the stereotype thrust on has nothing to do with its print advertisers that the readership most t first glance, the situation in run. Ukraine has no print run cer- capable of paying for the magazines the Ukrainian media does tification and every publisher re- is the one reading these publica- not differ significantly from ports numbers that are impossible tions, but isn’t this too much for a Athat in many developed to verify. Sometimes, there is an country with such a weak business country: print runs shrink, the tele- impression that the number is climate? vision is becoming debilitated and picked at random, reflecting de- Tabloids are underdeveloped. the pensive consumer is switching sire rather than reality. Therefore, Their function is clearly performed to the net. It too has restrictions, but advertisers tend to rely on the reg- by equally underdeveloped publica- apparently, the opportunity for peo- ular sociological surveys of a sin- tions. Good quality and influential ple to express themselves does, after gle agency, TNS. It determines daily press is hardly present. Dis- all, remain… careful! Things are not market “leaders” and assesses the crimination against Ukrainian-lan- what they seem! Who said that? delusive criteria of the “popular- guage press is palpable in a country Doctor House, or was it one of the ity” of a publication through selec- where two thirds of the population heroes in Matrix? tive polling in cities with a popula- speak Ukrainian. And there is an In fact, the difference between tion of more than 50,000, on the abnormal number of publications the media and the web is crucial, basis of which, equally delusive that are franchises or simply similar to that between live and fake “audience per issue” data is deter- branches of powerful foreign play- flowers, freedom and imitation mined. Advertisers tend to choose ers, especially in the general reader- thereof. What is currently unfolding the top five “leaders” from the ship segment. These include Kom- in the Ukrainian mass media sector TNS rating. As a result, publica- somolskaya Pravda v Ukrayine is a large-scale simulation of mar- tions relying on the agency’s rat- (Komsomol Truth in Ukraine); Ar- ket, competition, the free exchange ing, are more concerned about guments and Facts in Ukraine; of ideas and social responsibility. finding effective ways of spending Kommersant; Izvestia v Ukrayine The outcome is completely satisfac- money on promotion, so that as (News in Ukraine) and others. tory for the current government be- many Ukrainians as possible re- This raises a reasonable suspi- cause it keeps the existing relations member the title of their publica- cion: clearly, the major players are in society intact. tion, than about improving their perfectly happy with the status quo? quality (content) and increasing This seems to be true as the Ukrai- Quasi market flaws the print run. Experts realize that nian “market” is perceptibly mo- Huge disproportions are the first this is not the right way to do it: nopolized. On the one hand, the things that catch the eye in the me- one issue of a serious newspaper small circle of media owners allows dia market: top places in the audi- cannot be read by fifteen people – control of the “market” in general, ence coverage ratings of the print it would not survive. Even so, it is because it’s difficult to rid oneself of media (and the chart of advertise- on the basis of this poll that rat- the suspicion of an agreement be- ment revenues respecti­­vely) go to ings are determined, and accord- tween them, and on the other, gov- niche glossies. The list of champions ing to which advertisers buy space. ernment control over media own- is a mix of daily newspapers, week- Hence, the disproportions ers. lies and monthlies. With informa- which neither experienced media A closer look at each individual tional publications removed from experts nor average consumers no- player reinforces the initial suspi- the mix, serious newspapers and tice. There is an excess of business cion. UMH Group, better known in magazines are beaten by tabloids – publications with 50-80% of busi- Ukraine as Ukrainian Media Hold- how can this be possible? Is some- ness content, such as Kontrakty ing, chaired by Borys Lozhkin is an thing wrong with the readership? (Contracts); Business; Kommersant example of the most successful pub- Understanding the system for (Businessman); Delovaya Stolitsa lisher which, from a business per- measuring a publication’s success (Business Capital); Vlast Deneg spective, looks perfectly transparent 6|the ukrainian week|№ 14 (37) September 2012 The Media Market in ukraine: is there one?|focus A typical newspaper stand: Just a few Ukrainian-language publications and is listed on the Frankfurt Stock are barely noticeable in the sea of the Russian-language press Exchange. The company has been on the market for 12 years. Its Ukrainian portfolio includes nearly 30 print publications and several large online projects, most of which are mentioned above. It is pre- sented as the “No. 1 publisher on the advertising market”. UMH’s to- tal declared print run is over 200mn copies. The holding has been pres- ent in Russia for nearly ten years and its partners include Vladimir Potanin, one of Russia’s top oli- garchs. On the whole, the company is profitable even though the annual EBIDTA worth USD 18mn in 2010 is hardly an outstanding success. However, it is no secret that some of its publications consistently incurr losses. No other option is possible in Ukrainian circumstances. In that case, what is the point of the busi- ness? Why does one portfolio con- tain publications that are directly competitive with each other, such as Korrespondent and Focus, for in- stance? These questions are not super- fluous, because in such a sensitive and socially important industry as the media, the presumption of guilt should be applied until the opposite is proven. Assuming that a mono­ poly agreement truly exists, this could explain the distortions. The warped system dictates its terms to competitors, advertising agencies, and consumers. This is not to say that these distortions satisfy all the players. In May 2012, Ukrayin- sky Tyzhden/The Ukrainian Week discontinued participation in TNS Ukraine’s marketing re- search, measuring print media readership, after its own analysis re- vealed discrepancies with TNS MMI 2011/4 data, which significantly dis- torted the real presence of the publi- cation in some regions. Literally two months ago, another scandal broke, as several well-known publications, including Business, Delovaya Sto- litsa (Business Capital), Vlast Deneg (The Power of Money) and Kon- trakty (Contracts), publicly ended their cooperation with TNS Ukraine. They did so after Korre- spondent and Focus, both part of Ukrainian Media Holding, were switched from the general to the business category, since in their view, they do not qualify as such. These publishers believe that the current situation in print media readership research does not reflect

photo: andriy lomakin photo: the actual popularity of publica- № 14 (37) September 2012|the ukrainian week|7 focus|The Media Market in ukraine: is there one? tions, and the research cannot be Too small to feed them all used as a proper tool for planning Virtually all print publications operate with losses an advertising budget “because because the print press advertising market is too Magazines Newspapers some publishing holdings use it to small. One or two major media holdings run the manipulate advertising budgets.” market and control advertising through Source: State Stati ics Committee In fact, the measuring system manipulation prevents advertisers from spending their budgets efficiently. TNS 2,885 2,88 6 Ukraine’s questionnaire is worded in such a manner, that it actually de- 2,647 termines the number of people who 2,420 2,422 know the brand rather than the ac- 2,266 tual readership. Therefore, publica- tions that have small print run which sells well, but invest in adver- tising, get to the top of the TNS rat- 216 ing, while those offering content the readers are interested in and a large 177 print run, most of which is sold, end 171 up at the bottom. International practice is based on the fact that ad- 3 vertisers receive transparent infor- 3 10 mation on the number of copies ev- 10 ery publication sells on the one hand 75 and the quality of its audience on the other. The first is based on certified 73.1 35.7 89.2 64.4 35.7 33.1 print run data, the second – by means of the competition between research companies. In the reality of 2007 2008 2011 Uk­­raine, TNS Ukraine has a mono­ Total advertising in magazines, USD mn Average annual per publication, USD th poly in conducting research on the Total advertising in newspapers, USD mn Average annual per newspaper, USD th printed mass media market, and based on data by Cortex The Ukrainian Week since the certification of print runs does not exist in Ukraine, this com- pany also determines the readership ordered article in their publication dence, while the print run of Rus- of publications from a monopolist because they simply have no other sian-language publications has standpoint. Therefore, advertisers, sources of income. Some journalists grown by 150%. Over the past 20 relying solely on the TNS rating, risk get used to this practice and often years, the share of the annual print placing their ads in publications that write articles or programmes to or- run of Ukrainian magazines has people have heard of, but never der, thus confirming the general fallen from 70% to 10%, while that of read, thus overpaying for a non-ex- opinion that all journalists can be Russian-language publications has istent readership. This suggests that bought and sold. skyrocketed from 18% to 90%. Only “the situation is under control”... The final consequence of this one third of all publications are in The volume of the advertising distortion of priorities, is public dis- Ukrainian today. This is one of the market itself is overstated, since it is trust of the press as a whole, a sharp consequences of the myth imposed determined by guesswork. Those decline in social capital and a crisis of on advertisers that the readers of conducting the assessment multiply values, making it easier for govern- Ukrainian-language publications are the number of advertising pages by ments and oligarchs to manipulate not well-off enough to buy the things the prices reported by the publica- society. Just look around – isn’t this they advertise. This is blatant ma- tion. However, everyone knows that what you see in the Ukraine of 2012? nipulation. A notable example of this the actual prices paid by advertisers The problem with freedom of speech is Kontrakty, a Ukrainian-language are much lower than those indicated in Ukraine is that Yanukovych & Co business magazine, which earned in price lists. What is worse is the are taking advantage of the lack of a the highest income from advertising fact that the unfair split of the al- mass media market in Ukraine and of all other business publications. It ready small advertisement pie and the rules dictated by major media lost its leadership after the introduc- the resulting poverty of most news- holdings. Thus, the government is tion of its Russian-language version. papers and magazines facilitates actually helping to implement Rus- However, such manipulation suc- something that should, in theory, sian scenarios concerning Ukraine, ceeded. Many Ukrainian-language ruin the reputation of any publica- particularly its inclusion in the so- publications have closed down over tion, yet is essentially routine for vir- called “Russian World”. For in- the past few years, since they could tually all of them in Ukraine: the stance, the Ukrainian-language seg- not survive without income from ad- publication of specially ordered arti- ment is disappearing from the news- vertising, as revenues from substrip- cles without the “advertisement” paper and magazine market. tions and retail sales do not, as a rule, sign or in the vernacular “plugola”. According to the Book Chamber of cover the cost of paper and presence Sometimes, prudent and democrati- Ukraine, the total print run of Ukrai- in retail chains. The latter is also cally-oriented editors see no way nian-language newspapers has caused by the monopoly factor, out, other than printing a specially halved over the years of indepen- which makes it ridiculously expen- 8|the ukrainian week|№ 14 (37) September 2012 The Media Market in ukraine: is there one?|focus sive to get onto the shelves. In the changes in the measuring device, ment’s attempt to influence indepen- meantime, only one or two publica- whereby several viewers who were dent online resources was observed. tions in Ukraine can sell at prices particularly loyal to one button or LB.ua, one of the most visited web- that cover their expenses without another, were suddenly removed. sites in Ukraine, has recently been losing a significant amount of their Coupled with the tax police raid on sued for violating the secret of corre- readership. TVi and resulting in the initiation of spondence and privacy, although the Food for thought: the UMH a criminal case for alleged tax eva- plaintiff renounced his claim against Group portfolio does not include a sion after this issue had been won by the internet publication. As long as single Ukrainian-language publi- the TV channel in court, a picture Ukraine does not turn into another cation. emerges of undisguised administra- Belarus or China, at least in the in- tive pressure. ternet, it can count on its territory of No picture, no sound After the two violators of the freedom. However, this does not Qualifying radio as mass media in peace were removed from the guarantee good quality journalism. Ukraine is hardly reasonable or widely accessible media pool, they even possible. An absolute majority found themselves on its sidelines Once more about of radio stations are purely for en- with ratings ranging from 12th to freedom of speech tertainment. Radio Era, the only so- 20th places. As for the leaders, à la Ukraine cio-political radio channel in Kyiv, comprised of a never-changing pool On 2-5 September, Kyiv will host the does not even try to hide its misera- of six channels, they are full of con- 64th World Newspaper Congress and ble state as it gives away its air-time fidence. They just have one little the World Editors Forum. Despite to so-called “joint projects.” Today, problem: they are all unprofitable, the potential importance of the event Era has turned into a branch of the which doesn’t surprise anyone. Ac- for the development of the Ukrai- state-owned Radio Rossii (Russian cording to reliable estimates by ex- nian media market, increased inter- Radio) with all relevant conse- perts, revenues from advertising on est in both the market and Ukraine quences. television mounted to USD 400mn in the world and the integration of As for television, it is undergo- Ukrainian journalism in the world ing what appear to be confusing Ukrainian society has been professional community, in truth, processes, which can be easily ex- this year’s forum is addressing a plained from the “presumption of deprived of its fourth range of specific features, that raises guilt” perspective. After the change power in yet another crisis doubts as to how useful it will be un- in the administration of Ukraine der the existing circumstances and two years ago, several dozen hith- period of its history format. In fact, the idea to hold the erto unknown new channels joined forum in Kyiv was initiated by the the TV advertising market – already in 2011 while expenditures totaled Yanukovych regime in the spring of limited at that point, with an annual USD 800mn. last year. In May 2011, Viktor Yanu- value of USD 400-425mn. Mean- Everything becomes clear when kovych wrote a letter to Christoph while, the state regulator kicked out one remembers that all leading TV Riess, the CEO of the World Associa- the two most bothersome broad- companies are owned by a handful tion of Newspapers and News Pub- casters: the Kyiv-based Channel 5 of Ukrainian oligarchs, such as lishers, proposing that the congress and TVi, which specialize in socio- Dmytro Firtash, Viktor Pinchuk, and forum be held in Kyiv. Obvi- political programmes and are Ihor Kolomoyskyi and Rinat ously, the current Ukrainian govern- known for their openly independent Akhmetov. For them, television is a ment, under which Ukraine dropped position. Notably, most Ukrainians tool of political influence rather to 130th place in Freedom House’s still watch analogue television while than business. Several media man- Freedom of Press index because of cable is only available in big cities. agers insist that they increase the the growing control of the govern- Since these two unruly channels capitalization of assets for their ment over the mass media, is pursu- were kicked out by the regulator, owners through operating expenses, ing its own personal interests that they have been having problems but this explanation seems lame in have no bearing on those of Ukrai- with local operators who have view of the upcoming election. nian journalism. Quite the contrary, started to delete them from their Against the backdrop of the they may pose a threat to freedom of packages for obscure reasons, with- transformation that leading TV speech. out any explanation. brands have undergone over the past There is a risk that the govern- A lot of questions are also raised few years, whereby fully-fleged me- ment will use the newspaper con- regarding GfK, a company that mea- dia with their powerful informa- gress, just like it did the Euro 2012, sures TV ratings. In June, a small tional blocks have turned into purely to legitimize its regime in the eyes of broadcaster complained about entertaining tabloid projects, this no the West, create a positive informa- leaked information regarding the list longer matters that much. Ukrainian tional background to neutralize of addresses where audience mea- society will have to realize that it has news about pressure on the free- suring devices, known as people me- been deprived of its fourth power in dom of speech and authoritarian- ters, were installed. This opens the yet another crisis period of its his- ism in Ukraine, and create the illu- door for uncontrolled manipulation tory. There is nothing left other than sion that Ukraine still has demo- with supposedly objective popularity to escape to the internet where the cratic freedoms, it’s alleged indicators, on the basis of which, TV business component is still small, as democracy and European vector. companies determine the price for online resources account for a mere Mr. Yanukovych’s press-service has their advertising time. Mykola Knia- 2% of the advertising market and the already posted the expectations of zhytsky, Director General of the TVi 1 Bankova Street is the lo- government’s ability to control it is the Presidential Administration cation of the Presidential channel, has noticed obscure Administration limited. But even here, the govern- from the congress on its website to- № 14 (37) September 2012|the ukrainian week|9 focus|The Media Market in ukraine: is there one? gether with the announcement of will be attended by managers who ited, who opposed state regulation of his letter proposing that the forum are used to resolving specific issues: the press market in Australia. Surely be held in Kyiv, stating: “Ukraine is how to increase a print run; earn after Mr. Yanukovych’s speech, they confidently moving ahead towards a more money; attract advertisers; will not be silent and ignore the obvi- democratic society and the develop- minimize costs, etc. I think this tone ous facts of the current government’s ment of an independent mass me- will prevail. This is what Ukraine ever more aggressive attacks on the dia”, “transparent and efficient rules needs right now. If we politicize all of freedom of speech, which has been for access to public information this and begin to discuss other attested to by reputable international have been introduced in legislation things, we will talk the congress to organizations? and the investigation of the Georgiy death.” The problems with freedom of Gongadze’s case has been signifi- At the same time, congress par- speech in Ukraine are not limited to cantly intensified”, “these measures ticipants should realize that their pressure on independent media. A are an important step for Ukraine in position will define whether they series of successful media projects its European progress; they will approve the political course of the sponsored by Ukrainian oligarchs once more confirm Ukraine’s choice current president (who is both an have been reformatted in cases as a state willing to strengthen dem- initiator and a VIP-speaker at the where sharp criticism of the govern- ocratic values to which freedom of forum) with their participation and ment was an unwanted irritant for speech and the press is integral”. especially potential silent consent, the regime. Officials at Bankova1 expect that thus facilitating the regime’s legiti- Instructions from above on how these theses will be confirmed in the mization, or on the contrary, use the to cover or not cover certain events world information space as a result forum to show Yanukovych & Co or issues, forbidding any positive in- of Kyiv hosting the congress. the inadmissibility of the situation formation about opposition forces According to Oleksandr Kurdyn- regarding the intensified attack on have been reinstated at state-owned ovych, the Head of the State Com- freedom of speech under the cover media. The scope of self-censorship mittee for Television and Radio of ever more cynical declarations has intensified in the leading media. Broadcasting of Ukraine, the author- about the creation of an environ- Managers loyal to the government ities are going to allocate less than ment for the development of free have been appointed to top positions USD 0.8mn, which is no more than press in Ukraine. in several influential media together 15% of the cost of the forum and the The forum will be attended by with a relevant change in editorial congress, from the state budget, with such renowned journalists as Gwen policy. UNIAN, one of the most long- the rest being covered by major pri- standing news agencies in Ukraine, vate sponsors. One of the initiators will Congress participants is an example of this. Some journal- of the event being held in Kyiv is a ists left their TV channels in protest media holding with an ambition to show yanukovych that against the unacceptable censorship monopolize the print media segment intensified attack on of their materials. Access to socially in Ukraine. The official communica- important information has been re- tions partner is the Ukrainian Media freedom of speech is stricted for journalists, in spite of the Development Institute, chaired by inadmissible? passing of a relevant law. There has Olena Hromnytska, the former press been gross interference on the part secretary of Leonid Kuchma, who Lister, Executive Director of “The of government representatives in the then worked at Rinat Akhmetov’s Namibian”, a newspapaer founded work of journalists without any ad- media holding. The journalists there during the South African occupation ministrative or criminal punish- claimed that she published specially of Namibia as the “voice for the ment. All these facts have accompa- ordered articles flattering the gov- voiceless”, promoting the idea of its nied the development of the Ukrai- ernment. The general partner of the independence and recognized as a nian media market over the past two congress is the DF Group, a group of world press freedom hero by the In- years. Meanwhile, they did not stand companies owned by another oli- ternational Press Institute in 2000; in the way of the dynamic growth of garch, Dmytro Firtash. This appears Erik Bjerager, President of the World business empires owned by media symptomatic. Editors Forum, who is also Editor- tycoons loyal to the government, Obviously, the purpose of such in-Chief and Managing Director of which had an adequate level of self- measures is the symbolic establish- the Danish newspaper Kristeligt censorship. ment of the dominant positions of Dagblad, a determined advocate of All told, the important task of monopolist media holdings, secur- freedom of speech and the press; congress participants will be to ing their roles as “legislators of fash- well-known US investigative jour- avoid blessing and mothballing all ion”, and the marginalization of nalist David Boardman, Executive the abovementioned problems of other participants on the Ukrainian Editor and Senior Vice President at the Ukrainian media market and media market that are not incorpo- The Seattle Times, and member of showing Yanukovych and all other rated in the existing government-oli- the Board of Directors at the Center Ukrainian participants, that the garch conglomerate, continue to for Investigative Reporting, the freedom of speech situation in demonstrate the independence of Steering Committee of the Reporters Ukraine is not satisfactory and their own position and avoid the Committee for Freedom of the Press; that it is moving in the wrong di- pursuit of maximum commercial ef- Caroline H. Little, President and rection. It is crucial to show that fect at all costs. Oleh Nalyvaiko, CEO of the Newspaper Association international events, such as the President of UNIAN, one of the big- of America and President of the congress, - significant as they are - gest news agencies in Ukraine con- American Press Institute; and Greg cannot be used as a rehabilitation trolled by the government, made an Hywood, Chief Executive and Man- tool for the authoritarian policy of expressive comment: “The congress aging Director at Fairfax Media Lim- the current Ukrainian regime. 10|the ukrainian week|№ 14 (37) September 2012 Viktor Yanukovych and the media|focus Walking the Tightrope

