How people, who were formerly responsible for the present of Donbass, are now "building" its future
On December 10th Kiev hosted a forum entitled "Restoring Donbass and Ukraine" organized by Restoring Donbass NGO. The organization does not hide its connection with one of the members of the "family" of Yanukovych, fugitive ex-Minister of Revenue and Duties Alexander Klimenko. In Ukraine the organization is headed by the ex-deputy chairman of the Donetsk Regional Administration (2006 to 2014) Elena Petryayeva.
It's no secret that Alexander Klimenko, who is suspected of abuse of power or position, is listed as wanted. Pechersk District Court of Kiev satisfied the petition of the Prosecutor General and imposed a pre-trail restraint in the form of detention. Even Interpol's international wanted list does not prevent him from "participating" in the political life in Ukraine. In particular, give an online conference (from Moscow), film and produce videos, comment on events in Ukraine. And not so long ago he was even elected an honorary head of the Uspіshna Krayina political party. The congress was held in Kiev, but the ex-Minister recorded a video message in which he says that many myths are created around him because they are "afraid of him". Marina Dedusheva was chosen as the head of the Uspіshna Krayina party, who led central office maintenance of large taxpayers of the State Tax Service of Ukraine when Klimenko was the Minister.
Klimenko announced Restoring Donbass and Ukraine forum as a very important and necessary event in Ukraine.
"We expect to work out practical steps in the framework of the forum to solve a number of humanitarian issues, rights protection issues and adaptation of internally displaced people and returnees in the region, as well as the economic reintegration of the region, attracting investments in the Ukrainian economy as a whole. Are these questions important? I think so! Does the state do something to solve them? Everyone knows the answer"- wrote he on his Facebook page.
In addition, the fugitive ex-Minister complained on journalists who, in his opinion, create insinuations around the forum. According to Klimenko, the forum is "not political maneuvers and certainly not "a compensation" but the moral duty of everyone who considers himself a citizen of Ukraine".
"Many people in Ukraine recently acquired a habit: to criticize everyone and everything without understanding the question, but do nothing, do not offer alternatives.
Dear journalists, activists and bloggers! I invite you to come tomorrow to the Forum, participate, give your proposals, and then form your opinions", - called Klimenko.
Officially, the purpose of the forum is to create a public platform to find ways to restore Donbass, social and economic development of Ukraine in modern conditions.
OstroV decided to attend the event and, on the advice of Klimenko, create "its opinion".
The forum was held at the NSC Olympiskyi, one of the most expensive areas of Kiev for such events. Before beginning the participants were served with drinks and cakes.
Two hours after the opening of the forum and "plenary session", participants were invited to a lunch: Caesar salad, pies with various fillings, several kinds of canapés and sandwiches. Alexander Klimenko’s presence was felt due to stands with autobiographical book, which everyone could take absolutely free of charge. Those who felt nostalgia for times of "improvement" were "cooled down" by an exhibition of children's drawings "Peace and war through the eyes of the Donbass children ..."
In general, the forum lasted only four and a half hours with lunch. It consisted of 1 plenary session and two discussion panels ("International experience and Ukrainian recovery in the post-conflict areas" and "Economic restoration of Donbass and investments in Ukraine"), which took place simultaneously in two halls. After that there was a closing ceremony.
Participants of the forum and topics of discussion
According to the organizers, the forum was attended by over 150 people, namely representatives of the authorities, the public, expert and scientific field, business. Natalia Korolevska, the deputy from the Opposition Bloc, was seen among them, she talked about "human destiny" of those people" who live on the uncontrolled territory of Donbass, about the orphans, the disabled, about the prisoners, inaction of the current government and so on. Not a word about the Russian aggression and who led the country to war.
"Natalia Korolevska said "to bring peace there". I believe that it’s impossible to bring peace there without having to change the situation in the country. Conversely, changing the situation there helps to change the situation in the country", - commented on Natalia Korolevska’s speech the forum moderator, a well-known Ukrainian journalist Andrey Kulikov.
The former head of Donetsk region, deputy Sergey Taruta spent the least time at the forum, but criticized the current government not less than others. For example, he accused the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko that in Paris they reached an agreement to resolve the conflict in Donbass, the content of which had been hidden from the public.
"We had an agreement, which, unfortunately, did not become known to the general public and the public here in Ukraine. It was clearly decided what to do, how to do and when to do in Paris"- he said, noting that the President of Ukraine announced "his interpretation" of the Paris agreements, which diverges from the fact of what was really agreed.
