| Author (Person) | Horabik, Wieslaw |
|---|---|
| Series Title | European Voice |
| Series Details | Vol.10, No.43, 9.12.04 |
| Publication Date | 09/12/2004 |
| Content Type | News |
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By Wieslaw Horabik Date: 09/12/04 UKRAINE'S eastern and western parts are as much apart as they can be. Everything divides them: history, religion, language, economics, social experience, mentality and the civilization they want to identify with. The history of independent Ukraine is relatively short: a few turbulent months in 1919 and 13 years since it declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. For many centuries, Ukraine had been a Polish colony. The Poles imposed on its western part their administration, social system and military domination; they created the Unitary Orthodox Church subordinated to Rome. The Polish influence could not be overturned by the Russian and then Soviet occupation. People in eastern Ukraine communicate mostly in Russian. The nostalgia for the former Soviet Union is much stronger in Dnepropetrovsk in the east of the country than in Lviv in the west. All remnants of the communist heavy industries are located in the eastern region of Donbas. People in the west dream of the EU and NATO, while inhabitants of Odessa in the south and Donetsk in the east fear the "atomic bomb alliance" (NATO) coming too close to their homes. The Russian Orthodox Church rules undisputedly over the souls of eastern Ukrainians but it fights with the Roman Catholic Church in the west. The most popular dish in the west is Polish-style pierogis, dumplings filled with cheese, while people in the east prefer borscht, Moscow-fashion. Today, the west of the country is celebrating the Supreme Court's decision to cancel the disputed elections, which would have brought Viktor Yanukovich to power, while the east is furious. Yanukovich's supporters from 17 east-Ukrainian districts announced that if Western-looking Viktor Yuschchenko were declared the winner, they would proclaim autonomy for their regions. They launched this threat in the presence of Yuri Luzkov, the mayor of Moscow. Luzkov encouraged them to seek autonomy and dubbed opposition supporters "the Sabbath of the orange devouring witches". Sergei Kunitshyn, the prime minister of Crimea, even spoke of uniting the former lands of the Tartars to the Russian Federation. In the Ukrainian constitution, attempts to partition the country are described as criminal acts of high treason. The deputies from Donetsk in the east, who are preparing a referendum on secession, are thus acting illegally and could in theory be prosecuted. The outgoing President, Leonid Kuchma, condemned the separatist movements and Oleksandr Kuzmuk, the minister of defence, declared that "the army will know how to preserve the territorial integrity of the country". It seems, however, that the central authorities lost control over some of the provincial governments and the opposition is too weak to bring those who break the law to court. The political impasse is so deep and the rift between the two parts of the country so profound that any long-term solution seems difficult. Even considering the election fraud, Yanukovich still won around 40% of the vote (15 million of the Ukrainians support him). Large-scale violence has so far been avoided, but on 29 November, Yanukovich supporters attacked rivals in Lugansk. Among those who were beaten were journalists and observers from the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe. A Canadian diplomat was taken to hospital. The question is whether this was a separate incident or a war cry. "I may go to Kiev any time," warns a Donetsk miner, "and restore order there. I still know how to use a gun." Oleksandr Dergatchov, a political scientist, warns that "the greatest danger is a political and economic destabilization" of the country. On 30 November, the Central Bank in Kiev limited the amount of money that people may withdraw. Foreign investors are showing signs of anxiety and cross-border trade is at a standstill. It is the east that provides most of the country's economic output. Two regions alone, Donetsk and Lugansk, create 40% of Ukraine's gross domestic product. The secession of the east and south of the country would spell the economic decline of western Ukraine. Without financial support from the West, it could not survive. But there is hope that partition can be avoided. "There is no real threat of secession of the eastern regions and creating an autonomous region with the capital in Kharkov," says Orest Sochar, a Ukrainian journalist. "It is a political game; the trick used by the Yanukovich camp to influence the results of the talks with opposition." In addition, neither of the election contenders wants to be president of an amputated country. And no matter who becomes the next president of Ukraine, he will have to make concessions to pacify the other half of the population. To keep the country together, the next incumbent will have to build bridges with both Russia and the EU.
Article portrays Ukraine as a country that is deeply split in terms of history, religion, language, economics, social experience, mentality and the civilisation they want to identify with. |
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| Source Link | http://www.european-voice.com/ |
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| Countries / Regions | Ukraine |