out of the woods yet, however. It was denied a digital licence last year. Certain cable providers are refusing to carry it. It is easy to see why the channel riles the authori- ties. Programmes such as Excla- mation Mark routinely expose large-scale corruption, while sa- tirical shows mock the country's leaders. Its independence is guar- anteed by an editorial board that includes such luminaries as Po- land's Adam Michnik. Crucially, says Mr Kniazhytsky, TVi's owner has no other business interests in Ukraine. The rest of the country's tele- vision output is controlled either by oligarchs close to the govern- ment, or directly by the govern- ment. As the elections approach, the good news stories multiply. Fa- vourite at the moment is the suc- cess of the Euro 2012 football tournament, which Ukraine co- hosted with Poland (though view- ers of Ukrainian television could be forgiven for not realising that Poland played a role). Though it failed to attract as many foreign fans as the country had hoped, Euro 2012 won plaudits for its smooth running and good atmo- sphere. photo: unian photo: Opinion polls do show a small t is election season in Ukraine. Eventually even Viktor Yanu- boost for the ruling party after the Parliamentary polls are sched- kovych, the president, voiced his tournament. But Ukrainians re- uled for October 28th, and last concern: “It is critically important main deeply unsatisfied with their Iweek marked the official start for a democratic country to pro- economic situation, and increas- of campaigning. It also brought a tect freedom of speech and pre- ingly angry about corruption. For respite for the country's only re- vent pressure on media," he de- this reason, a channel like TVi maining independent TV channel, clared. Yet it is hard not to feel genuinely riles the authorities. TVi: tax evasion charges were for- that what Mr Yanukovych is aim- Many analysts are convinced mally dropped against Mykola ing for is the minimum level of that Mr Yanukovych's Party of Re- Kniazhytsky, its director. freedom needed to keep interna- gions could not win an election A raid by tax police on the tional institutions quiet, and no that was truly free and fair. Ac- channel's offices on July 12th drew more. With Ukraine still in the cording to Petro Burkovskyy of widespread condemnationfrom doghouse over the jailing of Yulia the National Institute for Strategic press freedom groups and a state- Tymoshenko, the former prime Studies, the Party is walking a ment from the United States envoy minister (who heads the opposi- tightrope. The polls (and the me- to the OSCE, a regional security tion's list of candidates despite be- dia climate in which they are held) organisation. Mr Kniazhytsky ing barred), further evidence of must be fair enough to avoid sanc- says American and European foul play in these polls could lead tion. But they must also secure a Union diplomats in Kyiv also ap- to visa bans and asset freezes for majority for the ruling team in plied pressure privately and that Mr Yanukovych’s associates. The parliament. The TVi case tested attention from the international easing of pressure on TVi would the boundaries - probably not for media, including CNN, helped. suggest that such threats do not the last time. This, all agreed, was another ex- fall on deaf ears. ample of Ukraine misusing the law TVi should survive at least un- © 2012 The Economist Newspaper to stifle dissent. til polling day. The channel is not Limited. All rights reserved № 14 (37) September 2012|the ukrainian week|11 focus|opinion A Big Silence

journalist exposed a conman: the latter had But what about the blogosphere? People still express stolen USD 150mn on a single shady oil rig their views, in different formats of internet-journals, deal. His first reaction: “a journalist can be social networks, etc, on urgent issues, discuss sore Abought – someone paid him for the publica- points, coordinate public opinion and even agree on tion”. For the most part, the internal world of crime is common actions, even more strongly. And even so, unknown to me, but all of a sudden, my interest is the mass practice of the several years of the exis- piqued: does he really believe this? He does indeed tence of this phenomenon demonstrates that in an A rational person from the world of material relations amateurish regime, such mechanism works on the that has formed in Ukraine, does not assume that the level of a substitute, sorry, crutches. A hundred ama- press is capable of being guided by its own logic and teur healers will not take the place of one qualified not fulfill someone else’s order –those of competitive doctor. In the media, even a qualified specialist in a politicians or hostile business. The worst is the fact specific sphere will lose to a journalist, simply be- that not even a typical consumer of the printed word cause the latter is executing (to be more accurate, believes this: he/she is convinced in advance that all should execute) the role of an independent, neutral newspapers, magazines and internet resources exist medium, in other words, a mediator. He – is a filter, exclusively in order to milk clients and deceive read- he – is the guarantor of verification, he – is the trust ers. No other functions are expected of them in the factor (if only!) This machine operates in this man- eyes of the contemporary Ukrainian. ner and no other: communication does not take So what are these functions, in reality? Not to entertain place without a mediator, thus, the people are be- the average person – there are shows such as Holos coming mute. Krayiny (Voice of the Country) and Rozsmishy Komika Wait, a vicious circle is forming: without a free press (Make the Comic Laugh) for this. And even, however there is no fully-fledged civil society, and without a strange it may seem, not to give information on an civil society, there can be no question of a free press! Author: earthquake in Italy, or to be more precise, this is not of Why is it that in countries enjoying a stable democ- Yuriy primary importance, in spite of racy, the pressrun of even the Makarov the formal determination of most renowned newspapers “Mass Media”. The press is a The press is a body, reach seven figures, while in body, with the aid of which a na- with the aid of Ukraine, a pressrun of 50,000 tion comprehends itself; finds (by the way, this figure is not and determines its own prob- which a nation confirmed by anything other lems. No, there are also other comprehends itself; than the words of the editorial means of articulation, for exam- office) – is the max? Surely not ple gatherings, meetings, artistic finds and determines simply because post-totalitarian practices, Ukrainian folklore and its own problems nations are sated with official ultimately – the Maidan. But art newspapers such as Völkis¬cher operates with coded messages, Beobachter and Pravda? Not which not everyone will want to decode, and it’s true, during perestroika, starved Ukrainians con- too noisy on the Maidan, so for the most part, sumed the printed word by the million. And voices sound like falsetto. The mass media expresses then? And then we became convinced that newspa- that, which cannot be expressed in a different manner. pers and magazines, TV channels and sites – are Have you ever had a nightmare: something frightful nothing more than a derivative of a business empire, is moving towards you, but you are simply frozen? while the journalists themselves are merely sergeants And the main thing – you are unable to utter a single in this hierarchy, moreover they are not overly consci- word – your throat is paralyzed … This is how society entious. For a bribe, they will even sell a tank … par- feels – deprived of the possibility to express itself. Not don me, a column. shout or swear, but find the necessary words. If a Where is the way out? This subject of discussion is problem is not pointed out, it is impossible to be not for a short column, however there can only be one aware of it, and without this awareness, the problem very general answer: start with yourself, otherwise, cannot be eliminated. The press – is the voice of the “chicken or the egg” dilemma will ultimately con- Ukraine. They say that in the East, this takes place in fuse you. If this has already happened, the mass me- a different manner: the market, the mosque… What dia has to demonstrate to society that it has the ability do you think of the results? Impressed? Western civi- to be, if not objective (to a large extent this is conven- lization developed a relevant body of the social organ- tionality and fiction), then at least unbribable. Con- ism by evolutionary means. It works. Right now, sider this wish to be on the fine line between idealism nothing can take its place: neither anecdotes, nor get- and idiocy, but this is the very end of the string, that togethers at the kitchen table or in a bar, nor a rock has to be tugged at, in order to untie the huge knot of ballad, rap-patter, nor a bard’s song. the main problem. The problem called “Ukraine”. 12|the ukrainian week|№ 14 (37) September 2012 ukraine & eu|Politics racy. I hope that the Ukrainian authorities will find a way to re- turn to democratic principles. A Step Away From I would like to stress once more that this is not just about the Tymoshenko and Lutsenko cases, but also about others, particularly on the local level. Sadly we are Free Election forced to witness opposition politi- cians being put under pressure and placed at a disadvantage. A European MP Elmar Brok: "No-one in Kyiv should free and fair election is not just a question of the tech­­nical proce- expect that everything will be over and forgotten dure on Election Day. after a falsified election" UW: Will the EPP group make any public statements regarding this situation? – Politicians from the EPP group have made numerous public statements about these issues. To- gether with my colleague Michael Gahler, we published a statement on 12 July, in which we are calling for the fair treatment of the oppo- sition and expressed our concerns that President Yanukovych is leav- ing the ranks of respected democ- racies. Joseph Daul, the Chairman of the EPP group, Wilfried Mar- tens, President of the EPP and many EU governments have given clear messages. UW: Is it worth waiting for a new resolution from the next plenary session of the European Parlia- ment regarding the political situ- ation in Ukraine, which will be taking place in September? – The European Parliament and the European Union as a whole will continue to monitoring the sit- Interviewer: he Chairman of the Euro- Yuriy Lutsenko have any way of uation in Ukraine very closely. Un- Milan Lelich pean Parliament Committee participating in the upcoming fortunately we have to say that the on Foreign Affairs says that parliamentary election? chance for a free and fair election is Tin actual fact, parliamentary – It is intolerable that Ms. Ty- becoming slimmer and slimmer. elections in Ukraine can already be moshenko, Mr. Lutsenko and The European Union and the Euro- considered to be undemocratic. other opposition politicians at all pean Parliament will find the right By preventing Yulia Tymosh- levels are not allowed to partici- answers at the right time. enko and Yuriy Lutsenko from pate in the election or are being No-one in Kyiv should expect participating in the parliamentary treated unfairly. Politically moti- that everything will be over and election, the Ukrainian govern- vated judgments and court cases forgotten after a falsified election. ment could have passed the point are destroying the opportunity for of no return in its relations with a free and fair parliamentary elec- UW: Nearly three months have Europe. At this time, the main for- tion this autumn. passed since the last resolution of eign affairs person at the European the European Parliament about Parliament and deputy of the Eu- UW: All the same, will the EPP the situation in Ukraine. Do you ropean People’s Party, does not group evaluate the Ukrainian par- see the Ukrainian government want to talk about specific steps, liamentary election as being free taking any steps towards fulfill- but warns that “The EU and the and democratic if Ms. Tymosh- ing the recommendations noted European Parliament will find the enko and Mr. Lutsenko do not par- in the resolution? right answers at the right time.” ticipate, which is now a fact? – No - so far, all I can see is the – The Ukrainian election can- Ukrainian government moving UW: Mr. Brok, do the members of not be considered free, transpar- further and further away from the EPP group understand that ent and fair. It is a blatant viola- these recommendations, thereby neither Yulia Tymoshenko, nor tion of the rule of law and democ- causing greater isolation. № 14 (37) September 2012|the ukrainian week|13 Politics|imprisoned leaders Yuriy Lutsenko: I’m afraid of excessive micro leadership ambitions within the united opposition Interviewer: reviously jailed for political UW: How do you see the future of – Nominating Iryna Lutsenko Milan Lelich reasons and recently sen- People’s Self-Defense? The united was not our initiative. We don’t need tenced to two more years in opposition has virtually deprived a mandate to remind people of our Pyet another case, the ex- some of your allies, including Yuriy surname or to pass on food to me in Minister of the Interior offers his Hrymchak and Taras Stetskiv, of jail. Still, I think Batkivshchyna did opinion on processes within the the opportunity to get into parlia- the right thing. I hope Iryna will united opposition, mistakes in se- ment. Does this signal a victory of continue to struggle against the lecting candidates for the parlia- opportunistic principles overU krai- Party of Regions’ lies and misdoings mentary election, the importance nian interests?H ow were you in- as she has for the last 18 months of removing the current regime volved in the formation of the during my legal proceedings. and the wasted chance to reform united opposition’s election list? For us, this nomination is a re- the law enforcement system when – I was and continue to be con- sponse to Yanukovych’s persecu- he was Minister. fident that unification and regen- tion. It has failed to eliminate the eration is the only possible strat- Lutsenko factor. Moreover, Iryna’s UW: Arseniy Yatseniuk is essen- egy to win over the retro-totalitar- experience, education and princi- tially taking over the Bat- ian regime of the Party of the ples will serve as a solid founda- kivshchyna party. What is your Regions and the Communist Party tion in her fight for the three Ds – opinion on this? of Ukraine. This is why People’s the de-communisation of con- – Yulia Tymoshenko was and Self-Defense joined Batkivshchyna sciousness, the de-criminalization will always be the leader of Bat- in March. of politics and the de-monopoliza- kivshchyna. This is not purely for his- Continuing this line, I was a tion of the economy. torical reasons. Even in jail, Tymosh- fierce opponent of party quotas and Just give us some time and enko is still central to Ukraine’s do- publicly suggested that the united you’ll see that the Lutsenkos’ have mestic and foreign policy. opposition should invite leaders of a common style of attack and To be honest, I don’t fear the public opinion to its party list and openness of evaluations. so-called takeover of Batkivsh­­ nominate the most well-known chyna. I’m afraid of the excessive MPs, including People’s Self-De- UW: You are likely to be trans- micro leadership ambitions within fense members, in the majority con- ferred to prison soon. Will you the united opposition. The crucial stituencies in which they were origi- promote the united opposition task of the Yatseniuk-Turchynov nally elected to parliament. The only among the inmates? How many tandem today is to make sure of its exception I asked for was for Yuriy votes can the united opposition leaders’ firm stand as a team and Hrymchak, an MP from the Donetsk expect from your prison? the consistency of future Bat- Oblast who is facing criminal perse- – I’m more impressed by the kivshchyna MPs. National interest cution for proactive resistance to the approach of a jailed Symon Petli- depends on this as does the per- anti-Ukrainian Kharkiv deals. ura. He was at this very Lukia- sonal test of Yatseniuk. I only found out about the mis- nivska prison and still planned a takes you mentioned, and others, successful overthrow to revive the UW: Do you see Arseniy Yatse- after the united opposition’s meet- Ukrainian People’s Republic, al- niuk as an opposition leader who ing. If I had not been in prison I though different people were in has come to replace Yulia Ty- would probably have had more im- power back then. Despite orders of moshenko? pact. However, I think there is still the then Hetman Pavlo Skoropad- –Yatseniuk is definitely the time to provide support for Taras sky to hold Chief Otaman Symon leader on the united opposition’s Stetskiv, Oles Doniy and other Petliura criminally liable, Skoro- list. Will this lead to him being an candidates, who are completely padsky’s Minister of Justice and alternative to Yanukovych in the loyal to Ukrainian interests in ma- Chief of Staff reported: “Petliura is presidential election? Only the jority constituencies. a not a criminal, just an enemy.” outcome of voting for party lists On the whole, it’s worth noting He was released shortly thereafter. will tell. In any case, such status is that the united opposition has rid not determined by party or inter- itself of scandalous people on their UW: If you could meet with Vik- party lists. If we have taken the les- list despite all of its flaws and has tor Yanukovych right now, what son of the democratic forces’ de- become a realistic alternative to would you tell him? feat in 2010 to heart, we should be the ruling mafia. – I don’t think that Yanu- planning nationwide primaries for kovych misses me to the extent opposition candidates. When the UW: Was the nomination of Iryna that he would come to the deten- time comes, I will offer an organi- Lutsenko a joint decision be- tion center. And it only makes zational model for this process. tween yourself and your wife? sense to talk to people who hear 14|the ukrainian week|№ 14 (37) September 2012 imprisoned leaders|Politics UW: You have been in power sev- eral times. What was your big- gest mistake then? – After the democratic forces won the 2007 election, I agreed to head the Interior Ministry with Viktor Yushchenko’s guarantee to remove the Prosecutor General he had appointed, who was blatantly accommodating the Party of Re- gions, and to reform law enforce- ment and the judiciary. My mistake was not in the fact that I believed this, even though within a month, Yushchenko con- tinued his suicidal war against BYuT and completely rejected all these plans. My biggest mistake was in com- ing to terms with this. After a few attempts to arrange cooperation with Our Ukraine-People’s Self-De- fense and BYuT, I was no longer bothered with politics and focused on the Interior Ministry. Without a parliamentary majority, I could no longer conduct the radical reform of the penal determination system. So I did what I could within the framework of legislation. That’s how we eliminated such phenom- ena as “thieves in law” and “super- visors” in the Ukrainian economy; banned the free sale of tramadol, which fueled a surge of drug addic- tion among the young; and reduced the number of people killed and in- jured in car accidents from 2,000 to 1,500. We caught the most cor- rupt officials in Ukraine’s history from both the blue-and-white, and orange camps. We smacked photo: unian photo: Crimean separatists on the wrists and understand what they are told. A twist of fate. instructions for the party’s faction and taught Russia’s Black Sea Fleet Over the two and a half years of his Yuriy Lutsenko in the Verkhovna Rada. in 2007- to coordinate its maneuvers with rule, Yanukovych has proved to be who looked 2009, I worked with David Zhva- the Ukrainian government. We en- totally deaf and ignorant of what most ready nia, who spoke Ukrainian and be- sured free assembly and cleaned up to implement others think. the Prisons lieved in Ukraine’s European pros- over a million “dead souls” prior to This is why I said in my last for Bandits! pects. Everything that happened the election. speech at the Pechersk Court, that slogan from after Yanukovych’s victory is Da- Still, without an independent Batkivshchyna and the Party of Re- the Orange vid’s personal tragedy – a denial of court and an objective prosecutor’s gions were not two parties. The for- Revolution as political and human values. office, all of this was temporary. I mer is an imperfect democracy and Minister of Sadly, the price paid, was a was wrong. I should have taken on the latter is a perfect mafia. One can the Interior, group of traitors at People’s Self- more, crawled out of the Interior criticize democracy and make it re- realized his Defense. And they were not just Ministry trench and publicly de- sign. With a mafia, there is nothing responsibility random people. I knew them all manded that the president and the to talk about. It has to be won over. for the wasted from many years in the opposition premier act together to reform the opportunity to reform the law and the government. But the new Interior Ministry, the Prosecutor UW: How is it possible to prevent enforcement government has brought new rules General’s Office, and the courts. Of mistakes in the selection of part- system when he to politics. It has bought the poor course, this was the competence of ners, such as your links with Da- himself ended and intimidated the rich. There is the Speaker the Verkhovna Rada, vid Zhvania? up in jail just one way to prevent people from the Minister of Justice and others. – I don’t consider my one-time switching sides in parliament – Moreover, it is doubtful whether relations with David Zhvania to be choose people whose reputation anything would have worked out a mistake. I wish that every party and principles matter more to them under conditions of this irreconcil- could have a sponsor like him with than their fear and money. Such able “domestic war” of democrats. no political, economic or business people are few but they do exist. But I could have at least tried. № 14 (37) September 2012|the ukrainian week|15 Politics|Opposition Leading Without Leadership Yanukovych’s regime has turned Yulia Tymoshenko into a symbol of resistance, yet her real influence on the opposition is waning Authors: kraine has created a new Milan Lelich, tradition: celebrating the Oleksandr anniversary of the regime’s Mykhelson Uopponent imprisonments. Yulia Tymoshenko’s allies arranged a photography exhibition and re- leased 365 pigeons in Kyiv and 365 red and white balloons tied to- gether in the shape of a heart near the Ukrainian Railway hospital where Tymoshenko was being held. She was also sent 365 roses. Indeed, they put on quite a show for the media. In reality, the atmosphere was a bit too festive. It has long been ru- moured that Ms. Tymoshenko’s im- prisonment will prove beneficial to some opposition members. After all, she is becoming a mere symbol, and opposition leaders can speak on her behalf while she has no real in- fluence on the developments within the United Opposition. The leader is the last to know On December 7, 2011, the BYuT- Batkivshchyna parliamentary fac- tion changed its head. Ivan Kyrylenko, known for his full loyalty to Tymoshneko was replaced by An- driy Kozhemiakin, an SBU general and Oleksandr Turchynov’s man. BYuT MPs explained anonymously that their faction would likely col- The opposition week.com/Politics/43218 or is- gions. Secondly, they failed to ar- is re-adjusting to the sue #3(26) for more details). range any visible resistance to the Klitschko, Yatseniuk and This seems plausible, as Ms. Ty- language bill sponsored by Party of moshenko could not effectively run Regions MPs Vadym Kolesnichenko Tiahnybok format her faction or party from behind and Serhiy Kivalov. Nor did they lapse under the pressure of “argu- bars. Eventually, control was estab- manage to neutralize Natalia Ko- ments” mentioned by Roman lished over the BYuT-Batkivshchyna rolevska’s party project. Zabzaliuk, a BYuT MP who alleg- majority. Still, its achievements or- Notably, neither average mem- edly pretended to have switched to chestrated by the Turchynov-Ko- bers of her party nor most MPs the Party of Regions and uncovered zhemiakin tandem appear dubious. knew her standpoint on all of these their plans to weaken the opposi- Firstly, their MPs de facto sup- issues. According to some sources, tion and win the parliamentary ported an election law that played she herself learned about the devel- election (see http://ukrainian- into the hands of the Party of Re- opments in her party after they ac- 16|the ukrainian week|№ 14 (37) September 2012 Opposition|Politics According to The Ukrainian and other well-known opposition Week’s sources, Oleksandr Tur- leaders will remain loyal to their chynov personally compiled nearly leaders if forced to choose between 55% of BYuT’s list in the United Op- them and Ms. Tymoshenko. position and Ms. Tymoshenko did The available opposition is re- Leading Without Leadership not play a decisive role in the pro- configuring itself to fit these leaders cess. “Turchynov is playing his own and the process has become irre- game and cares little about Tymosh- versible. Ms. Tymoshenko can still enko,” sources say. Serhiy Vlasenko, return to politics, yet she will do so Ms. Tymoshenko’s lawyer, con- as a symbol of “popularity gained firmed this when he stated openly through suffering” rather than as an that she had not seen the final list. independent political player. Insulted BYuT members who The beheaded Batkivshchyna did not end up on the part of the list party failed to survive as a united that will get through to the parlia- political force and even the mem- ment say that Mr. Turchynov chose bers who remained in opposition the candidates based on their per- were forced to adjust to the new ar- sonal loyalty to him and their con- rangements between Yatseniuk, tribution to the party budget. Unlike Turchynov and Klitschko. For every them, a group of people close to Ty- one of these members remaining in moshenko (including aide Myk­ the opposition compromising evi- hai­lo Livinskyi, Antonina Boliura dence can be found linking them ei- and Yevhen Shaho, long-time allies ther to the administration or to from her days with Single Energy some of its influential representa- Systems of Ukraine) ended up be- tives. low 80. As a result, they have no Another plausible suggestion is chance of getting into parliament. that the government has found ways to influence the new leaders of A symbol of resistance Ms. Tymoshenko’s party and fac- Clearly, in a situation of its own cre- tion. Turchynov and Kozhemiakin ation, the government is ready to do not necessarily get envelopes take all efforts to prevent Yulia Ty- with instructions from the Presi- moshenko from being made into a dential Administration before im- hero like Burma’s Aung San Suu portant votes, yet the impression is Kyi, an opposition leader whose that they are forced to stay away popularity and political weight out- from some sort of a “red line.” Per- lived 20 years of house arrest. haps this was the reason for their However, the government has surprising behavior on issues that very few options. Even if it keeps are crucial for the country and sup- Tymoshenko behind bars until the porters of the United Opposition. upcoming parliamentary and presi- The insulted BYuT members re- dential elections and “leaks” new vealed examples of the “red line”: videos revealing her as a “cunning allegations against a relative of Ko- sham” from time to time, or blames zhemiakin and the prosecutor’s her for all kinds of crimes in the dis- warning to open a case against Tur- tant past, it will hardly manage to chynov. Both cases never evolved damage her popularity or reputa- into anything bigger. tion in the world. In any case, the year Ms. Ty- Public opinion in Ukraine and moshenko spent in jail proved that abroad is based on a firm belief that the party still associated with her Ms. Tymoshenko is behind bars for name is no longer hers. The longer one single reason: Viktor Yanu- she remains behind bars, the less