"This is a clear plan, and it provides, whether we like it or not like it, the adoption of three laws by our Parliament, which may lead to stabilization of the situation. They are painful, they are poorly perceived by society, they are not popular, but they are the only opportunity to bring peace to Donbass and to Ukraine, and we could have the territory reintegrated, though not immediately, but within 1, 5-2 years. This scenario is absolutely real", - said the ex-governor.
Sergey Taruta did not tell what these three laws were. It was impossible to ask him personally because after the speech he left the forum.
S. Taruta complained that the authorities did not have a clear strategy to resolve the conflict and now they were implementing the scenario of its freezing.
He talked not only about the President but also about Samopomich. In particular, Sergey Taruta criticized their initiative to adopt a new law on occupied territories, which proposes the prohibit on the supply of energy resources and water supply to the temporarily occupied territories.
"Instead of consolidating political society at the highest level ... on the contrary, we see a separation. I'm talking about what happened the day before yesterday in the Parliament, when the draft law on the blockade was offered, it’s terrible for me. I'm not too upset when it is signed by Yegor Sobolev or Semen Semenchenko, who claimed to be a great patriot. But when Syroid (Vice Speaker Oksana Syroid - OstroV) signs it, as well as the head of the Samopomich Oleg Berezyuk, it’s a terrible thing for me then. This shows an absolute lack of understanding of what these politicians are doing in lacerations of this painful issue", - said he.
The head of Donetsk (as he was presented) Alexander Lukyanchenko didn’t miss the forum and sat as the guest of honor in the front row.
"Today, at all levels, especially in the higher echelons of power, the conflict is hardly seen and sometimes hidden or there is a simulation of solution to this conflict", - said he.
A. Lukyanchenko also appealed to the media with a very strange request:
"I appeal to the media, it is time to move from the statement of facts to accurate, so to speak, coverage of the problems that currently hinder and aren’t hidden, problems of 15% of the population", - said he.
Andrey Ermolayev, the director of the New Ukraine Institute of Strategic Research spoke and commented the most among the experts. When making his speech he proposed to open a dialogue with the representatives of the self-proclaimed authorities, to provide the region "autonomy instead of the republic", "reasonable administrative and territorial management of other regions of Donbass".
"How to build a country, so that conflicts and faults with the regions are no longer repeated, so that the country is no longer susceptible to outside influence? Among these points: cessation of aggression and no international character of the conflict, non-residents have to leave Ukraine on both sides, creating a format for dialogue with representatives of the self-proclaimed government, autonomy instead republics, reasonable administrative and territorial management of other regions of Donbass, and surely elections", - said he.
It’s worth to mention one more speaker separately, in particular, the Doctor of Economics, Professor, head of Department of International Economics of Donetsk National University (Vinnitsa), Yuriy Makogon who, by the way, in 2010 ran for the deputy of Donetsk regional council on party lists of Russian bloc. His interview appeared on the Russia World website two years after, in which he says that "historically, we are part of the Russian Empire", but the way of Ukraine to Europe lies through the Eurasian Union with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.
"Only in cooperation with Russia and other countries of the CU (Customs Union - OstroV), we will be able to modernize our industry to maintain and develop high-tech industries, to ensure the sale of our products ... The main question: what is our state ideology and most important task? European integration? And what will it bring, if it ever becomes a reality? In the end it will lead to the dissolution of the Ukrainian mentality in certain Europe-wide vision, to the disappearance of Ukrainian identity, which is taken care of by some "conscious" ideologues. In the case of rapprochement with Russia, as evidenced by historical experience, we will have not only physical survival but the preservation and development of national identity", - said Makagon in 2012.
He spoke very emotionally at the forum, but spoke mostly about the economy of Ukraine as a whole, more precisely, on its fall.
"We need to return Donbass to its place on the map of our country", - he concluded his speech, without specifying what kind of place is meant.
The head of the Zakhyst Mothers’ Union organization Nadezhda Kuramshina, who was previously a frequent guest on the Inter TV channel, a participant of the round table organized by Victor Medvedchuk’s Ukrainskyi Vybir movement. She is also accused of organizing demonstrations in Kiev for the introduction of martial law in the country and against the mobilization.
At the forum Nadezhda Kuramshina once again spoke out against the government and from the tribune asked Natalia Korolevska to help them.
