#48_1-8

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No.48 SEPTEMBER 27, 2018
DAY AFTER DAY
WWW.DAY.KIEV.UA
By Ivan KAPSAMUN, The Day
Weheard no “new and surprising
things” presidential faction
representatives had announced
in Petro Poroshenko’s address to
the Verkhovna Rada. As always,
we can appreciate the good work of
speechwriters, but, judging by the speech,
there will hardly be any radical changes in the
approaches to the head of state’s policies. The
only difference is that the address was shorter
and generally comprised the main directions of
Poroshenko’s upcoming election campaign.
Incidentally, he did not announce, contrary to
some expectations, the intention to run for the
presidency again. In all probability, he will
choose a different, more favorable, moment to
do so.
Here are some of the president’s chief messages:
“I request you to support amendments to
the Fundamental Law on irreversibility of the
course towards Ukraine’s membership in the
EU and NATO.
“It is proposed that the clause that allows
the Black Sea to base in Ukraine be deleted from
the Constitution.
“Ukraine has issued 10 million biometric
passports.
“I have brought into force the National Security
and Defense Council’s decision not to extend
the treaty on the so-called friendship
with Russia.
“Ukraine has closed its representation at
the constituent bodies of the so-called Commonwealth.
“The Ecumenical Patriarch’s envoys have
arrived in Kyiv to prepare a decision to grant
autocephaly to the Ukrainian Local Orthodox
Church.
“The National Television and Radio Council
has published a report on Ukrainian-language
quotas for radio stations.
“I hope you will approve innovations to military
regulations, which introduce the longawaited
salute ‘Glory to Ukraine!’ – ‘Glory to
Heroes!’ by October 14, Defender of Ukraine
Day.
“Each of these events confirms our break
with the colonial past. Each of them is a step towards
our full freedom from the empire.”
Then the president in fact further explained
and supplemented the abovementioned
directions, repeating the slogans written on
By Alla DUBROVYK-ROKHOVA, The Day
The Ministry of Economic Development and
Trade of Ukraine has presented, with
support from the European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development, Ukraine’s
first export brand which will help
market Ukrainian products worldwide.
“Export brands strongly influence the country’s
positive image. In other words, the stronger
the brand of Ukraine is, the more successful
Ukrainian export will be. It is a credit of trust in
a commodity. At the same time, we are speaking
of Ukraine as a reliable partner of other countries.
The mission of an export brand is to project a
strong image of Ukraine as a reliable partner in
the world. It is a platform for building and
strengthening the positions of Ukrainian exporters
on the global market,” Stepan Kubiv, First
Vice-Prime Minister and Minister for Economic
Development and Trade of Ukraine, said.
Project initiators promise that from now on
every Ukrainian exporter can use the reputation
of all the other Ukrainian exporters irrespective
of the economic sector.
In Kubiv’s words, the export brand of Ukraine
will establish a stable visual link between various
segments of the economy by applying the same
style to the goods and services of different ranges
and types.
“For example, the success of Ukrainian IT will
help other Ukrainian exporters, export commodities
and services enter international markets
and form class, quality, and innovativeness,” he
pointed out.
billboards throughout the country: “Army,
language, and faith are not a slogan. It is a formula
of contemporary Ukrainian identity. The
army defends our land. The language defends
our heart. The church defends our soul.”
“Consider that you heard all the 70 minutes
of Poroshenko’s speech – his address to
himself, which he has failed to fulfill in the
past four years,” MP Aliona Shkrum writes on
her FB page. “It’s interesting to watch the atmosphere
in the parliament hall. MPs do not
listen much and chat with one another. The
present government members think about
something personal. The premier cannot hide
outright boredom and sometimes laughter. I
can understand him. For some reason, it is
mostly women from the Petro Poroshenko
Bloc who listen attentively. They feel it awkward
to use cell phones and take a nap, as men
do. Poroshenko repeats 20 times his mantra
about the army, the faith, and the language.
He reads off the teleprompter: ‘We failed, unfortunately,
to end the war… We failed to… –
‘Sell Roshen,’ some MPs behind me prompt.
People smile. ‘Don’t smuggle capital out! Invest
in the country!’ This causes a burst of
laughter.”
The Ministry of Economic
Development and Trade
presents Ukraine’s first
export brand
Photo by Artem SLIPACHUK, The Day
Where are the promised surprises?