hoto: UNIAN P hoto: kovych is afraid of her. The more motivation any politician will have the public is outraged with his rule to refer himself to the Tymoshenko tually happened. These included the and the nearer the 2015 presidential camp. replacement of faction head election, the more haunting Ty- Thus, the authority of the “Yulia Kyrylenko and the passing of the moshenko will be for him. Mean- factor” in society will grow for poli- election law that was convenient for while, as an anti-Yanukovych figure, ticians appealing to the electorate in the government more than anyone she will grow more and more popu- opposition to the Yanukovych re- else. Moreover, Tymoshenko lar among the opponents of the cur- gime. Tymoshenko will be the em- deemed her party fellows’ votes in rent president. bodiment of firmness and consis- favor of the election law “a mistake” The question is whether the op- tency in the struggle against the cur- and said that they did not follow her position will manage to convert this rent president, despite the recommendations to “avoid sitting popularity into political support in well-known facts from the pasts of at one table with gamblers” during the election under the current cir- such politicians suggesting that they her meeting with Commissioner cumstances. The supporters of are ready to collaborate with the Štefan Füle. Klitschko, Yatseniuk, Tiahnybok Presidential Administration. № 14 (37) September 2012|the ukrainian week|17 Politics|opposition They Call Themselves the Opposition There are no blatantly odious characters among the United Opposition’s parliamentary candidates, yet some might easily jump ship after the election

Author: he Party of Regions’ hopes of ments to election legislation made united Batkivshchyna (Father- Andriy crashing the opposition in 2010. In particular, the splin- land) and Front Zmin (Front of Skumin camp by raising the election tering of opposition electorate Change) list including the NGO Tthreshold and banning polit- votes due to dummy parties and Hromadska Pozytsia (Civil Posi- ical blocs have been dashed. The hopeless outsiders is likely to be tion), and in simple-majority con- pre-election party congresses, less considerable in the forthcom- stituencies, the United Opposition where the candidate lists were ing election than some predicted. plus Svoboda (Freedom). The ab- compiled, revealed that the oppo- The United Opposition will sence of Vitali Klitschko’s UDAR sition was able to minimize the have two formats in the 2012 elec- from the joint opposition list will damage caused by the amend- tion: in the party election lists, a not impair the opposition camp,

The defeat of the party group led by Andriy Kozhemiakin who has been considered the right-hand man of Batkivshchyna's leader Oleksandr Turchynov until recently is obvious. Only Andriy Kozhemiakin and his closest associate Roman Zabzaliuk ended up in places on the party list that will get them through to the parliament * Batkivshchyna

*

18|the ukrainian week|№ 14 (37) September 2012 since Klitschko’s party will easily from the faction. Thus, today he clear the 5% threshold on its own. plays a paramount role as he al- Moreover, assessments by The lows the United Opposition to Ukrainian Week show that its control the proportion of NU-NS independent performance in the presence on the lists. On the other election will bring the opposition hand, Martynenko’s 17th place at least a dozen or two seats (that (which is virtually 15th, consider- is, of course, unless UDAR chooses ing that Yulia Tymoshenko at No.1 to team up with the Party of Re- and Yuriy Lutsenko at No.5 hardly gions). stand a chance of being registered The United Opposition was as candidates) raises numerous able, albeit at the very last mo- questions. In 2005, then Prime ment, to find an acceptable format Minister Tymoshenko notably de- for politicians who have political nounced him as one of President projects of their own. These in- Yushchenko’s notorious “dear clude Anatoliy Hrytsenko, Olek- friends,” who were only “good at sandra Kuzhel, and Mykola Kat- stealing.” erynchuk (although he is not quite The United Opposition list happy with the arrangement, since also includes bread tycoon Yuriy he will have to run for parliament Tryndiuk, who controls up to 5% in a first-past-the-post constitu- of Ukraine’s bakery market. He is ency). Otherwise, running inde- known for his friendship with odi- pendently, they might spread op- ous ex-prosecutor general Sviato- position votes thin. slav Piskun. Both men are be- The successful wooing of the lieved to be related through their Crimean Tatars is another spouses, and Tryndiuk reportedly achievement of the United Oppo- runs a business together with sition list under the brand of Bat- Piskun’s wife, Svitlana. Tryndiuk kivshchyna. The opposition’s new is presented at No.74, which ranks include Mustafa Dzhemi- scarcely leaves him a chance of be- liev, chairman of the Mejlis, the ing elected, yet his very presence central executive body of the in the ranks of Batkivshchyna and Crimean Tatars. However, an- on the party list is abhorrent to other Mejlis leader, Refat Chu- many oppositionists. barov, was placed in the humble Overall the list leaves the im- 111th place. Now that the ill-re- pression that United Opposition ceived Anatoliy Mohyliov has leaders tried to forestall defections taken the reins in Crimea follow- from the future parliamentary fac- ing the demise of Vasyl Dzharty, tion. According to The Ukrai- the Party of Regions is expected to nian Week's estimates, potential lose a portion of its Crimean Tatar turncoats represent no more than electorate. Thus, in political terms, 10-12% of the passing part of the the participation of Mejlis repre- list (approximately the top 60 or sentatives may prove even more 70 candidates). This is signifi- lucrative for the United Opposi- cantly fewer than in the BYuT and tion than expected. Our Ukraine factions in the previ- ous parliaments. Besides, most of Trading Oligarchs for them are candidates from Front of Turncoats Change, a party without prior ex- The absence of unpleasant figures perience in parliamentary cam- such as Kostiantyn Zhevaho, paigning. Davyd Zhvaniya, Oleksandr Tre- It also seems that during the tiakov, and other moneybags is an preparation of the united candi- obvious advantage of the United date list, partners in the opposi- Opposition’s joint list. For the last tion pseudo-bloc did not widely two months, it has been rumoured utilize their right to veto. Many that they would be added to the observers and opposition MPs list. However, Mykola Martynenko were surprised by the inclusion of did end up in the safe part of the a group of people with very little list – apparently as a sort of a trib- previous contact with the opposi- ute to him as the leader of the NU- tion. Why was, for example, Denys NS (Our Ukraine – People's Self- Dzendzerskiy honored with Defense) bloc in the incumbent No.34? It is common knowledge parliament. This is necessary be- that until recently, he was mem- cause his signature is required to ber of the United Centre’s political approve members of district and council, displaying no opposi- precinct election commissions tional inclination whatsoever. Politics|opposition The “risk group” of potential The Party of Regions is losing supporters while cronies” for years. But nepotism is defectors in the new convocation the United Opposition's popularity has abilized not the only problem. Several of of the Verkhovna Rada includes The late opinion poll by the Rating sociological group shows that Yuriy Lutsenko’s most devoted the Tabalov political dynasty from the Party of Regions has lo several per cent (largely due to the and consistent comrades in arms Kirovohrad Oblast. No.49 in the growing support of the Communi Party in Donbas and Southern may end up below the line. In par- passing part of the list was taken Ukraine where every fifth voter is willing to vote for it) and the United ticular, Yuriy Hrymchak, one of by Oleksandr Tabalov, a Kiro- Opposition has a able rate which means, though, that the joining the men who were not afraid to ac- of Anatoliy Hrytsenko and his Civil Position to Batkivshchyna and the vohrad businessman, one of the Front of Change has not added potential votes to the United tively oppose the notorious 200 wealthiest in Ukraine. His son Opposition. Over the pa two months, the number of voters ready Kharkiv deals, was dismissed with Andriy is running for parliament to take part in the eleion has grown with the mo proaive voters a mere No.91. The cynicism of the in Kirovohrad’s first-past-the-post found in the North, We and Ea of Ukraine and the mo inert situation is aggravated by the fact 99th district. Tabalov Sr. is no voters in the South and Donbas. For the fir time in the pa 10 that without MP immunity, he stranger to politics. However, his years, the Communi Party's rate has hit 10%, and Volodymyr risks being indicted on criminal Klitschko's UDAR has gained another 1.5% over the summer. 40% of business associations with mem- those polled are likely to vote for opposition candidates in their charges. The prosecutor’s office is bers of Shcherban’s Liberal Party fir -pa -the-po di ris while 27% are going to support ready to launch proceedings and the Party of Regions serve to candidates from the party in power. against him. The inclusion of Mrs. discredit him as an oppositionist. Lutsenko in the list is perhaps one Although today the Tabalov tan- of the opposition’s worst gaffes in dem is aligned with the Front of this election. Change, both father and son are United Opposition FOR Batkivshchyna The appearance of Tetiana very likely to defect the moment 25.5%* The joint li of Batkivshchyna, the Front Donets in the passing part of the they set foot in parliament. of Change and the Civil Position United Opposition list can also *The share of the polled voters who intend to take part Front of Change candidate in the eleion hardly qualify as a sensible deci- Serhiy Faiermak (No.39) could sion. Donets’s only merit is that also be added to the same risk her parents used to be Tymoshen- group. President of the Board of ko’s fellow Hromada party mem- Directors at Industrial Hardware 20.3% Party 10.6% Vitali Klitschko's bers. This young lady made his- Association LLC, Faiermak was a of Regions UDAR tory in gossip columns as a former member of the Socialist party of girlfriend of Vasyl Horbal, a Ukraine during Vasyl Tsushko’s banker and Party of Regions MP. governorship of Odesa Oblast, No further comment is necessary. 4.4% 4.4% but later came to sponsor the 9.8% The Communi Ukraine – Svoboda “Political qualifications” (or the Front of Change. As a co-owner of Party of Ukraine Forward! absence thereof) should absolutely Stalkanat, he was recently forced Source: Opinion poll by Rating from July 2012 be taken into account when com- to move abroad due to raider at- piling election lists. Yet it appears tacks. In Odesa he is seen as an that the United Oppositionists Orange oligarch. However, The spotlight for incessant harsh criti- overlooked this criterion, and not Ukrainian Week is informed cism. Firstly, this was sheer nepo- infrequently. Thus, the passing that he is on good terms with the tism and cronyism; secondly, the part of the list includes Vasyl Party of Regions. Thus, Faier- above-mentioned “indifferent” Derevliany, campaign manager of mak’s parliamentary career is group consistently offered un- the defunct Party For Ukraine. His easy to forecast: one attack from pleasant surprises at parliamen- name is associated with the BYuT’s the tax administration or the tary votes. For instance, these failure in the snap elections called prosecutor’s office (just as it oc- MPs backed a draft resolution for the Ternopil regional council in curred last January) will be supporting official observance of 2008. Local BYuT leadership led enough for him to align himself the anniversary of the Komsomol, by Derevliany initiated a parlia- with the Party of Regions’ faction the Communist Youth League. mentary ruling demanding an early or become an independent MP. However, it turns out that termination of powers at the Ter- family interests come before pubic nopil regional council. But when it The Opportunists became clear that the BYuT was What is clearly positive about the Parties that have losing the early election, they tried United Opposition list is the fact to backpedal and cancel it. That that it does not include individuals no chance of clearing step failed, BYuT boycotted the who only yesterday were labeled the threshold polls, and thus could not gain a “Tymoshenko’s quota,” but were single seat in the local legislature. never strong champions of the op- are still unlikely to spread This election marked the beginning position. First of all, this concerns the opposition votes thin of Tymoshenko’s defeat in the the former Prime Minister’s rela- western region of Halychyna: while tives and colleagues from the ones, even for imprisoned opposi- her Batkivshchyna party garnered United Energy Systems of tionists. In the passing part of the 51.57% of the vote in the 2007 par- Ukraine. Thus, her aunt Uliakhina list, next to Martynenko, is Iryna liamentary election, support for the was not included in the list, while Lutsenko, wife of the imprisoned party shrank to 35.67% in the first Boliura and Shaho were placed former Minister of the Interior. It round of the 2010 presidential low and have no chance of getting is being argued backstage that this election. Furthermore, in the 2010 into parliament. It was this “politi- came at the personal request of Ternopil city council election, Bat- cally indifferent” group within the her husband, a man who has been kivshchyna only managed to glean BYuT that placed the bloc in the publicly mocking “Yushchenko’s a negligible 3.3%. If it had not been 20|the ukrainian week|№ 14 (37) September 2012 opposition|Politics for Derevliany and others like him parliament may be questionable, contribution is much more valu- who failed in the major BYuT con- but putting him in the hopeless able than that of, say, Liudmyla stituencies, Tymoshenko might 87th place only means that he may Denysova, former Minister of So- have been president today instead end up back where he came from: cial Policy (No.38), Mrs. Lutsenko, of a prisoner. Yet it is rumored that behind bars. Criminal charges are or Ms. Donets. Derevliany is fanatically devoted to still pending against Shkil for his Still, the United Opposition Oleksandr Turchynov, which ex- alleged participation in the has a chance to rectify the mis- plains a lot. “Ukraine without Kuchma” protest takes it made while compiling the action of 2000-2001, while acting election list. Under Article 61.4 of The Injured as a leader of the UNA-UNSO the Law On Elections of People’s There are far fewer vacancies in (Ukrainian National Assembly – Deputies of Ukraine the Central the passing part of the United Op- Ukrainian National Self Defense). Election Committee may void a position’s list than those who His fellows in the case Mykola Kar- candidate’s registration if his or would claim them, convinced that piuk, Ihor Mazur, Oleh Buriachok they have earned a seat in parlia- and others have long done their the opposition still has ment. It is only logical that right time and been released, whereas after the final name was approved, for Shkil the threat of imprison- a chance to get rid of the a whole cohort of injured claim- ment looms increasingly large. most odious figures by ants arose. Serhiy Mishchenko, a Oleh Bilorus, Serhiy Shev- BYuT MP in the present convoca- chuk, Vasyl Kuibida, Yuriy Kliuch- convening a congress and tion, refused to hide his emotions kovsky and others were also hu- passing the appropriate and threw tantrums over his hope- miliated with low positions on the less rank of 142. Mishchenko has list that are totally incongruent decision already announced his withdrawal with their contribution to opposi- from BYuT-Batkivshchyna “for tional and legislative activities. her party submits a relevant appli- moral reasons” and publicly chas- Such active MPs as Serhiy Terio- cation no later than 12 days prior tised those responsible for the khin and Ksenia Liapina, too, were to the polling date. This means compiling of the list. undeservedly sent to compete for that the opposition still has a However, there are a few seats in simple-majority constitu- chance to get rid of the most odi- among those hurt who have every encies, which effectively deprived ous figures by convening a con- reason for resentment. Andriy them of any prospects of getting gress and passing the appropriate Shkil’s productivity as a member of into parliament. In any case, their decision. Politics|antimonopoly policy Government in the Service of Monopolies Despite feigned efforts to fight monopolies and foster a competitive environment, Ukraine’s government is working to strengthen the position of business groups closest to its own leaders