"We must bring peace. Today Zakharchenko (Alexander Zakharchenko - the so-called head of the self-proclaimed "DPR" – OstroV) is ready to meet us, the mothers, we do a parent corridor but our politicians do not participate, because they do not want peace, they have everything in order. Please, turn to the people of Ukraine, politicians", - said she. After this performance she had a long tete-a-tete conspiracy with N .Korolevska during a break.
The head of the Restoration of Donbass public initiative Elena Petryayeva (former head of the Donetsk Regional Health Department and ex-deputy chairman of the Donetsk Regional Administration (Bliznyuk, Shishatskiy) presented 12 steps to peace, reconstruction and development of Donbass and Ukraine:
1. Restoration of peace
2. Determination of the status of the region and reintegration policy
3. Safety
4. Support and assistance provided to residents of Donbass
5. Economic reintegration
6. Information and humanitarian reintegration
7. The fight against corruption
8. Reforms in the tax area
9. Economic modernization and innovation in manufacturing
10. Support for small and medium businesses
11. Strategic Management in the system of administration
12. International economic cooperation and investments
"Development of Ukraine without Donbass is very difficult, the development of Donbass without Ukraine is impossible", - said she.
As a result, the forum participants consolidated their intention by Memorandum on further cooperation and joint efforts, which was signed by Restoration of Donbass public initiative, Ukrainian Institute of Analysis and Management Policy, New Ukraine Institute for Strategic Studies and the Institute of social protection of citizens. The purpose of this memorandum is to join efforts to find ways and mechanisms for the development of effective restoration, social and economic development of Donbass and Ukraine.
"I think that we will negotiate more practical steps, practical tools in the reintegration of Donbass next year. There was sarcasm that the forum was lyrical. We have specific mechanisms, accurate plans. But we did not want to make the forum guests scroll their thoughts. We would like to hear you and today a lot of interesting ideas were expressed", - summed up the co-organizer of the forum, the director of the Ukrainian Institute of Policy Analysis and Management Ruslan Bortnik.
"Closing this forum is only the prologue to the great work that will be done", - said the journalist and TV presenter Andrey Kulikov.
In the final part of the forum Andrei Kulikov decided to change the format of the debate and to give people from the audience the opportunity to speak. One of them was the head of Zhitlova spіlka pereselentsіv public organization Sergei Morozov, who criticized the organizers and was generally against such an event.
"I listened to all the speeches from the podium ... to be honest, I was completely shocked ... Why did the conference raise the question of separate Donbass in Ukraine and emphasized that ... so entrenched in the media the idea that the Donbass is separate... I believe that the conference simply provoked information about separate Donbass", - he said, referring to the organizing committee of the forum.
He also noted that the second paragraph in the program of 12 steps to peace, restoration and development of Donbass and Ukraine says: "determination of the status of the region".
"This is what this conference is seeking - the determination of a separate status. And then two deputies (Natalia Korolevska and Sergey Taruta, - OstroV) were sitting silent. The Verkhovna Rada has already called status of these territories - temporarily occupied territories. What else is needed? What status is still needed?... The organizers of this conference are sheer provocateurs who divide Ukraine", - said he.
Head of the Restoration of the Donbass public initiative Elena Petryayeva decided to answer the sharp criticism.
"I forgive you your word of separatism. Let them stay with you, spend the night with them and think if you're right or not, accused people sitting here of this. We have proved with our life and work that there are no separatists here. I forgive you", - she said. It is not clear, however, where the head of the Restoration of Donbass organization heard the words of separatism, S. Morozov’s speech did not have them...
"When I was a kid, I liked to play with magnets. And I saw that "plus" to "plus” repel each other, and if the "plus" to "minus," they attract so that you cannot split them. Therefore, I am very pleased that there was sharp criticism of the organizers and I would say the organizers’ offense to sharp criticism. The more different vision we have... the stronger we are ... Do not let the Donbass and Ukraine down", - summed up philosophically Andrey Kulikov.
In general, the speakers talked about everything and nothing. Basically there was a set of common phrases on the future of Donbass, poor Ukrainian authorities, that do nothing to resolve the conflict, about the continuity of Donbass and Ukraine ... But not a word, and the causes of conflict, but rather about the Russian trace in it and the activities of the Party of Regions to which most of the participants were directly related. Not a word about Viktor Yanukovych and his "family" that led to the crisis ...
Vladislav Bulatchik, OstroV