Trade with Ukraine
Expert: “President
Poroshenko’s address
to parliament in fact voiced
his main election messages”
Poroshenko did not forget about the future
elections either. “As a president, I guarantee
the free, fair, and democratic elections
of the head of state, a new parliament, and local
government bodies,” he said. Meanwhile,
the latest survey data show that Poroshenko’s
rating is 9.9 percent among those who have
made their choice and will vote and 7.1 percent
among all of the polled people (third
place). As before, Yulia Tymoshenko ranks
first with 18 (13) percent, followed by Anatolii
Hrytsenko with 10.4 (7.5) percent.
Experts estimate that the main rivalry will
be between Tymoshenko and Poroshenko, but
it is not ruled out that other candidates may
fray the leaders’ nerves. These are the abovementioned
Hrytsenko, Yurii Boiko, and even
Oleh Liashko, to say nothing about showman
Kubiv also said the export brand would be first
presented at the national stand of Ukraine at a
large-scale China International Import Expo in
Shanghai on November 5-10.
The first vice-premier emphasized that the
brand’s creation “did not cost the Ukrainian
budget a single kopeck.”
According to Stefan Schleuning, Team Leader
on Financial Cooperation, Support Group for
Ukraine at the European Commission, the total cost
of financing the brand was about 50,000 euros.
“The European Union allocated this money as
part of the EU4Business initiative,” he said.
Photo by Artem SLIPACHUK, The Day
Volodymyr Zelenskyi and singer Sviatoslav
Vakarchuk if they choose to run in the race.
Coming back to the president’s speech, we
can note another particularity which still remains
crucial. “How many nice words which run counter
to reality and disguise the desire to defeat opponents
and remain in power at any price!” MP
Taras Batenko wrote in a social media.
How do experts appraise the president’s Address
to the Verkhovna Rada “On the Internal
and External Situation in Ukraine in 2018?”
● “TO SOME EXTENT, THE SUBJECT OF
REFORMS AND THE ECONOMY HAS
RECEDED TO THE BACKGROUND”
Petro OLESHCHUK, political scientist:
“This is a pre-election statement, rather
than a presidential address. He in fact voiced
his main election messages. We can see that
emphasis will be put on patriotic rhetoric,
face-off with Russia, and the religious question.
I think all of these things will be reflected
in the president’s election program
and further statements. To some extent, the
subject of reforms and the economy has receded
to the background, but we heard some
symbolic promises the fulfillment of which
the president will not have to account for. For
example, he called Russia Muscovy – this political
position is of great symbolic importance
and shows that the president is resisting
the aggressor. He did not say whether he
would be running for the presidency, maybe,
because his team is so far afraid to make a
false start. For if he announces his participation
in the elections, his next steps will proceed
from this only. But now he can maneuver
and does not afford grounds to speak that
he does not fulfill his presidential duties.
“The step towards constitutional amendments,
as far as European and Euro-Atlantic
integration is concerned, is also a political positioning.
But it should not be forgotten that
these amendments are not a mandatory condition
for joining NATO. Integration into this
organization is impossible without the consent
of the Alliance itself and the political will
on the part of the Ukrainian leadership. Of
course, the populace should take a positive attitude
to this and certain standards are to be
met. However, making certain changes to the
Constitution will not guarantee a political will
or inevitable admission because power constantly
changes in Ukraine, as do the priorities.
Accordingly, any decision can be revised.
We can remember the way constitutional reform
was canceled under Yanukovych. Figu-
Ukrainian Cabinet
adopts sanctions
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine
has adopted proposals concerning
“special personal economic and other
restrictive measures (sanctions)”
against 35 Russian publishing
companies in Ukraine that keep producing
“anti-Ukrainian materials.” According to the
Press Service of the State Television and
Radio Committee, the draft resolution reads
that such sanctions are to be submitted to the
National Security and Defense Council
(RNBO). Such sanctions will be imposed on
Russian-language publishing companies found
to have been producing anti-Ukrainian
materials on a regular basis.
Media reports say the State Television
and Radio Committee has been closely watching
for such anti-Ukrainian productions
for the past three years and there is a list of
such publishers, that their publications are
aimed at destroying Ukrainian national independence,
inciting interreligious and interethnic
violence, as well as acts of terrorism
– all this contrary to universally recognized
human rights and freedoms. A report
dated August 15, 2018, lists 167 publications
put out by 35 Russian publishing companies.
This Cabinet decision is emphatically aimed
at ensuring Ukraine’s national interests, defense,
sovereignty, territorial integrity,
and an independent economy.