hen asked which book Authors: more careful,” comments Olek- nopolist. The group is owned by he was reading, a Oleksandr sandr Zholud, an analyst at the Ihor Kolomoyskyi and Hennadiy Ukrainian oligarch Kramar, International Centre for Policy Boholiubov who are still outside Wpulled out Ayn Rand’s Maria Studies. the Party of Regions. However, Atlas Shrugged. “I really like it,” Zaslavska A good example is the posi- Mr. Kuzmin admitted that the the billionaire said. Rand refers tion of Rafael Kuzmin, First Dep- Antimonopoly Committee had no to US antitrust policy as some- uty Chair of the Antimonopoly proof of Privat Group’s monopo- thing close to the world’s greatest Committee, who insists that listic activity because its different evil, standing in the way between Dmytro Firtash and Rinat companies are owned by various America’s most proactive class Akhmetov, two Ukrainian ty- offshore entities. and the earnings they deserve. It coons referred to as key Party of Ukrtelecom, a major Ukrai- looks like Ukraine’s Atlases have Regions’ sponsors until recently, nian telephone operator, has re- nothing to worry about. are not monopolists. Meanwhile, cently been bought by a little The government uses two an- independent economists estimate known company linked to the timonopoly approaches. Offi- that DTEK, a group of power president’s family, according to cially, those in power condemn plants owned by Rinat Akhmetov, The Ukrainian Week’s monopolies, passing a national sources. Prior to being sold to pri- program to develop competition vate investors, Ukrtelecom had in Ukraine from 2013-2023. The Antimonopoly been on the list of natural mo- When the cameras are off, how- Committee fails to nopolies dominating the nation- ever, they support companies that wide markets for local telephone dominate the markets and are effectively prevent the service and telecommunication owned by people close to the ad- growing monopolization channel rental. However, it was ministration. removed from that list in June The state plays a major role in of the Ukrainian economy 2011 although the company con- the establishment of monopolies. trols nearly 70% of the city land- A typical scenario involves the controls over 35% of the electric- line telephone market and 75% of authorized purchase of strategic ity supply market. Dmytro the intercity and international companies and their concentra- Firtash’s entities control 100% of telephone connection markets. tion. “There is no punishment for facilities producing ammonium officials who authorize the estab- nitrate and nearly 50-60% of am- The window-dressing lishment of big cartels. If specific monia and urea production facili- committee people were held liable for these ties. Meanwhile, Mr. Kuzmin re- Despite its enormous staff of 229 decisions, they would probably be fers to the Privat Group as a mo- at its headquarters and 559 at re-

Overprotected Oligarchs who enjoy the administration's loyalty are actively accumulating assets. Thus, the scope of monopolization is increasing in more and more spheres of the Ukrainian economy

Rinat Akhmetov • Capital Service OJSC (geological surveys) – over 50% • Illich Steelworks – 75%* • Horlivka Engineering Plant – 94.9% • DonetskAgroMash (Agricultural Equipment) OJSC – • Rovenky Antracite State-Owned Enterprise – 49-year concession 50.05% • Sverdlov Antracite State-Owned Enterprise – 49-year concession • ZaporizhStal (Zaporizhzhia Steel) OJSC – 50% • Bilozerska Coalmine, Donetsk Oblast – 95.4% • Bank Renaissance Capital JSC – 100% • KyivEnergo JSC, energy supply company – 71.82% • Kerammekhanizatsia OJSC (geological surveys) – 50% • ZakhidEnergo, Western Ukraine energy supply company** 22|the ukrainian week|№ 14 (37) September 2012 antimonopoly policy|Politics gional branches as of December FAMILY BUSINESS: 31, 2011, the Antimonopoly Com- While Renat Kuzmin is mittee has failed to effectively fighting against corruption prevent monopolies from in- by jailing political creasing their hold on Ukraine’s opponents of the current economy. government, his cousin According to its official data, Rafael Kuzmin turns a blind eye to monopolies the most competitive markets in- owned by oligarchs close to cluded those for trade, interme- the administration as the diary services and agriculture, Antimonopoly Committee's while the least competitive ones First Deputy Chair were some sectors of the fuel and energy industry, transport and communications, and utility ser- vices. Still, the Antimonopoly Committee turns a blind eye to the industries where real monop- olization affects the public indi- rectly. These include mining and steelworks, chemical industry, construction, auto manufactur- ing, and a slew of agriculture sectors, such as the supply of equipment, harvesting and stor- age of food, as well as food pro- cessing. These industries are owned by powerful oligarchs who utilize their top government connections to place pressure on the Committee. Virtually all Ukrainian dollar billionaires have their assets concentrated in these few industries. Another factor that hampers the struggle against monopolists is Ukraine’s legislation, which,

unlike American antitrust laws, unian photo: does not qualify a company’s mo- nopolist position as a violation. on a certain market exceeds 35% is required to keep a record of Thus, a company may control or commercial entities that dom- natural monopolies, but not 50% of the market and nobody inate in specific markets. Mean- other monopolies.” How effec- will pay attention provided that it while, the Ukrainian Antimonop- tively can the state protect com- tolerates other players (at least oly Committee’s press service petition by following this proce- from the Antimonopoly Commit- dure? tee’s standpoint, even though the Given the Antimonopoly Committee may be encouraged to Authorities are often used Committee’s annual reports, its take a selective approach). as tools of pressure on the operation is focused on confirm- Antimonopoly authorities in ing the amount of work it has developed countries disclose the rivals of the few chosen completed over the course of a registers of private corporations ones year in order to justify its cost displaying elements of domina- rather than to discover and elim- tion. Even the Russian Antimo- told The Ukrainian Week that inate the monopolization of spe- nopoly Service keeps a record of “Under the effective Law on Nat- cific markets. The measure of its commercial entities whose share ural Monopolies, the Committee efficiency is the number of in-

Overprotected • KrymEnergo, Crimean energy supply company – 45% Dmytro Firtash • DonetskOblEnergo, Donetsk Oblast energy supply company – 30.6% • Nadra Bank -89.97% • DniproOblEnergo, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast energy supply company – 50% • Stirol Concern OJSC – 90.3% • Kyiv Hotel, Donetsk • Cherkasy Azot PJSC, Cherkasy – 75.6% • Kyiv Central Department Store – 23% • Severodonetsk Azot Asso­ciation, Luhansk Oblast – 100% • Leonardo Business Centre, Kyiv – 100% • UkrAgro NPK PJSC, Cherkasy Oblast – 100% • Donbas Pharmacy, chain of chemists in Donetsk – 100% • MSP Nika-Tera Ltd. special-purpose sea port – 100% • HarvEast Agricultural Group, Agricultural holding – 100% • Zaporizhzhia Gas PJSC • Dnipropetrovsk Television Service, Channel 34 – over 59% *Hereinafter, a stake purchased through linked entities • Pivdenniy (Southern) Sea Port Terminal LLC – over 50% **No reliable information on the purchased stake is available № 14 (37) September 2012|the ukrainian week|23 Politics|antimonopoly policy spections and revised com- with the relevant regulators of posed penalties worth a total of plaints about antimonopoly law the financial sector, telecommu- more than UAH 289.8mn (nearly violations, the rate of monopoli- nications, infrastructure, agri- USD 36mn) while only UAH zation aggravation compared to culture and other sectors. When 12.2mn (USD 1.5mn) reached the the previous year, and the asked by The Ukrainian budget. amount of fines paid to the pub- Week, the Antimonopoly Com- The procedure for imposing lic budget which are later spent mittee representative said that fines is non-transparent since on the Committee. In fact, it collaborates with the National there is no methodology to de- though, expenditures on the Committee for the Regulation of fine fine rates and the criteria for Committee are many times Communications and IT, Na- doing so are not disclosed. More- higher than the rates of antimo- tional Committee for the Regu- over, purely nominal sanctions nopoly fines. Meanwhile, the lation of the Energy Sector and are often imposed that do not fines, just like any other tool of the Council for Electricity match the benefit the violators influence, should only be used Wholesale Market. Yet these au- gain from their anti-competitive for the purpose of real de-mo- thorities do not conduct effec- actions. In 2010, five operators nopolization of the economy and tive control either. The Audit of the oil product market were the support of competition, Chamber’s report on the effi- dealt a combined fine of UAH which Ukraine currently lacks. ciency of spending by the Na- 139,000 (nearly USD 17,000) as Ukraine is 117th - seventh from tional Committee for the Regu- a result of unjustified gas and the bottom - in the economic lation of the Energy Sector in diesel price increases. In 2011, freedom survey published jointly 2008-2011 said: “the Commit- fines imposed by the Antimo- by the American CATO Institute, tee’s existing system to control nopoly Committee totaled at the Canadian Fraser Institute monopoly companies on UAH 43.5mn (USD 5.4mn) with and over 50 expert centers. Even Ukraine’s energy market is inef- at least 20 cases resulting in pen- other authorities including ficient, therefore their viola- alties that exceeded UAH Ukraine’s Audit Chamber note tions of the legislation have be- 100,000 (nearly USD 12,000) the Antimonopoly Committee’s come systemic. The Antimonop- per each. The biggest fines in- inefficiency. Year after year, the oly Committee often failed to cluded UAH 6mn (USD 0.7mn) Audit Chamber writes in its an- for SlavAgroPromService, a nual reports that Ukraine has Ukraine’s legislation does wholesale fuel trader; UAH not yet established a system to not qualify a company’s 1.68mn (USD 0.2mn) for Posh- counteract and prevent monopo- tovyi Mahazyn (Post Store), an lies, adjusted its antimonopoly monopolist position as info service; UAH 1mn (USD legislation to the EU competitive a violation 125,000) for DniproAzot, a policy standards, systemized chemical plant; and UAH 0.5mn and monitored violations in the (USD 62,500) for Kherson OblE- markets for commodities by apply any relevant measures nergo, an electricity supply com- branches, analyzed the competi- against violators.” pany in Kherson Oblast. Notably, tive status of commercial enti- The inefficiency of govern- none of these were controlled by ties, or examined monopoly ment policy to protect competi- pro-government oligarchs at that (dominating) entities. The Anti- tion is proven by the situation point. monopoly Committee does not concerning the payment of fines. Meanwhile, the Antimonop- report the outcome of violations It looks like the Antimonopoly oly Committee mostly focuses on or its response to discovered vio- Committee uses fines as the key sectors suggested by the govern- lations, the amounts of illegal proof of their influence on the vi- ment, which often looks like a profits, or financial standing of olators of antitrust rules. The political instruction. The govern- violators. Experts believe that Committee boasts multimillion ment tends to wait until just be- this may signal backstage ar- UAH penalties while in fact these fore elections to point out what it rangements between violators do not come close to the amount calls “unjustified price increases” and representatives of the au- of profit earned by companies on consumer markets which, thorities that are in charge of su- caught red-handed. Moreover, however, are most often per- pervising them. only a portion of the fines goes to fectly in line with the market sit- To conduct market analysis, the budget. In 2009, for instance, uation. This serves to mitigate the Committee should cooperate the Antimonopoly Committee im- the effects of inflation on the re-

Overprotected Ihor Kolomoiskyi and Hennadiy Boholiubov Yuriy Kosiuk • Windrose airlines – • ProdAlliance LLC, Kyiv – 100% 100% • Kanivske LLC, Cherkasy Oblast – 100% • Belbeck Airport, Sevastopol – • Ridnyi Krai Joint Venture, 100% Khmelnytsk Oblast – 100% • Poltava­Energo – 72% • InterAgroTrade Joint Venture, Sumy Oblast – 100% (jointly with Kostiantyn Hryhoryshyn) • InterAgro Joint Venture, Sumy Oblast – 100% • Izumrud real estate complex – • Start LLC, Khmelnytsk Oblast – 100% 23 buildings in Kyiv • Balance LLC, Khmelnytsk Oblast – 100% • 1+1 TV studio; Kino, Tak TV + and Real Estate TV channels, Odesa – 100% • Ukraine Cooperative, Khmelnytsk Oblast – 100% 24|the ukrainian week|№ 14 (37) September 2012 antimonopoly policy|Politics gime’s popularity. Therefore, few THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS are surprised that the Antimo- THE ILLUSION AND REQUESTS RECEIVED nopoly Committee mostly looks OF STRUGGLE BY THE ANTIMONOPOLY COMMITTEE at the agricultural sector which AND INSPECTIONS CONDUCTED BY IT includes markets for foods such Despite the Antimonopoly Committee's as bread, flour, sunflower oil, show-off efforts, its effeiveness remains eggs, milk, butter, sugar and so queionable while conditions for competition on, or local level sectors. Thus, on Ukrainian markets are deteriorating the monopoly or dominating sta- tus was mostly abused in the THE COSTLY housing utilities sector in 2011 – COMMITTEE it accounted for 32.5% of all vio-

5,378 lations revealed.

5,051 All things said, the general

62.9 situation is as follows. There is no list of dominating companies. Corporations close to the admin- istration may enjoy indulgence 50.6 in the antimonopoly sector. Eco- 43.5 nomic policies meant to protect

.1 free markets are blocked by the lack of efficient collaboration be- 1,210 940

27 tween authorities, and mean- 2010 2011 while are used more and more often to apply pressure to the ri- vals of favored monopolists. The 2010 2011 The total number of applications, Total judiciary only helps violators compaints and other reque s number Public spending on the Antimonopoly regarding the violation of economic of evade fines. Committee, UAH mn competition legislation, that have been inspeions In 2011, President Yanu- Fines it imposed on companies, UAH mn considered by the Antimonopoly Committee kovych instructed the Antimo- nopoly Committee to focus on THE EVER GROWING APPETITE SELECTIVE APPROACH examining the unions of multi- OF MAJOR PLAYERS apartment block owners. Thus, The ruure of eliminated violations in summer 2011, it performed The number of permits authorizing of economic competition legislation by induries in 2011, % over 3,000 inspections of these the concentration of commercial entities, unions. In 2012, before the up- including mergers and takeovers, issued by the Antimonopoly Committee coming election, the Antimonop- oly Committee’s priorities in- Total number clude protection of entrepreneur of permits and consumer rights, and inter- ests in sectors of social signifi- cance. These include bread pro- duction, markets for administra- tive, housing, utility and ritual 585 559 22.78 11.09 8.51 4.31 3.29 2.28 2.12 services, the pharmaceutical in- dustry, and others. These mea- 480

e sures act as “social pain killers,” al al yet they do not disturb the mo- eor s nopolistic foundation of gy seor gy Fuel and and Fuel

2010 2011 gricultur Ukraine’s economy or the indus- A ansportation

2009 and Housing ental services ental ener cord and real real and cord ruion and and ruion

utilities servic utilities tries whose current “oligarch vs. Tr re Source: Laws on the State n riffraff” model of society contin- Budget of Ukraine and the Co materials building

Antimonopoly Committee's elecommunications T Land Land r e ate ues to hamper Ukraine’s prog- reports for the relevant years ress.

Overprotected Andriy Verevsky • Sugar Union UkrRos agricultural holding – 71% Oleh Bahmatiuk • Allseeds Group Public Co. Lim- • Enseoko Agro agricultural company, Khmelnytsk • Vinnytsia Meat OJSC – over ited (sunflower oil) – 94% Oblast – over 50% 50% • Russian Oils, – 100% • Nyva Vesniane agricultural company, Mykolayiv • ProdContract OJSC – over • Black Sea Industries (sun- Oblast – over 50% 50% flower oil production) – 100% • Nyva Bereznehovate agricultural company, Myko- • Bon Exim LLC – over 50% • Vesna LLC, an agricultural company, Kirovohrad layiv Oblast – over 50% • Rice PJSC, agricultural holding – 100% Oblast – over 50% • Sluch Agro agricultural company, Khmelnytsk Oblast • Dakor West PJSC, agricultural holding – 100% • Osiivske LLC, Vinnytsia Oblast – over 50% – over 50% • Townsends – nearly 50% • Enselko agricultural holding – 100% • Ukrainian Black Sea Industry LLC, Odesa Oblast – 100% • VAB Bank – over 50% № 14 (37) September 2012|the ukrainian week|25 Economics|Expert analysis A Cure to Fend offP overty

irst things first – the heal- ernment holdings and companies sion accounts and investments in ing of Ukraine’s economy are demonopolised. stock and housing construction – must go hand in hand An influx of private invest- arise when there is financial stabil- Fwith structural reform ments will be significant if citizens ity and the population's real income and technological upgrading become the main investors, be- is growing. of assets. The way to accomplish cause their total income accounts The stability of finances and this is to have free market distri- for the largest share of GDP. Invest- prices is achieved when market eco- bution of investments. This in ment incentives – to make bank de- nomic mechanisms are self-regulat- turn is possible only with regard to posits, savings on individual pen- ing and all economic entities – from Author: private investments as they are Volodymyr the only kind that targets maxi- Lanovy, mum profits and can rapidly react president of to growth in new sectors. The the Centre for macroeconomic model of financial Market redistribution and monetary and Reforms and price stability must also foster this former process. Macroeconomic leverage Economy is inefficient in conditions of mo- Minister of nopoly and centralisation as it re- Ukraine quires a free, competitive and self- regulating market system. For capital to flow to new eco- nomic sectors, freedom of entre- preneurship needs to be secured and the state must stop supporting outdated production facilities. For innovative projects and enter- prises to emerge it is especially im- portant to expand the sector of small and medium business, which is the most flexible sector in terms of market supply and the most fi- nancially disciplined regarding its commitments. Another key factor is citizens having direct access to stock markets and incentives to own shares of stock and other cor- porate rights. Protection of rights, freedoms and operational oppor- tunities of small-scale stockhold- ers ought to be among the top items on the government's agenda. Converting degraded fixed as- sets into financial resources that serve the needs of society is another aspect of overhauling the structure of capital. This conversion will take place if chronically unprofitable en- terprises are shut down, hopelessly indebted ones run through bank- ruptcy proceedings and adminis- trative price fixing in state-run cor- porations is removed. The process will be facilitated if high amortisa- tion rates for fixed assets and a property tax on large commercial objects are introduced, while gov- 26|the ukrainian week|№ 14 (37) September 2012 Expert analysis|Economics attract foreign capital to Ukraine. Di- rect foreign investments will facilitate technological upgrades of production facilities and increase their competi- tiveness. Then the surplus of the country’s foreign trade and current payment balance will be real. A Cure to Fend offP overty Ukraine’s success depends also on how useful the budget policy is. National finances should an individual to the entire state – ence in bank liquidity, interest rates, be used to meet the needs of soci- have equal rights. Any lawless action lending policy and the commit- ety’s social and humanitarian devel- by the government that skews natu- ments and material liability of finan- opment, as well as certain important rally-established distribution, ex- cial institutions, including sorting national needs, such as security, change or consumption of goods will out the debacles caused by defaults large production infrastructure, util- disrupt the balance and lead to the on loans. ities and social infrastructure. Bud- inefficient use of national resources. Household incomes will rise as a get financing of these needs must be In this context, the government and result of structural economic reform at least doubled or tripled. the NBU need to limit their interfer- (one that favours highly profitable Social and humanitarian devel- industries), higher labour efficiency, opment has to do with science, edu- more jobs and a higher employment cation, spiritual and physical cul- level. Another contributing factor ture, healthcare, environment, would be market distribution of in- housing and utilities, computerisa- vestments, largely through a free tion, as well as providing social aid stock market, and bank credits to fi- to the underprivileged and socially nance business project issued on the vulnerable citizens. It makes sense criteria of profitability. Market in- to not only increase spending in this vestments may also be a result of area but also fundamentally change cutting budget spending on govern- the financing formulas – money ment purchases and subsidising se- should be allocated not proportion- lected enterprises, as well as down- ally to the size of staff, but in light of sized government borrowing and the volume of services needed by lower corporate and household in- employees. The system of social come taxes. A priority measure benefits also needs to be profoundly would be to scrap VAT and discon- reformed: benefits should go to the tinue the NBU’s practice of refinanc- ing state banks and debt securities Motivation to work and do of unprofitable state corporations. Motivation to work and do busi- business will only be ness will only be possible if the gov- possible if the government ernment clamps down on criminal and corrupt methods of enrichment, clamps down on criminal embezzlement of budget money, il- and corrupt methods of legal ways used by certain individu- als to secure political and property enrichment rent, illegal activities to secure mo- poorest, the disabled, the sick, etc., nopolistic super-high profits, be- rather than being awarded for “mer- hind-the-scenes deals to appropri- its before the state” in continuation ate government property, and so on. of the Soviet totalitarian tradition. More jobs and a higher level of The bulk of social and humanitarian employment could be facilitated payments should be disbursed from through lower deductions compa- local budgets. nies must pay to the pension and so- The special area of countryside cial funds and exempting small busi- infrastructure and agricultural pro- nesses from these payments. Real duction also needs enhanced finan- tax reform is needed, reform that cial support. There is no doubt that would cut red tape, put a ban on law- a different method to distribute and less dispossession of taxpayers of allocate finances from the state their property, stop the curtailment budget is needed: through bank ac- of their civil rights, introduce a de- counts directly to farms, bypassing fined-contribution pension system, regional and local budgets and thus annul the turnover tax on small busi- the greedy hands of local bosses. nesses, etc. This reform would have The pay-as-you-go pension to be the starting point for a dynamic system dominates in Ukraine, and expansion of small business. finances are transferred from the An improved investment climate state budget to the deficient State and financial stability are certain to Pension Fund. But deploying a de- № 14 (37) September 2012|the ukrainian week|27 Economics|Expert analysis fined-contribution system would end recipients, i.e., they should not accompanied by external conver- quickly fund that deficit and en- have the status of central financial gence of our institutes, structures, able faster growth of payments distributors. Instead, their main legal norms, knowledge, lan- made to low-income pensioners. functions should be to develop and guages, values, standards, rules, Budget spending in other areas implement financial-economic relationships and procedures. needs to be cut and gradually can- regulations that stimulate the de- In general, with this value sys- celled. We need to leave the prac- velopment of the country. tem in place, conceptual changes tice of providing various govern- Certain markets recognised as in macroeconomic regulation ment assistance packages and re- natural monopolies should be reg- should secure a dynamic develop- capitalisation for bankrupt ulated by special national commis- ment of the country and a steadily companies and banks in the past. sions, but they should be ap- increasing standard of living. Ten- The budget system needs to pointed by the parliament and not tative estimates show that the become less centralised. The local be subordinated to the govern- above-mentioned transfor- budgets of villages, towns and cit- ment. As well, they should not reg- mations could yield the fol- ies need to be filled autonomously ulate prices (as they do now) but lowing results: with reliance on a local tax base control over monopolies, including The total losses of enterprises and without subsidies from the na- prevention of abuse. will shrink to one-fourth or one- tional budget. Only certain regions As far as the quality of top offi- third of their current level in 4-5 that are recognised as depressed cials is concerned, it would be years, which will bring an addi- should be subsidised. most sensible to appoint renowned tional UAH 100 billion per year to An efficient macroecono­ the country. The profits of profit- mic model calls for an ade- making companies will rise by 15- quate macroeconomic man- Ukraine remains a 20 per cent, which is another UAH agement system. This system dif- provincial European state 30-40 billion. fers from the existing one in three Indirect taxes (around UAH aspects: the government structure, This is welcomed by the 190 billion at present) will go down functions performed by govern- ruling class, which can by 20-25 per cent and pure gov- ment agencies and the quality of top ernment loans (UAH 117 billion as officials in these agencies. There is present its activities as of 2010) by 75-80 per cent. no need to keep so many deputy perfect and unsurpassed The inflation rate will not ex- prime ministers and ministers, who ceed 3-4 per cent per year; the bud- largely busy themselves with their specialists capable of thinking in get will have a surplus of 1-1.5 per own affairs while in office. Re- national, country-wide terms cent of the GDP, while the hryvnia formed ministries and agencies rather than big capitalists. exchange rate will not drop by more need to include those that run the A separate issue is the quality than 1-2 per cent per year. national economy in general and of interaction between the Bank loans to enterprises may perform the special function of ad- economy and society and the increase by 400-500 per cent, reach- ministration at the same time rather external world, from international ing UAH 200-250 billion, with the than managing certain groups of exchanges to merging national mar- interest rates of about 6-7 per cent. enterprises (industries, sectors, kets. Today Ukraine gives the im- Investments into capital assets etc.). Such linear-type ministries do pression of being an island isolated will double at the very least, rising not have the right to exist, with a from international processes rather to UAH 300-350 billion, while possible exception of the ministries than part of a large modern conti- portfolio investment may grow by of energy and agriculture. nent. Ukraine is still hiding behind a 6-8 times (to UAH 100-120 billion). The structure of the Cabinet of high wall as if it provided extra secu- The national economy may Ministers does not need to dupli- rity and the country remains a mar- employ approximately 2-2.5 mil- cate that of the ministries. It should ginal, provincial European state. One lion more people, and at least 2.5 be minimised, leaving only units reason for this is that Ukrainian pros- million Ukrainians can be ex- that draft government decisions. ecutors and judges are resistant to all pected to return from emigration. Government agencies that provide universal human values, Roman law The ratio between social and services to citizens should be dis- and international courts and tribu- pension payments and salaries will banded. (These services are to be nals. This situation is welcomed only change due to higher levels of em- provided by the private sector.) by the ruling class, which can lever- ployment, and the deficit of the Also, needs Ukraine to do away age it to impose its thoughts and pri- Pension Fund filled under the pay- with all directorates, agencies and orities on people and present its ac- as-you-go system will be history. state committees subordinated to tivities as perfect and unsurpassed in End consumption will reach a ministries that perform largely the performance. Limited international totally different level. The real in- same functions as the latter but on exchange and high barriers to coop- come of the population may grow a smaller scale or represent central eration and transactions constrain by 45-50 per cent, while hryvnia government bodies in the regions. the best macroeconomic factors and savings will double at a minimum. Government administration models. In any case, their application Ukraine may post Chi- bodies need to be stripped of ad- in Ukrainian reality produces a much nese-like GDP growth figures, ministrative-structural functions more modest effect than in open na- while international exchan­­ regarding sectors, markets, groups tional systems that are integrated ges boost the country's gold of foods, etc. They should not be into the world community. and currency reserves and used as transit stations in the Therefore, internal financial- guarantee the security of money flow from the treasury to economic improvements must be household net worth. 28|the ukrainian week|№ 14 (37) September 2012 Investment experience in Ukraine|Economics Charles Beigbeder: “Ukraine’s agricultural potential is the largest in Europe”

gas and electricity markets. This, – We have hardly fired any- he also sold for a profit; however, one. Those who began with us, he retained his presidency over hired five years ago, are still the Board of Directors. working with the company. They Today, Charles Beigbeder are mostly young people, very owns Gravitation, an industrial motivated, friendly, and dy- and financial holding, whose namic. A graphic example, if you sphere of interests includes, in like: at the very beginning our particular, green technology farm managers were afraid to (Green Alliance Company). He break bad news…” controls, via the Gravitation Group, the agricultural holding UW: Indeed, typical for Ukraine – AgroGeneration, which owns – … while we tried to explain 51,000 hectares of farming land to them that it’s okay, you should in Ukraine (in Zhytomyr, Sumy, share everything, you should be Ternopil, and Lviv Oblasts). Also, transparent. It is better for us to he was an honourable guest at the be the first to learn bad news, be- business forum ‘Rencontres Uk­­ fore our shareholders get it! raine’ (Meeting Ukraine), which was recently held in Paris.” UW: How have the political de- velopments in Ukraine affected UW: You still continue your busi- your business? You began under ness in Ukraine, despite the one team in power, and continue much-spoken about crisis. Why? under another. – The answer is very simple: – The situation is now less your country’s agricultural po- stable, indeed. We are less confi- tential is the largest in Europe. dent about the future. In 2010 Ukraine is close to the EU and Russia suffered from numerous therefore our cultures have quite disastrous wildfires. This calamity a lot in common. Also, you have brushed Ukraine too, and the gov- plenty of well-trained experts. ernment ordered export targets; it So, when we were starting out in came as a bad surprise. Luckily, 2006-07, the choice was obvious: we were able to store most of our we must go to Ukraine. There produce. Then, rent for land Interviewer: hat associations does then followed a complicated jumped twofold, without any Ivan Riabchiy the name Beigbeder stage of finding partners, invest- warning. Now, land legislation is have for the average ing, and so on. being debated, and it is very un- WUkrainian mind? Of settling. We, investors, would like course, books and films: 99 UW: What was your first impres- our voice to be heard. Francs, L’amour dure trois ans sion of Ukraine? – but that is Frédéric Beigbeder, – You won’t like it, I’m afraid. UW: Do you see any other sectors the writer, film director, literary I was staying at a hotel which was in Ukraine’s economy being at- critic, and advertiser. Another, not really very comfortable, and tractive for investors? with the same surname, is the got food poisoning. But all in all, – In my view, it is worthwhile writer’s brother who is also a I had the impression of a huge investing in renewable energy. I very versatile person. Charles country on the verge of a com- might be interested, for one. But Beigbeder founded Self Trade, a plete overhaul. By the way, since at present I am not prepared to financial services company, and then (and that was in 2007) a lot take such a step. You need long- became one of the pioneers of has changed. Luxury hotels and term contracts, pre-payments for European internet banking. good restaurants have appeared. the produced electricity – but I Later, he advantageously sold the Kyiv is a beautiful city and is doubt that the government will be site to DAB, a German bank. Af- comfortable to live in.” able to keep its promises, at least terwards, Beigbeder foun­­ded and for the first three years. And even led an energy and telecommuni- UW: Does your company have if I do have trust in Ukraine’s gov- cations company named PO­­ any problems with Ukrainians – ernment, you cannot say the same WEO, which still remains Fran­­ say, on psychological or world- of banks. They will merely refuse ce’s biggest private agent on the view levels? me the loan. № 14 (37) September 2012|the ukrainian week|29 neighbours|estonia The Importance of Being Re-Independent

August 1991 is the Estonian Re-Inde- keep good relations with the Soviet Union until the pendence Day. Namely, on that day very end, but the coup forced Finland to take sides. just a few minutes before midnight, Still, a blunt recognition of Estonia’s independence 20the Supreme Council of Estonia de- would probably have evoked a stronger reaction clared Estonia independent and some days later the from Moscow than the re-establishment of diplo- international recognitions began to pour in. matic relations. The way Estonian independence was declared Legal continuity also meant Estonia could reclaim and what was written in the Supreme Council’s assets the nation had before 17 June 1940 in foreign declaration continue to influence Estonian so- countries (mainly embassy buildings and gold). Es- ciety today. tonia did not have to apply for membership in many The big question remaining is why it took so international organisations (like the IOC) since its long for the Supreme Council to declare Esto- status there was simply renewed. All in all, the refer- nia independent, given that the coup in Mos- ence to legal continuity gave rise to many favours for cow started on 19 August 1991. The answer Estonia in terms of foreign policy. may lie in the fact that by 19 August 1991 However, in terms of integration, legal continuity there were two centres of power in Estonia meant trouble. If Estonia had declared itself inde- which both claimed to be legitimate – the Su- pendent as a new country, it should have granted Author: preme Council and the Estonian Congress. The citizenship to all its inhabitants, not only those who Erkki latter had been created in order to coordinate the ac- had roots in Estonia before 17 June 1940. By 1991, Bahovski tion by which the Estonian citizenry was to be about one third of the population was Russian- founded. This meant that every Estonian could ob- speaking and as subsequent events showed, they tain a card from the Congress to prove that they were left without any citizenship on the grounds that themselves or their par- neither they nor their ents or grandparents had parents or grandparents been living in Estonia be- The concept of legal lived in Estonia before 17 fore 17 June 1940 (the continuity also brought June 1940. A huge major- day the Red Army en- ity of them had arrived in tered Baltic state). along the opportunity Estonia during the Soviet Thus, before indepen- to claim that the Soviet era, perhaps the only ex- dence was to be pro- ception being the Rus- claimed, a settlement Union had occupied Estonia sian Old Believers who had to be reached bet­­ had settled in the country ween the Supreme Council and the Estonian at the end of the 17th century. Congress. The latter was afraid that the Su- The concept of legal continuity also brought preme Council would declare Estonia indepen- along the opportunity to claim that the Soviet dent from scratch, e.g. without mentioning the re- Union had occupied Estonia. Thus, immigration public’s legal continuity. However, the situation was from other parts of the Union was against the Ge- not comparable to the dual powers in Russia after neva Convention which forbids bringing in civilians the February Revolution in 1917 when the Provi- under occupation. As a result, a majority of Russian- sional Government and the Petrograd Soviet fought speaking people in Estonia found themselves illegal. bitterly against each other. In Estonia, many mem- This controversy haunts Estonia even today, al- bers of the Supreme Council also belonged to the Es- though many Russian speaking people have ob- tonian Congress, and no blood was shed. tained Estonian citizenship. Accusations of being All in all, the negotiations were held quickly (it has forcibly assimilated into Estonian society and of to be remembered that the final result of the coup being discriminated against still continue to come was unknown and Tallinn was full of Soviet tanks) from the Russian government. This is the price Es- and finally the declaration included a reference to tonia pays for adhering to the concept of legal con- the legal continuity as well as to the re-establish- tinuity. ment of diplomatic relations. Last year, Estonia celebrated its 20th anniversary of The word ‘re-establishment’ was not an accidental re-independence. Some people are counting the choice. It gave many countries a smoother option to years still to pass before Estonia will exceed the 22 recognize Estonian independence, Finland being years (1918-40) it was independent before the war. notably one of the best examples. By way of a tradi- This will take place in 2014. By then, Estonia will tion from the Cold War era, Finland was trying to have been independent for a total of 45 years. 30|the ukrainian week|№ 14 (37) September 2012 society|Ukrainian athletes Money Games Hundreds of millions of hryvnias allocated from the state budget to prepare for the 2012 Olympics, sometimes proved “too little” even for drinking water or good gear. Athletes say money has been used inefficiently

Author: krainians earned 20 med- 2012 Olympics were fully fi- Valeriya als at the 30th 2012 Olym- nanced,” these officials report. Burlakova pics in London, putting “This year UAH 72.172mn was al- the country's Olympic located for the final stage of prepa- U th team in 14 place out of 204 par- ration for Ukraine’s participation ticipating nations. For a country in the London Olympics". Just that seems to think about its UAH 37.849mn was allocated for sports programmes only in the the Beijing Olympics in 2008. run-up to an election, this is a de- In fact, Ukrainian athletes cent result. Still, compared to paid for their own preparation, previous summer Olympics, these some finding sponsors among reer in 1990 and found profes- Games showed a clear drop in businessmen and politicians. For sional boxing to be a very differ- mastery. example, the medals won by ent sport with another level of Spartan weightlifters and boxers are said budgeting and financing. At the training More money, fewer to be more or less due to gener- same time, he said today's ama- base: Even medals ous patrons. teurs also have good training with millions The authorities are trying to make “Ukrainian boxers have never bases and gear. “This can be allocated for excuses after having planned to showed better results at the proved by the boys' achievements athletes to claim a successful result in the Olympic Games (Ukrainian men’s and the fact that they are saying prepare for Olympics as one of their own national team has taken the high- that everything is okay”, he the Olympics, achievements. Nevertheless, they est place of the entire Ukrainian added, “If things were not okay, the authorities do not appear very persuasive. team, having won five medals, in- they would switch to professional failed to provide “Good for us”, Ukrainian Youth cluding two gold, one silver and sport. Since they are not switch- convenient and Sports officials said of the two bronze ones. – Editor).” ing, everything must be fine. Also, living or Games, “we are ahead of Spain, Ukrainian world boxing cham- former boxers and even people training Canada and other countries with pion, professional boxer and who never boxed but are simply conditions for much better developed sports and coach Andriy Synepupov said. passionate about the sport often them economies”. “Preparations for the Synepupov ended his amateur ca- volunteer as sponsors". “The effect of the Klitschko brothers” is a special Ukrainian term for this. More money is in- vested in popular boxing, and consequently, it dominates over other Olympic sports. Financing of other sports is dropping based on the principal of “no results – no money”, as the new Olympic champion Yuriy Cheban (canoe- single, 200 m) remarked. Indeed, there are many sports fans ready to support boxers and other Olympic competitors, but “charity” of this sort is often made for personal promotion and not out of kindness. Such PR is neces- sary for both entrepreneurs and politicians. The latter need it badly now, just before the elections. So it is of no surprise that “Olympic Passions”, a TV program by popu- lar anchorman Savik Shuster, was

photo: unian photo: conducted in Russian and in- 32|the ukrainian week|№ 14 (37) September 2012 Ukrainian athletes |society SPARTAN BASE Having allocated millions for preparation ahead of the Olympics in London, the ate could not provide its athletes with the bare essentials for training. Medals won by Ukrainian Gold athletes These Olympic Games in London brought Silver very few medals to Ukrainian athletes. Bronze

Number of medals Number of medals Number of medals Number of medals Number of medals 15 12 9 10 10 9 23 23 239 277 209 5 5 6 5 2 3

National team place National team place National team place National team place National team place 9 21 12 11 14

Atlanta Sydney Athens Beijing London 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 OUT OF

riya burlakova e riya val photo: STABILITY Will Party half a litre of water a day, and it ered stadium with proper condi- cluded political “product place- of Regions was not the best water. When we tions”. Gymnasts have problems, ment”. The names of some power- political asked where the water was, they too. “I was really sorry for them, engineers ful representatives whose financial have the good said we should wait… But we were when watching their perfor- support helped a certain athlete sense not to not asking for lobster, we’re ask- mances,” Denys said. “They are win a medal, were mentioned in rate the 2012 ing for water!” athlete Yelyzaveta modest, patient and industrious. the program sometimes for no ap- Olympics as Bryzgina said, expressing her in- But they don’t have the bare es- parent reason at all. the authorities’ dignation before the Games. sentials for training”. Things like this often approach achievement? Athletes were also fed as mod- Currently there is also another the boundaries of the absurd. For estly as possible. “I’d like to have problem – there is no new genera- example, press secretary for Liud- better conditions and better food, tion to be raised as future Olympic myla Yosypenko, who lost her at least before the Olympics, espe- champions. “Sports is not popular bronze medal in heptathlon due to cially in the cafeteria”, World and in our country, and the authorities protests from the German team, Europe triple jump champion do not care about popularizing it,” explained to The Ukrainian Olha Solodukha told television Sylantiev says. “It is more difficult Week that should one want an in- journalists. Yet, despite her hard- to choose a sportsman out of ten, terview with the athlete, one must ships she still won a bronze medal than the best out of a thousand. talk about “her patrons” among in London. There is no effective competition other things. The state allocated UAH 205 in Ukraine.” a day per one Olympic participant State authorities only remem- Concentration camp for for food and more than a few of ber sportsmen, he said, when Olympic sportsmen the athletes think some money they need them for PR, and that is Though many athletes gained when they suddenly start talking from sponsorships, most Ukrai- Many Ukrainian athletes about prize money for medals. nian Olympians still had to count Those athletes who do not win a on state support. And yet some of lack some basic conditions medal get practically no material them never received it, despite for trainings compensation. declarations about the state allo- “Twelve years ago our swim- cating a total of UAH 560mn for mers who participated in the athlete preparation ahead of the was simply stolen. “Money allo- Olympic Games got nothing but 2012 Olympics. cated for athletes is used ineffi- one suit per athlete. These Ukraini- Some Ukrainian delegations ciently”, 2000 Olympic Gold ans felt ashamed,” Sylantiev. “This lacked even the bare essentials swimmer Denys Sylantiev told year it was even worse. The swim- and many spoke openly of their The Ukrainian Week, “There mers paid for their own suits, be- trials before the Olympics. For in- should be more thorough control cause the ones provided by the stance, the athletes’ training base over the use of money”. state were the wrong size or torn. near Kyiv not only lacked air con- Sylantiev also said that many One of them told me it was impos- ditioning, elementary sleeping ac- Ukrainian Olympians do not have sible for him to swim in the suit he commodations (athletes had to the bare essentials for training. “It received and all of his training buy their own mattresses to avoid is a general problem, in all regions proved to be of no use at all”. backaches), clean toilets, neces- of the country. Not only swimmers Unlike in previous Games, sary sports gear and so on, but lack training bases. For instance, Ukrainian swimmers did not win also water and food. “They gave us track and field athletes lack a cov- any Olympic medals in 2012. № 14 (37) September 2012|the ukrainian week|33 society|athletic performance Faster, Higher, No Longer Is it time to update the Olympic credo?

n augyst 5th millions of called extreme-value analysis dis- trapolations. They prefer to fit data people will watch the cerned trends and the maximum to variants of a “logistic” curve. 100-metre final at the Lon- possible deviations from them. This produces an S-shaped plot Odon Olympics. Many will For the 100 metres, the human more in line with the intuition that wonder if anyone can repeat Usain speed limit is 10.55 metres per performance starts off relatively Bolt’s feat in Berlin in 2009, when second. This translates to 9.48 flat. It then goes through a period the Jamaican clocked 9.58 sec- seconds. of rapid improvement as more peo- onds, lopping 0.11 seconds—aeons Predicting the limits of human ple take part and more systematic in a sprint—off the previous world athletic prowess has been a popu- approaches to training and nutri- record, which he set at the 2008 lar parlour game among number tion get more out of them. It finally Beijing games. crunchers. One study from 1992 levels off as athletes inch towards One person who thinks this un- had female marathon runners the most a body can manage. likely is Mark Denny. Another 0.11 drawing level with men by 1998, to This already seems to be hap- seconds would take the time below complete the 42.195km (26.2-mile) pening. According to Dr Denny fe- what Dr Denny, from Stanford course in just under two hours and male marathon runners have, in University, reckons is the absolute two minutes. (The current male re- effect, reached their peak. In a limit of human athletic perfor- cord remains 1.5 minutes slower; 2010 study Geoffroy Berthelot, of mance in the 100-metre dash. for women it is 12 minutes slower France’s National Institute of In 2008 Dr Denny published a still.) A more recent analysis from Sport, showed that performance in paper in which he crunched 2004 suggested that male and fe- 23 out of 36 track-and-field events through the highest speeds male 100-metre times will con- has stagnated since 1993. The re- achieved each year in running verge in 2156, at 8.08 seconds. maining 13 have seen only small events from sprints to the mara- Nowadays sport statisticians increments. thon, some dating back to 1900 view such calculations as flawed In swimming, Dr Berthelot (see chart). A statistical technique because they relied on linear ex- found that all 34 events have seen 34|the ukrainian week|№ 14 (37) September 2012 athletic performance|society about the diminished supply of ox- mill were roughly twice as high as Hitting the wall ygen. during running at top speed. This Annual fae speeds, metres per second 11 Eight of the 25 best times that translated into 30% more ground year were recorded at the games, force. Absolute performance limit: 10.55 and most of the remaining 17 were Since ground force is the main at higher-than-usual altitudes determinant of sprinting speed, Dr 10 where athletes prepared for the Weyand’s results imply that hu- main event. The reduced drag may man muscles are capable of pro- have helped Bob Beamon’s 8.9-me- ducing enough oomph to propel Men’s 100m tre long jump, in which the Ameri- sprinters one-third faster than Mr 9 can added 55cm to the world re- Bolt’s 2009 record. The reason Absolute performance limit: 5.21 cord. Of that, 31cm was down to a they have not is that in the normal, ≈ tail wind combined with the alti- two-legged gait the foot is in con- 5 tude. tact with the ground for only Statistics suggest that feats like around one-tenth of a second, 0.05 those of Messrs Bolt and Beamon seconds less than when hopping. Women’s marathon are increasingly improbable. But As a consequence, muscle fibres do 4 are they impossible? Peter Wey- not have enough time to contract to Usain Bolt: and, of Southern Methodist Uni- their full potential. Although tap- 2008, 2009, 2011 versity in Texas, has shown that ping all this force while sprinting 3 whereas the peak force which elite seems biomechanically inconceiv- sprinters apply to the track is more able, there may be scope for slight ≈ than four times their body weight, alterations in training and gait, fo- 1912 1932 1952 1972 1992 2012 they can squeeze even more out of cused on increasing the peak power Sources: Journal of Experimental Biology; IAAF; The Economi their muscles. Dr Weyand found available to sprinters. For his part, that the forces generated while ath- Dr Denny would be thrilled to see letes hopped on one leg as fast as any athlete breach his limits, but improvements since 2000, though they could on a high-speed tread- he isn’t putting any money on it. this may have been aided by the now banned slick, full-body swim- suits which helped competitors in Beijing smash 22 world records. Before 2000, performance in 16 events had been becalmed, though not in the 400-metres individual medley, which may explain why China’s 16-year-old Ye Shiwen shaved a second off the world re- cord and in the final leg stoked controversy by being quicker than the men’s medley champion. But Alan Nevill, of Wolverhampton University in Britain, reckons this is within the bounds of possibility for the 400-metres women’s free- style: a proxy, albeit an imperfect one, for the last leg of the medley. Drugs and technological tricks aside, ensuring that future Olym- pics live up to their motto of “faster, higher, stronger” may thus require some other performance-boosting tricks. Steve Haake, of Sheffield Hallam University in Britain, points to a notable blip in the fig- ures for the 100-metre dash. In 1968 the average of the best times of the top 25 athletes was much better than trend. This, Dr Haake explains, is because those Olympic games were held in Mexico City. At an altitude of 2,240 metres the air there is a fifth thinner than at sea © 2012 The level, providing 20% less drag—a Economist boon to sprinters who, unlike their Newspaper endurance counterparts, run an- Limited. All aerobically, and so need not worry rights reserved № 14 (37) September 2012|the ukrainian week|35 Society|2012 Olympics After the Olympics People in Britain today feel as though they have just been at the best party of their lives, have a rather sore head and are dreading the return to work

Author: David Cameron, the Prime Michael Binyon, UK Minister, is fully aware of the task. He knows the country is fac- he London 2012 Olympics ing a huge anti-climax. He knows were generally seen, not that political bickering will re- only by the British but also sume, that recent dismal eco- Tby scores of other countries, nomic figures are piling pressure as the most successful Games for on the government and that many years. And Britons, whose harsher stories will soon fill the first instinct was to grumble, space on television and in news- complain and voice fears that the papers occupied for two glorious Olympics would be a disaster, are weeks with pictures and films of ALMOST euphoric. Amazed that nothing Britons winning gold medals. PERFECT: went wrong - no terrorist attacks, He moved swiftly, therefore, Olympic constructions no scandals on or off the sporting to announce on the day of the in London will venues, no disastrous hold-ups in closing ceremony that he had ap- remain the the transport systems - they are pointed Lord Coe, head of the heart of athletic now indulging in a rare burst of London Organising Committee, and tourist life pride, patriotism and self-con- to take responsibility for deliver- in the UK after gratulation. ing the promised legacy. As the the games But beneath the triumphant golden boy of British athletics, headlines, everyone - politicians, Sebastian Coe had won gold had planned a steep cut in the 125 sports authorities and economists medals in the 1980 Moscow million yearly grant for Olympic - are warning the nation that the Olympics, and for the past seven sports. Now, with hopes rising for big challenge of the Olympics is years has passionately lobbied Rio, this has become politically still to come. How can the spirit for improvements in British impossible. Funding will be kept of optimism, hope and joy which sport, using lottery money to at the same level until 2016, and permeated the Games be nour- fund more facilities and training. schools will be ordered to include ished and put to good use in other The results have been impres- ways? What will be the future of sive. In Atlanta in 1996 Britain the lavish new sports facilities won one gold medal; in London the country believes it has erected in east London, and how the country won 29. found a new harmony that can they be properly used? What, Most of the main Olympic in short, will be the future legacy buildings have already been ear- it is keen to show to the of London's third Olympic Games marked for future use. Some will world: tolerance and in 104 years? be dismantled and re-erected In 2005 London won the elsewhere in the country where acceptance have generally Games in Singapore largely be- there are few good facilities. Most worked cause it promised to do what few will remain at the heart of the other Olympic cities have done in Olympic Village, which will itself sports training as part of the cur- the past - take the facilities built become a main sporting venue for riculum for all pupils. The gov- to accommodate the world's ath- London, a training centre for top ernment is also keen to encourage letes for just two weeks and use athletes and a big tourist attrac- more private sponsorship. them after that to make a perma- tion. It is intended to be open to More difficult is the question nent change to British sports pro- the public less than a month after of maintaining the Olympic spirit. vision and to the training of fu- the Paralmpics, which begin on SUCCESSFUL Most commentators have paid ture athletes. But just as the joy of August 29 and last until Septem- INVESTMENT special tribute to the 70,000 Singapore was, for London, bru- ber 9. INTO SPORTS Games volunteers, of all ages, In 1996, the UK won tally cut short the next day by the The key question, however, is one gold medal in races and professions, who got up terrorist bombings in the capital money. Will British sport receive Atlanta. In 2012, before dawn to take up their posi- on July 7, so the 2012 Games now the high funding that boosted it won tions at railway stations, first-aid face the brutal reality of life after performance in the run-up to 29 points and pedestrian crossings to the closing ceremony. London 2012? The Government in London guide, help, comfort and encour- 36|the ukrainian week|№ 14 (37) September 2012 2012 Olympics|Society Hope that the Games would deliver an immediate bonanza in London's shops were unreaslistic and not realised. Few people came to London to go shopping, visit theatres and museums or spend money outside the Olym- pic venues. London businesses complained that this August was the quietest they have seen for years. Streets were empty, shops deserted. But many visitors be planning a return at some future date. Two deeper questions are now being debated in post-Olym- pic Britain. What have the Olym- pics done for Britain's place in the world? And what have they told Britain about its own self-image and its understanding of the kind of society it is today? The image, most Britons hope, has been improved. But it has also changed. Gone is any ref- erence to the imperial past, the Second World War, the traditions of Shakespeare, the aristocracy and ceremonial. Instead, as the opening ceremony showed, Brit- ain is very much a multi-cultural nation. Black Britons were essen- tial to Olympic success. Mo

photo: r e ut rs photo: Farah, the double gold winner of the 5,000 and 10,000 metre age the many thousands stream- races, is hailed today as the great- ing to the Games. They were est British hero. He is a Muslim picked from around 200,000 peo- who came to Britain as a refugee ple who applied. All were given from Somalia at the age of 8. Cop- uniforms. Many were given some ing with the strains of a multi- training. Is this a model that could ethnic and multicultural society be applied to other areas? Could has been difficult for many in volunteers be encouraged, trained Britain. But the country believes and supported to work in larger it has found a new harmony that numbers in schools, community it is keen to show to the world: centres, youth clubs, in the health tolerance and acceptance have service and in all the areas where generally worked. Above all, Brit- government funding is not enough ain is proud of its sense of hu- or is being cut? mour. Even the Queen took part Many Britons would like this in the opening ceremony jokes. spirit of altruism to continue. But This same debate is also going it is not easy. People will turn out on about the country's own self- on a special occasion; most are image. Are non-white Britons not willing to be recruited as free now fully accepted as equals by labour to make up for shortages SAD LEGACY: it hopes that an image of relaxed the white majority as fellow Brit- in schools and hospitals. Objects friendliness - not the usual pic- ons? Are the traditions of toler- Can the Olympic success also constructed ture most foreigners have of ance still as strong as ever? Can be turned into tangible material for the 2004 Britain - will encourage inward the idealism of young people pre- advantage for Britain? In some Olympics investment. Government minis- vail over what has become a cyni- ways, the answer is yes. The in Athens ters used the Games to hold po- cal and often shallow public cul- Games were the best tourist pub- are mostly litical discussions with dozens of ture? It proved possible to change neglected licity and investment advertising today. The world leaders and also with busi- the wayBritons behaved towards anyone could have wanted. Bil- British are nessmen visiting London. No each other in public during the lions of people across the world confident that new contracts have been an- Games. If that change can be saw pictures of London. There is they will avoid nounced, but initial contacts maintained, then the Olympics nothing the Government can do the "Greek have been made in many impor- will have left a permanent and about Britain's poor weather, but syndrome" tant fields. positive legacy. № 14 (37) September 2012|the ukrainian week|37 history|Industrial revolution Fast Down the Rails The turbulent history of electric trams

OPENING OF THE TRAM RAILWAY: Trams were the main city transport in Lviv until the mid-20th century

th The Ukrainian he origins of the oldest ur- ning of the 19 century and used regular passenger transport in big Week offers a ban public transport date horses. Unlike carriages, horse cities. They were very popular series of articles back to the beginning of the trams moved along rails and with citizens, proof of which is the about techno- Timpetuous age of technologi- pulled heavy metal coaches with fact that in the mid 1880s, the logical inven- cal progress, industrialization and open or closed wagons. Despite an United States had 415 carriage tions which urbanization. The boom in urban early start, “horse vehicles” were companies with trams covering have changed population, growth of city areas, slow to win popularity in the big over 6,000 miles a year and pro- human history industrial development and the cities of Europe and North Amer- viding 188m passengers with and induced pace of life acceleration brought ica in the first half of the 19th cen- transport. The invention of the civilizational progress and about the need to develop urban tury. They were gradually displac- steam engine replaced “horse ve- modernization transport. Thus the tram was to ing horse-drawn omnibuses, the hicles” with steam power trams of the eco- put an end to urban chaos, to lay predecessors of modern buses. and cable cars, but it was the elec- nomic, social the basis for public transportation The principal trouble with horse tric current that brought the great- and cultural in large cities and make it easier trams was the inconvenient ex- est potential for developing this landscape. This for workers to get to plants and ploitation of animals usually hav- means of transport. story tells about factories and for sellers to get to ing to work several hours per day, The electric tram is the brain- trams, the first city markets. needing maintenance and care. child of the genius engineer and urban means of Moreover, they left a lot behind to inventor Werner von Siemens. His transport. FROM HORSE TRAM TO clean up. Siemens & Halske company ELECTRIC VEHICLE But in spite of these defects opened the world's first tram line The first trams originated in the (not really apparent at that time), between Berlin and Lichterfeld in British Isles (Wales) in the begin- horse trams were the first to start 1881, and in the same year electric 38|the ukrainian week|№ 14 (37) September 2012 Industrial revolution|history trams started moving along the streets of Paris. The United States established their urban electric transport in- dependent of Europe. The first American tram was launched in 1885 thanks to inventor Leo Daft, and a year later, Pittsburgh, New York and Cincinnati had their own tram lines. It was in 1885, too, that Minneapolis opened a tram de- signed by another inventor, Charles Van de Poule. The final flourish was added by engineer Frank J. Sprague, the inventor of the world's first trolley system. THE COST OF A MISTAKE The first tram in Ukraine was launched in Kyiv in 1892. Its cre- THE on 9 June and passenger transport 1917 revolution. Belgian business- TRENDSETTER: ator, engineer and businessman Kyiv Herbrand was successfully launched on 13 men later took over the Kyiv tram Armand Struve also organized the tram at June 1892. Kyiv citizens must network. The city authorities tried construction of a railway bridge Fundukleyivska have been proud of the event, as it to buy out the profitable industry across the Dnipro River (currently Street, now was the first tram in the Russian and induced a lingering confron- Darnytskiy Bridge in Kyiv), the Bohdana Empire. tation with the foreign investor first centralized water supply and Khmelnytskoho Other cities were quick to wanting to either keep its share in gas lighting system. St, early 20th adopt the idea of city electric the business or at least gain the Kyiv's electric tram was century transport. Having estimated the highest possible profit. But in the launched in Kyiv due to a curious prospects of the business, offers end the revolution made losers out incident. Struve managed to get a from foreign companies rolled of both parties. In 1919, the tram concessionary right to establish into Ukraine. The next electric business was nationalized by the the first city network of horse tram tram was launched by a Belgian Bolsheviks. lines in 1881, after a tough com- company in Katerynoslav (cur- petitive fight. But the first year of rently Dnipropetrovsk) in 1897. It CITY BRAND transport exploitation brought the was the third tram of that type in Ukraine’s second electric tram was inventor big losses. Horses tired Ukraine (after Kyiv and Lviv) and launched in Lviv in 1894, when quickly on Kyiv's steep slopes and the city authorities announced a were unable to pull heavy tram The tram was to put an end tender for the transport system. cars full of passengers an entire The reasons were quite mundane day. A tram required 10 animals a to urban chaos and to lay – horse trams could no longer day to operate. the basis for public cope with the volume of passen- After this, Armand tried to use gers. Siemens & Halske won the locomobile (steam tram) in diffi- transportation in cities tender and launched the Lviv elec- cult areas, but this was not tric tram line on 31 May 1894. This cheaper, and so the inventor de- indeed in the entire Russian Em- was the fourth tramway in the cided to have an electric tram — pire. Saint Petersburg got its first Austro-Hungarian Empire. the latest European innovation — electric tram only in 1907. But local horse carriers blem- run down Kyiv streets. The Nijvel company (Belgium) ished the almost perfect project. The administration of Kyiv launched transportation in Odesa The first local tram was pelted telegraph, fearing electric engines TRAM DEPOT: in 1910. Electric cars also operated with tomatoes and rotten eggs. A Tram repair would interfere in the work of garage in the on the streets of Yelysavethrad wife of one of the carriers, Lviv electricity and telegraph networks, 1930s (currently Kirovohrad) before the newspaper wrote, “proposed to a strongly opposed new means of tram something totally impossible transport. Some city council depu- to make and accompanied the ties, in particular those linked to proposition with relevant ges- the owners of stud farms, were tures”. In short, the woman pro- quick to support the telegraphers. posed the vehicle “to kiss her ass”. But the engineer managed to set Lviv carriers’ reaction was natural, the project in motion after getting as the tram was ruining their busi- Kyiv millionaire Lazar Brodskiy ness. Still, progress could not be involved. stopped and city electric trams The first two trams were built even appeared in Chernivtsi be- based on American designs at the fore World War I. Russian Kolomenskiy machine New trams drastically building plant in which Struve was changed the look of the cities. It is a shareholder. The tram was hard today to imagine cities tested by the official commission cleaning up straw dumps and the № 14 (37) September 2012|the ukrainian week|39 history|Industrial revolution

smell of excrement. As horses Republic, all the Poles were number of people from their faded away, streets stopped being evicted. As Poles made up 80% of homes to work. Compared to un- cobbled. Trams also started play- the city tram management, Lviv derdeveloped motor transport, ing a social role. It was now nor- had to recruit railway personnel trams were cheap and efficient. mal for citizens to have tram sto- and experts from Eastern Ukraine In 1920, all the largest cities of ries and jokes, to make acquain- to fully resume transport. the world were covered with tram tances and even fall in love while rails. But at the beginning of the in transport. CONTRASTING 1930s the development of trams in The Lviv tramway line func- DEVELOPMENT Europe and North America began tioned in spite of all the political At the beginning of the 20th cen- to differ from developments in the and military turbulences of the tury, the tram won popularity in USSR. In the West, trams began to first half of the 20th century and the biggest cities all over the lose the competitive struggle with later became one of the cultural other means of transport — buses brands of the Western Ukraine In 1920, all the largest and private cars. Besides, there capital. The tram business was al- was another electric rival – trol- most devastated during World cities of the world leybusses which required a War II, in particular due to the were covered with cheaper infrastructure. As a result, shooting and bombing that was in 1930s tram development part of the Soviet assault in Sep- tram rails slowed, while after the World War tember 1939 and the Red Army's II city streets were already full of seizing the city in July 1944. world. City expansion, active in- private cars, gradually turning The tram line was suddenly dustrial and technological prog- trams into anachronisms. halted in 1947. Due to after-war ress made public transport a cru- In 1971, French President “population exchanges” between cial issue, as it was necessary to Georges Pompidou said that the Poland and the Ukrainian Soviet organize the transport of a great city had to accept the motor car. 40|the ukrainian week|№ 14 (37) September 2012 His words depicted the world trend in urban transport. During the 1960s and 70s, trams almost disappeared from the city streets of North America, France, Great Britain, In- dia, Turkey, Australia and so on. Mean- while, the situation in Germany, Austria and Belgium was completely different. There trams were not only still used, but also modernized; the tram's native land was not willing to give up its invention — a de- sire which proved to be a good decision. At the end of 1970s, motor transport de- velopment led to new urban problems, namely the deterioration of city environ- ments and huge traffic. Smog, traffic jams, noise and a lack of parking places became a city routine. Municipal administrations had to spend significant funds on bus fuel due to high oil prices. As authorities faced the need to protect their environments, more ecolog- ically-friendly public transport was found in a revival of trams. To achieve this, engineers needed to encourage car drivers to use trams, which required a new attitude to the old-fash- ioned transport. New electric tram design- ers provided their vehicles with futuristic looks. In 1978 new tram lines were estab- lished in Canada and later in the Nether- lands, France and Great Britain. For places where it was impossible to put rails, ex- perts proposed an alternative of trams on tires with the vehicle moving with the help of wheels and one rail. The tram revival process included one more interesting detail – the majority of car drivers refused point-blank to sit on a bus or a trolleybus, but willingly used rail transport. Mostly due to this, the tram finally won the competitive struggle with trolleybus. The USSR did not have any of these highs and lows, as trams never disappeared CHEAP PUBLIC from Soviet city streets. Instead, the Soviet TRANSPORT: Union modernized them, in particular by Trams were establishing express tram lines in Kyiv and extremely Kryvyi Rih. This was due to the fact that in popular in the contrast to Europe and America, cars were a USSR due to the luxury for the average Soviet citizen and ill-developed car industry most of the population had no alternative to surface transport, apart from trams. The situation in Ukraine changed radi- cally after independence in 1991. A huge number of private cars and minibuses re- duced the scale of surface passenger trans- port by trams. Meanwhile insufficient fi- nancing has led to the deterioration of tram lines. In many cities, trams have essentially disappeared. In Kyiv, a public movement has been set up called Kyivans for Public Transport, whose members demand the city's tram and trolleybus networks be pre- served. Now Ukrainian cities are facing the same problems their Western counterparts faced in the 1970s. Traffic jams have already led many drivers leave their cars in the parking lots and use the subway or tram in- stead. culture & arts|Czech Centre in Ukraine

Dagmar Ostrzhanska: “People need something to identify themselves with. What should it be? Language of course!”

he language issue is a tool Interviewer: recommendations about certain want to organize a seminar for for speculation in Ukraine, Yuliya events. There are very few an- seven art curators. It will be a real the Ukrainian book publish- Stakhivska nouncements and posters adver- journey including visits to Czech Ting industry is being ruined tising events of really high quality. museums, galleries and exposition and the country sticks to its tradi- For instance, I am not interested centres to get your managers ac- tional cultural isolation, while in mainstream, while there is quainted with the area and to many European countries use plenty of information about that. awaken their interest. Next year their diplomatic missions for ac- The issue concerns galleries too, it we are going to organize an exposi- tive representation of their hu- is difficult to find them as they are tion of three modern Ukrainian manitarian sectors. What is more, often hidden in enclosed streets. artists in the gallery of the Czech they induce Ukrainians into dia- It is totally different in the Czech Centre in Prague. That will be a logue. Dagmar Ostrzhanska, di- Republic and the rest of Europe, joint project with curator Mykola rector of the Czech Centre in Kyiv where showcases of galleries and Skyba. Meanwhile, we would like tells The Ukrainian Week of bookshops are available in central to see our painters at the next Czech-Ukrainian cultural rela- Ukrainian ‘Arsenale’. It will be tions, the Ukrainian art under- I spent five years learning quite a surprise if the Czech Re- ground and the language inertness public will not be presented either of Ukrainians. Ukrainian and I'm often at the biennale, or at the Sculpture surprised when the locals Festival in the Botanical Gardens, U.T.: Could you describe the es- meaning that our country is absent tablishment of Czech cultural cen- do not speak it on the world cultural map. tres? Were they initiated by the state? streets. Though, you know, I have U.T.: Which Czech writers are go- Yes, it was a state initiative. never regretted spending time on ing to visit Ukrainian book events Czech centres were subordinate to ‘cultural searches’ in Ukraine. this year? the Foreign Affairs Ministry. ‘Sis- Books are also important for us ter states’ of the former social U.T.: What challenges do you of course, as they last long. We have camp, including Romania, Bul- have working in the Czech Centre a Ukrainian partner, Tempora pub- garia, Hungary, USSR and Poland, in Kyiv? lishing house, working jointly with all had similar centres. After 1989 It is a rather complicated area. us on four books to be published and various geopolitical changes For instance, we don’t have our next year. We have also established new centres were founded in West- own gallery, unlike similar centres a translators’ competition together ern Europe, America, Japan and in Moscow, Paris and New York. with the Consulate General of the Ukraine of course. In general most So I have to look for exposition Czech Republic. There will be new of our centres (22 in total) are lo- halls by myself and deal with gal- publications based on the competi- cated in Europe. They deal mainly lery keepers who mostly treat the tion’s results. The Czech Culture with the representation and pro- issue as simple business instead of Ministry also provides us with sup- motion of Czech culture in the cultural support. There are real port and grants for translations of world. I’d like to mention that in supporters of course, but most of our literature abroad. Unfortu- 1996 when the Czech Centre in them are only willing to work on nately, publishing houses lack in- Kyiv was being established negoti- terms of leasing. Such a peremp- formation about it, thus we are call- ations were on the way as to the tory approach leaves no room for a ing on them to cooperate. Besides, establishment of a similar Ukrai- gallery itself, as it should surely currently we are deciding which nian centre in Prague. I don’t know have its own concept and interests. writers are to visit the Lviv Publish- why they were unsuccessful. ers’ Forum. Famous authors, U.T.: Speaking of gallery halls, namely Jaroslav Rudiš, are to par- U.T.: Is modern Ukrainian culture Czech contemporary art and Da- ticipate. Moreover we are planning "In terms of Czech presented well enough in films, I recommend vid Černý, for instance, come to to translate End of Punk in Hel- Ukraine? Protector (Protektor mind. Are there any joint projects sinki, a novel by Mr. Rudiš. We are in Czech) by Marek with Ukraine in this area? also working on the publication of There are interesting places Najbrt and Alois here, but one has to search for Nebel, an animated It is weird, but our countries Petra Hůlová’s novel about emi- them. In general many events are drama directed by have not even signed an intercul- grant Ukrainians living in the Czech held in Ukraine in fact, but they Tomáš Lunák" tural cooperation agreement yet. It Republic. Translations of Hovno are, let us say, underground ones. means everything we are working hoří (Shit on fire) by Petr Šabach One has to make some effort to on is our way ‘from the bottom’. and children’s fairytales by Markéta get any relevant information or But there is no point in waiting, ac- Baňková are also on the way. We’d pay attention to acquaintances’ tion is needed. That is why we also like to publish three plays by 42|the ukrainian week|№ 14 (37) September 2012 Czech Centre in Ukraine|culture & arts Václav Havel which would be a in 1992. Many people were sym- nias. I don’t like conflicts in general good suite for a new book Disident pathetic to me saying “Oh, Yugo- and I think it is wonderful to know Václav Havel by Daniel Kaiser, slavia! You’re going through a more languages. There is another is- which is now available in Ukrainian war…”. Europe knew nothing of sue – I’m not sure Russian speaking bookshops. We are interested in the Czech Republic’s existence! people actually know this language. further cooperation, as Ukrainians For instance, the French were re- Russians do not think so at least. probably know too few Czech writ- ally surprised to know we have a People need something to identify ers or novels. They often mention border with Germany! They often themselves with. What should it be? nothing but The Good Soldier Švejk thought we were refugees… But Language of course! I think every- by Jaroslav Hašek and stories by Vaclav Havel helped the Czech one should figure out what the Bohumil Hrabal. Republic; he was not only a presi- words ‘native country’ means for dent and artist, but also a citizen him and/or her. Foreigners are al- U.T.: What general trends in mod- of the world, opening our country ways amazed at the local language ern Czech literature could you to others. Meanwhile, Euro 2012 issue. They are mostly unaware of highlight? has helped you; it turned out to be your historical peculiarities, that’s I have already mentioned Pe- an advertisement for you. why they perceive only facts, namely tra Hůlová, Jaroslav Rudiš and the one that they have come to an Petr Šabach. Mostly they are trans- U.T.: Your Ukrainian is really independent country where many lated in Scandinavia, Germany and good! Where did you learn it? people speak a different language. Austria. Almost all our neighbour- Well, I had Ukrainian studies ing countries know these writers. and art history as my major in There is also an interesting young Brno University. Later I had a writer Kateryna Tuchkova. Her training course in Kyiv and worked novel Exile of Hertha Šnirh deals in the Crimea. with complicated points of the country’s history. The thing is that U.T.: We are currently wit- Czechs’ cool tempers are always a nessing the bilingual prob- cover for laziness. Let’s think of lem of Ukraine becoming the fact that we were not protect- more acute. How do you ing our country, when the Ger- think the public should mans came. We did not fight and respond? surrendered; only borders were The Czech Repub- defended. There was another point lic is known to have of this sort, namely expatriation of got rid of this prob- numerous Germans living in the lem a long time Czech Republic after 1945, they ago; it has been were evicted or killed. Kateryna 150 years now Tuchkova’s book tells about a since we had a lan- woman from Brno, where a large guage ‘turn’. Since German community had lived. A then the Czech lan- people can only realize its mistakes guage has had a po- over time, as it is very difficult to sition equal to Ger- be fair after a war. man, while nowadays we don’t discuss the issue at U.T.: Which Ukrainian writers are all. Czechs had no issues of familiar to Czechs? this sort even when living to- Those particularly interested gether with Slovaks within a in this issue might mention mod- single republic. ern authors, such as Oksana Zabu- Having been here earlier I zhko, Yuriy Andrukhovych and was always irritated by the num- Serhiy Zhadan. These are the au- ber of people not speaking Ukrai- thors actively visiting book events nian, I even felt offended. I spent in the Czech Republic. five years studying it, while some of the locals do not speak it and use U.T.: What about those who have surzhik (a mix of Russian and Ukrai- no particular interest in the issue, nian – Ed.). I am usually surprised what do they know of Ukraine in at being asked to pay in general? roubles in a store and Ordinary Czechs are aware of point out that I have the only thing about Ukrainians, nothing but hryv- namely of their ‘work’, they know nothing about your culture. I was not a fan of Euro 2012, but, it was the event which made many peo- ple in the world aware of the exis- tence of Ukraine. I had a similar experience when I went abroad culture & arts|Documentary film ksandr ch e km niov ol e ksandr photo: Eternal Questions on Film A feature documentary by director Oleksandr Balahura is a summary of the past 15-20 years in Ukraine of sorts

Author: ife Span of the Object in conceptual and serious full-length phy is still art that continues to Yaroslav Frame began with a photo- documentary feature film at a comprehend and explore itself. It Pidhora- graph taken by Oleksandr time when people are mostly is still able to raise important Hviazdovsky LChekmeniov seven or eight interested in movies that questions and I hope we do so in years ago at Privoz, a huge market entertainment them? our film. We spent three years in Odesa. The girl on the left of the – Yes, everything becomes a searching for funding. Everyone picture told the director that the “product” these days but some realized that this was not a project main character of the photograph things cannot be valued from a that would bring profits. In this – the woman sleeping under the commercial perspective. It’s sim- sense, its value was unknown. I’m counter – used to be a homeless ple: opera and music, especially not trying to be a snob here, but I red-haired beauty. She froze to classical music, cannot live by have to say that I wanted to make death on the street after an illegal market rules because they will not it the way it is now. When you find operation to remove her organs. survive or transform into some- something that is of concern to thing different – and that’s what you, when you want to do some- UW: Don’t you think it’s too is happening right now. Even af- thing about it and it is done sin- presumptuous to plan a ter a hundred years, cinematogra- cerely, there will be people that 44|the ukrainian week|№ 14 (37) September 2012 Documentary film|culture & arts are also concerned about it as UW: Interestingly, you don’t play not. It has many entertainment well. this game by modern rules. You elements and staged episodes, but You see for us, this film is a use the rhythm from the past is a document, because it con- sort of tour and adventure. At the with the slow speech of a cerns serious issues. same time, we’re doing our best to narrator behind the scenes and remain ourselves, not lose our- the slow flow of stills… UW: Is there an underlying social selves and continue raising impor- – It all depends on what you message in your film? Can the tant issues. As always. Times today want to say and how to deliver it. “irreversible 15-20 years” you are different to what they were be- You have probably seen the mention at the beginning, fore –faster and more urgent, Oleksandr trailer. It will be different in the pertain to Ukrainian society as a something that cinematography Balahura film. Some episodes are quick and whole? Are you saying that we is a the director of failed to notice what happened and television use today, but it is a more than 20 doc- energetic. Others are slow. We are terrible thing that affects people. umentary films. He dealing with a piece of reality be- because we were not looking The possibility to manipulate is graduated from cause the photograph is part of it, outside the box? endless these days and propa- the History Depart- and then we discuss it: why did it – It’s not even about us being ganda films – old and new alike – ment of the Taras emerge and why someone pressed absorbed in ourselves and failing Shevchenko Na- are all based on it. Albeit weaker tional University of the shutter button at this specific to notice what is around us, but than before, but it still exists. A Kyiv. Mr. Balahura moment? But we don’t fully un- because we contemplate it in person holding such a weapon was awarded nu- derstand the sense of what hap- depth, thinking only for and about must be morally ready for this and merous prizes. He pened and why it happened this ourselves. Our film has this self- has worked at the know what to say and how to say Ukrainian Film way. Eadweard Muybridge, an irony. We don’t offer recipes. We it. Previously, when people were Chronicle Studio for English-American photographer only ascertain the state and try to poorly educated, this weapon took 10 years. Mr. Bala- of the late 19th and early 20th cen- figure it out. In truth, this is a the form of words, which were hura has lived in It- tury, is one example. He cata- general universal situation, when aly since the late treated responsibly. Before writing 1990s. logued motion and I don’t think a person loses himself/herself in something, monks would apolo- he realized completely what ex- life and looks for a way out – gize to God by saying “I’m helpless actly he was a part of. Today’s something that everyone under- and humble”. Hence the phrase: photograph can have a totally dif- stands. “A thought once uttered is untrue.” ferent sense in 30 years time, compared to what we wanted it to UW: Rarely can what you plan in UW: Your film is a compilation of be. A photograph lives a life of its your head and write on paper be old photographs of people, birds, own. embodied in films. Remember animals and buildings. It’s also Tarkovsky’s Stalker, when you black and white. Is this nostalgia UW: Its life or yours? Do you enter the room of wishes? What for the past or is it just a stylistic show the reality of a photograph did you receive once you tool to reflect your world-view? or your vision of it? The question entered? – A film is never made just for – You’ve touched upon an im- the sake of it. It always focuses on portant thing. It’s like an amateur something – love, war or nostal- Paradoxically, a feature video – you shoot picnics, birth- gia – and it is necessary to deter- film often turns out to be days and people on the street and mine how it will be shot. In other at some point, it becomes time – words, a film is always a film more documentary than a something bigger than a picnic about a film. It’s about the mate- documentary film and people. What I’m trying to say rial and the attitude towards it. is that you never know what will Take a sculptor: he thinks about is whether your film is a happen later, no matter what you how to make his sculpture before document, the truth or yet do: write a book or shoot a film. he begins, because the material another manipulation? Even doing this, it feels as if you and the language in which you – The definition of a genre is are entering this Tarkovsky’s talk to it are extremely important. often misleading. Some, such as room. It’s a risk because you have How do you say “I love you”? Take Michael Moore, do it intention- no idea what you’ll come out with. Romeo and Juliette or Tristan ally, as a manifesto. Some do it It’s a matter of sincerity, soul, and Isolde – everything was about unintentionally – someone can heart and responsibility. You how they and their feelings were think they are creating the truth should remember that at the end portrayed. Film is the same. You with such beliefs, but in fact, the of the road, you will have to pay. take material that does not lie to film will not be truth. Paradoxi- But to do something, you have to you – a photograph that you can cally, in this sense, a feature film enter the room. So, you always use as you like. You can focus on often turns out to be more docu- have to enter it. Tarkovsky’s parts of it, experiment with it and mentary than a documentary film. Stalker is great in this respect, be- move along and away from it, and It immediately reveals the cards, cause he explained how it func- it will still be the same. This em- saying that we will play the his- tions: you enter the room of bodies the maxim that cinematog- tory of a Danish prince for you on wishes every time you say or do raphy is all about editing. You a specific Thursday of a specific something. Every day. So, should also have to remember that you year. On the other hand, a docu- you be silent? But silence is also are playing and answering certain mentary film which represents it- an expression. The wish you take moral questions: how far can you self as such, is often not. I’m not into the room is what matters. get in the game and what exactly sure if Life Span of the Object in And don’t enter it if you can stay do you want to do. Frame is a documentary film or away. Or enter it if you can’t. № 14 (37) September 2012|the ukrainian week|45 navigator|reviews & event calendar cartoons The Hero, the Son of a Hero Serhiy Havrylov, scriptwriter and creative producer, on Mykyta Kozhumyaka, the first Ukrainian full-length 3D-cartoon

Author: ork on the first Ukrai- But of course, it’s always easier to concept, which is now beginning to Yaroslav nian full-length 3-D use stories that everyone under- dominate in the world – evil can- Pidhora- cartoon, “Mykyta Ko- stands as a basis. The story of Ky- not be conquered by evil. It’s as if Hviazdovsky Wzhumyaka” should be rylo Kozhumyaka, is the story of a Kyrylo did the right thing – killed finished by the end of the year. It dragon-slayer that is known the dragon. But in stories from the is based on the Ukrainian story throughout the world. Since our East, it is impossible to ultimately about Kyrylo Kozhumyaka, but project was commercial from the kill a dragon: if you destroy it, you the cartoon is a compilation of the very start, it’s impossible to recoup become a dragon yourself, having imagination and most diverse leg- the project on just the Ukrainian absorbed all the evil that was in- ends, books and other cartoons. market, so we are counting on the side it. So in our cartoon, we chose The Ukrainian Week spoke West. Having said this, it’s very a somewhat different path: in the about the forthcoming 3-D film difficult to to break onto the mar- instance before Kyrylo is going to with Serhiy Havrylov, its screen- ket – The only things associated kill the dragon, his hand stops … writer and creative producer. with Ukraine at this stage are the Klitschko’s, Shevchenko and Chor- UW: You began work in 2007, UW: Your project is based on the nobyl. We have learned that the but you only applied for the cin- famous character from Ukrainian Ukrainian story about Kozhu- ema project tender of the newly- folktales. It can be said that they myaka is appreciated in Europe, established State Cinema Agency are a safe option for animation Asia and America. This is story last year. Why so late? and cinema as a whole, which about a little boy who is different – In truth, we received fund- Americans consider to be comics? from his parents and is searching ing from a private source five – Just like American comics, for his own identity. When he finds years ago, which fully covered all all legends and myths are based on himself in a magical world, it turns necessary expenses. But in 2008, archetypes: a social misfit, who into reality. We did not base it only in the heat of the crisis, our in- overcomes adversities and be- on the legend. I was interested in vestor went bankrupt and the comes a hero. And just like origi- learning the legend about Kyrylo project ground to a halt. We were nal legends and subjects, there are during the process of the film’s de- trying to sell it to someone else not so many of these archetypes. velopment and finally reach the until 2011. We failed, and only

Events 20 September, 6.30 p.m. 20 September, 7 p.m. 21–23 September A Ballet Spectacle The Last Klezmer of Halizia Odesa JazzFest 2012 The Odesa Opera The Lviv Philharmonic Odesa Oblast Philharmonic and Ballet Theatre (7, vul. Tchaikovskoho, Lviv) (15, vul. Bunina, Odesa) (1, Tchaikovsky Prov., Odesa) Klezmer is the non-religious music Music lovers have the opportunity An exotic fusion of classical and of East European Jews, performed to catch some late-September jazz modern ballet elements in one in a unique style. Some say that, on the Black Sea coast, which will show makes the Ballet Spectacle similar to other folklore traditions, host a four-day jazz festival. The unlike any other ballet show the Klezmer music was passed down fans of swing and improvisation audience has ever experienced. from generation to generation, will enjoy the performance of Fragments of classical ballets from from father to son. Pianist Leop- legendary Polish jazzman Zbigniew the grand masters of the past were old Kozlowski, known as the only Namysłowski and his quintet who expertly complemented with ideas authentic performer of Klezmer will play in Odesa for the first time. from renowned modern choreogra- music and the last representative of A tasty cocktail of jazz, ethno rock phers, directors and the local Brandwein and indie pop will be choirmasters from Klezmer dynasty and presented by Georgian Ukraine and Russia. his music theatre will vocalist Atina Kor- A unique aspect share the mystery of nelius, and the Klazz of the show is that the Klezmer sound and Brothers from Ger- most of the perfor- performance with the many will please the mances and music audience. audience with dance in the programme jazz covers of classical will premier on the pieces by Mozart and Odesa stage. Schubert. 46|the ukrainian week|№ 14 (37) September 2012 reviews & event calendar|navigator applied to the state once – We have one hero, plex, we worked really hard to we understood that the Rysyk, who speaks in slang, make it the way it is now. project could die alto- just like the children of gether. Everything has today. But the main UW: In a recent interview, for chan­­ged now: after the issue is the subject. some reason you compared the Cannes cinema market, From the very start, film toH arry Potter as far as 40 countries have al- we decided not to depth and scope is concerned… ready expressed in- make an exact division be- – In Harry Potter, society is terest in acquiring tween good and evil: in clearly divided into “wizards” and the rights to show other words, this is white, “muggles”, where only one caste, the film after its com- and this is black. We never only those chosen could practice pletion in December wanted to kill anyone – magic. In our cartoon, everyone of this year, simply on and we didn’t. Our anti- has access to sorcery and everyone the basis of the trailer. We hero is a witch, who can become a sorcerer, providing already have a Ukrainian dis- wanted to destroy the they stick to eight rules. Harry Pot- tributor, B&H, we are in negoti- world, ultimately gets ter killed Voldemort, while Mykyta ations with American and Ger- better - because this is Kozhumyaka does not kill the man companies on the sale of what the child wanted. dragon, but accepts it within him- distribution rights throughout At the end, the witch, self. The point is this: there is no the world… Actually, we were mocking Mykyta as only an adult need to kill anything within your- aware of our goals from the very intellectual can ridicule a child can, self; it’s better to come to terms start, and understanding that the asks: “What good do you see in with it… I understand that this is rest of the world would have a me?!” To which he responds: “You quite daring. But we wanted to hard time pronouncing Mykyta are very beautiful”. It’s as simple combine a commercial format with Kozhumyaka, our English and candid as that, after all Mykyta, spiritual and meaningful mes- friends, after digging around in just like every child, sees only good sages. We were concerned with the Oxford dictionary, found an in everything he sees … In truth, by some things and we tried to reflect equivalent – Niki Tanner. How- 2008, the screenplay was very com- them. So the words “first Ukrai- ever, there are many interpreta- nian cartoon blockbuster” are only bio tions, and among them, “Tanner” at the top, while the contents make is not the most wide-spread one. Serhiy Havrylov up a very personal product, a very He has been involved with TV commer- personal film. It’s made up of our UW: The Moscow-based Melnitsa cials since 1997 (Master-Video, now – ideas, for example forgiveness, the Star Master). His clients include the studio took the course of updat- most famous brands and chain agen- acceptance of everything because ing the language of its heroes cies. In 2006, he created the renewed everything we have comes from and filling it with slang and ac- Vechirnya Kazka (Bedtime Story) with God. If you want, this cartoon can tual allusions, that can be easily Drimka the bear cub, in a 3D format for be called a compilation of a range understood by the masses. What Channel 1. He then received a proposal for the creation of of different ideas with the national did you choose? the first full-length cartoon as a screenwriter. Ukrainian characteristics.

21–29 September 27 September 28–30 September GogolFest Nazareth Coffee in Lviv, the 4th Urban Festival Abandoned experimental Docker Pub mechanic plant (25, vul. Bohatyrska, Kyiv) Ploshcha Rynok (Market (6, vul. Budindustriyi, near Docker Pub celebrates its 10th anni- Square) (downtown Lviv) Vydubychi metro station, Kyiv) versary with legendary rock bands, All coffee lovers and fans of intense The biggest cultural and art event such as Nazareth, one of the bright- aroma and tart flavours, are invited is returning to Ukraine. Festival est hard rock bands on the British to a cup of coffee at the annual cof- founder Vlad Troitsky and his Dakh scene of the mid-1970s. As part of fee festival hosted in Lviv. The black theatre are preparing to stage its world tour, the band will play fragrant drink will be served in every the story of Judith, the biblical songs from its latest album called small and large cafe in town, as well heroine who saved her city from Big Dogz, as well as its old hits as on rooftops and in cellars. Each destruction. The actors will also Broken Down Angel, Love Hurts and will serve its own individual version. present the trilogy of Macbeth, many more. This is not the first time Coffee-brewing experts from all King Lear and Richard III. that Nazareth over Ukraine Other events at the festival is performing will do their will include new academic at the Docker best to please music, art-house films and Pub. Their last their visitors an art project from Pavlo concert at this with a taste of Hudimov. Folk band Da- venue was in coffee they will khaBrakha will accompany March 2011. not forget until the presentation of Earth, the next coffee the legendary film by Olek- festival in Lviv. sandr Dovzhenko. № 14 (37) September 2012|the ukrainian week|47 navigator|mykolayiv Rocky Steppe Mykolayiv Oblast’s attraction is the energy of the turbulent Southern Buh and the virginity of its granite prairies

Author and an you feel what this maisky district. “It’s an ancient ing appears to be frozen. The photos: air is like? Delicious, village. A Cossack winter camp wheels that were once turned by Marichka juicy, so good you can was founded here in the early 18th turbulent water are now covered Paplauskaite “Cspread it on bread,” century,” says the guide, Olek- with rust in places. There is a says Vadym breathing deeply. He sandr. “Legend has it, that once warning sign before the narrow came to Korabelka with a group of upon a time, Turkish territories path to the bay – entrance to the tourists from Mykolayiv to cele- were on the other side of the river. waterworks is prohibited. But brate the holidays. Korabelka is When Cossacks lit their fires at the bungee rope, hanging over the name given to the area where night, they flickered in the dis- the water just under the wall of the small River Korabelna flows tance, which is where the village the power station, clearly indi- into the Southern Buh (photo 1). got its name from. They also say cates that the locals are ignoring We descend from the road down that this is the birthplace of Cos- the ban. A fabulous landscape into the valley. The air is truly sack Mamay. I’m not sure this is lies in front of the facility: flat, great – it smells of grasses, true, but one of the islands on the mirror-like water abruptly warmed by the rays of the sun. On river bears his name." breaks off, creating a small wa- this rocky path, every other step Today however, there is little terfall, flowing rapidly, gaining causes lizards to slip out from un- evidence of the legendary past. strength at each subsequent derfoot. A small peninsula ap- Just about one house in three rapid, going on and on until it fi- pears in front of us. We set up along the road is ruined, and the nally disappears around the cor- camp here, under a well-formed road bridge in the middle of the ner. bridge between the two rivers. village has a long hole right down the middle. On the other hand, for A rafting paradise A village of Cossacks and some reason, the local restaurant Most cars on rural local roads ostriches welcomes guests in English and carry rafts (small inflatable boats). Part of the group remains at the German, offering ostrich dishes. “People often raft down the river camp while another takes a short The old power station (photo here. They train and compete bus-ride to Myhiya in the Pervo- 4) is nearby. The red-brick build- here. These are the second most

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48|the ukrainian week|№ 14 (37) September 2012 mykolayiv|navigator difficult rapids in Ukraine,” says Oleksandr. Within a few minutes, we can see the training for ourselves (photo 3). They can be seen from the cliffs rising above the river. At the bottom, as if on the palm of a hand, the channel makes a sharp turn, which is where we see sev- eral rafts, about 10 rowers in each and a couple of single-person ca- noes, that throw themselves into the elements one after the other. They try to fight the current, but the water carries them back and often tips them over. But they don’t give up – they circle around and plunge into battle once more. An abandoned granite quarry lies ahead. People have left a huge wound in the cliffs, which go into the depths of the earth in spiral circles. It is now filled with calm and clean water, reflecting the blue sky. “They say that when the gran- ite became radioactive, the quarry was closed in such a hurry, that an excavator was forgotten at the bot- tom. It is supposedly still under water at a depth of 60 meters,” says our guide. “My friends planned to dive into the so-called Black Lake to see if this is true. But I don’t know if they succeeded.” The ransacked mill It was already raining in the morn- ing of the next day, but we still choose to do some more wander- ing. We cross the river to the other

№ 14 (37) September 2012|the ukrainian week|49 navigator|mykolayiv Worth seeing: 3 HydroelectricP ower Station A former water mill, built in Myhiya by the Skarzhynsky family, which, during the Soviet era, was reconstructed as a hydroelectric power station. The Myhiya Rapids A network of rapids and rifts in the Myhiya and Southern Buh River region. The wa- ter (boating) tourism route is the second most difficult one in Ukraine Black Lake An abandoned granite quarry, on the site of which a large lake was formed Water mill The ruins of the old water mill in the village of Semenivka. It was used as a ware- house for a while and was ransacked in the 1990’s side of the river and go towards the from South America and Western village of Semenivka. “Yesterday a Europe. They were then planted all travel guide competition was held around the area. We will walk past on the opposite hillside. This was a rare old poplar. They say that the perfect spot from which to Skarzhynsky himself planted it. watch who was running where, and Well maybe not by him personally how others searched. In some cases but definitely during his lifetime.” people were constantly walking A little further on from poplar, back and forth around the control which does indeed look majestic, we Tourists’ corner point but could not find it,” shares find what we were looking for in On the way back, we meet a young Oleksiy, a member of our group. spite of the rain: the ruins of the old man who is collecting the ropes “This competition was organized mill. It was probably a nice building that are tied to the pillars of the by people from Pervomaisk. There once upon a time, but now, all that’s bridge. It appears that jumpers of- were few willing participants – left are bare, half-ruined walls, ten use this bridge. We also met a only one bus and nearly 10 cars.” through which trees are growing. group of a rock climbers from This is not the first time that “This mill was probably built during Mykolayiv. They train on the rocks Oleksiy has visited these places, so Tsarist period. It was closed in the next to our camp organizing the he knows a lot of stories. “At one 1960’s and the building that had al- jumping as entertainment for time, there were difficulties in ways been kept in good condition, How to get themselves. “We jumped yester- growing trees here, just as in most was used as a warehouse. In the there: day. But not today – all the ropes Take the train parts of the region. There was a 1990s it was ransacked. People came to Mykolayiv, are wet from the rain,” says the landowner, Skarzhynsky, who es- in cars and dragged out all the iron, then take young man. tablished a tree nursery in his na- which could be sold as a scrap. This buses and fixed The sky finally clears in the af- tive village, Trykraty, not far from is what that’s left, but it could have route taxis go- ternoon and the rock climbers begin here. He worked on acclimatizing been a tourist attraction,” notes ing to Pervo- their training (photo 2). There is trees and bushes, brought to him Oleksiy sadly. maisk only a small piece of land at the foot

50|the ukrainian week|№ 14 (37) September 2012 mykolayiv|navigator 4

The granite steppe of the rocks, where those ensuring she says of the boys and girls This nature reserve in the southwest of Mykolayiv Oblast the safety of the climbers stand. All training on the nearby rocks. is located in the part of the Ukrainian Shield, which spectators sit on the other side of She also says that the regional hasn’t been covered by sea for nearly 60 million years. the river, which can only be crossed Granitno-Stepove Pobuzhzhya There are massive granite boulders on the rocky banks with the aid of two taut cords. (Granite Steppe Buh Area) nature of the tributaries of the Southern Buh River, that are 40- “My trips to Korabelka are a reserve, which is where we actually 60 meters tall. This area was granted the status of a na- traditional opening of the season,” are, is the winner of The 12 Wonders ture reserve in 1994. The park covers an area of 6,267 says Alla, an experienced tourist, of Mykolayiv contest. “Potentially hectares and has a unique ecosystem. About 900 spe- when talk turned to the fate of this is a great place for tourism and cies of vascular plants, more than 9,000 species of in- these places and tourism. “The it could even bring fame to our re- sects and nearly 300 species of vertebrates grow here. The variety of fish found here includes, for example, the only difference is that my earlier gion. But it seems that no one needs Dnipro barbel (of the carp family), which is only found in trips involved more sport. Here we this, neither the g overnment nor this area. The Danube shemaya (royal) fish, the Aescula- prepared for serious treks in the the locals,” adds Oleksandr. “This pian snake, the yellow-bellied snake, the Saker falcon, Caucasus, for example. Now it is might even be better for us – we the booted eagle, the European otter and badger are all about having a rest. Some have our own little corner where we among other rare inhabitants of the Buh region. In all, young people still continue our can hide from civilization and all ev- 86 species of flora and fauna in the Buh region are on tradition – hiking is a way of life eryday problems. Some cell phones the endangered list. Plant and animal relicts of Mediter- for them, as it once was for us,” don’t even get a signal here.” ranean and Alpine origin can also be found here.

№ 14 (37) September 2012|the ukrainian week|51