SUMMARY of Ukrainian media review, November 22-23 Major topics of media discourse are absence of reforms and probability of Maidan-3. Along with the topics of general discontent with the authorities, issue of closeness and, evidently, existence of agreements between Poroshenko and Akhmetov, Firtash and other oligarchs starts being discussed rather vigorously in public domain. The issue of Kyiv being supported by Washington reports to the necessity of reforms implementation – unambiguously stated the vice-president Joseph Biden during his visit to Kyiv. Germany, in the person of the minister for foreign affairs – also made a statement on a rigid connection between the success of the reforms and European prospects for Ukraine. Ukraine, being roughly denied prospects of entering NATO by the German Minister for Foreign Affairs, is made to explain refusal from Canadian F/A-18 military aircrafts by “impossibility of their operation”. FORMATION OF COALITION The President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko is going to propose a candidature of Arseniy Yatsenyuk for the post of the prime-minister to be considered by the parliament provided his candidature is suggested by the coalition. Initialed text of the coalition agreement stipulates that the decisions on the coalition activity in general will be made by the Coalition Council where each faction holds one vote and the decisions are made by consensus of opinion. General Assembly and Council are the governing bodies of the coalition. It is only General Assembly that is entitled to propose a prime-minister’s candidature to the President, make changes to the coalition agreement and terminate the coalition. Each faction holds one vote and the decisions in the Council are made by consensus of opinion. The President, prime-minister, members of the Cabinet and other invitees may be present during meeting of the Coalition Council, with a consultative vote. PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT UNICEF jointly with other UN agencies developed a strategic plan of response to the crisis in Ukraine for the years 2014-2017. The Ministry of Defence of Latvia made a statement on locating a Russian Kilo-class submarine in the vicinity of its territorial waters. The USA/NATO and Germany are making somewhat discrepant statements of Ukraine. For instance, the USA vice-president Joseph Biden states that the USA assume the possibility of increasing pressure upon Russia if it does not comply with agreements on peaceful settlement in Donbas, Besides, Biden called upon Europe to proceed with diversification of energy carriers import in order to decrease dependence on Russia. Western countries are to tighten sanctions against Russia as it is working on a goal of destroying the world order, believes NATO Deputy Secretary-General Alexander Vershbow. At the same time, head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier cautions western leaders against “unnecessary sharpness” in communication with the president of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. Besides, Steinmeier said he did not see Ukraine as a NATO member in future and emphasized it was too soon to speak of the possibility to enter the EU for Ukraine. These are not only Berlin and Washington showing discrepancy but the members of the EU itself. For instance, the President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaite (on the eve of her visit to Ukraine) supports the EU providing Ukraine with military aid. Monitoring mission of the PACE which involves one speaker Mailis Reps (Estonia) will be visiting Ukraine between 24 and 28 of November. The goal of the visit is to gather information for PACE report on Ukraine fulfilling the commitments as well as “discuss the ways to settle crisis in the country”. Besides Kyiv, the speaker plans to visit Odesa (the trip has been scheduled for November 27). Investigation of the 2nd of May tragedy is known to be one of the priorities of the Council of Europe. Materials of Russian opponents on the war of clans in the Russian Federation, Putin losing it and performing exclusively the functions of communicator with the Western countries are being spread in the Internet. At the same time Vladimir Putin says that the Russian Federation understands the fatality of the “iron curtain” and is not going to follow this path. Besides, the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin believes the opinion that everything in Russia depends personally on him is mistaken and informs that he has no intention to remain the President of Russia forever. At the same time the minister Sergey Lavrov states that the West makes no secret that the aim of anti-Russian sanctions is a regime change. Part of political class criticizes the President’s decision to stop making budget payments on the militants-occupied territories in the ATO zone. “Zerkalo Nedeli” periodical informs of off-the-scene negotiations between Poroshenko and Surkov pertaining to the variants of settlement of the situation in the East of Ukraine. WAR IN THE EAST OF UKRAINE The United States of America supplied Ukraine with radar systems designed for fighting enemy’s mortar detachments, giving permission to use them in the ATO zone. The radar systems were given free of charge within the framework of 118 million dollars non-refundable aid package from the USA. Ukraine can not afford such aircrafts as F/A-18 which had been offered by Canada, stated the deputy head of the Ministry of Defence, presidents council Yuriy Biryukov. According to Biryukov, “we are not able to afford such airplanes”. Ukraine is to start, Biryukov summed up, from underpants, socks, uniform, tents, sleeping bags and wheel-type equipment. ACTIVITY IN CIVIL SOCIETY After difficult conversation with relatives of the bereaved in Maidan, the President Petro Poroshenko awarded the title of Heroes of Ukraine to the Hundred of Heaven. Besides, the head of the state informed that an agreement was reached to make creation of Interim investigation committee for investigation of crimes in Maidan one of the first decisions of new Verkhovna Rada. Besides, Poroshenko instructed General Prosecutor Vitaliy Yarema to make regular reports to the families of the bereaved on the progress off investigation. REVIVAL OF DONBAS As a result of shelling on the part of militants Zasyadko coal mine objects were shut off the power supply which led to all the underground mining workings being left without electricity. Over 60% children in the ATO zone suffer psychological trauma resulting from witnessing violence and combat activity. It was the statement made by the head of UNICEF representative office in Ukraine Giovanna Barberis referring to the results of rapid estimation of social-psychological state of the children conducted by the organization. According to UNICEF, war in Donbas deprived almost 130 thousand children of their home. About 460 thousand people altogether became internally displaced. REFORMS The USA vice-president Joe Biden appealed to the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko to conduct reforms in Ukraine. Biden asked to form a new government in a few days” and move on with reforms. Lustration checkup is going to start on December 1 in the Supreme Court despite the presentation to the Constitutional Court. Judges are obliged to hand in such applications by December 11. According to the chairman of Interim special committee on judges lustration Volodymyr Moisyk, presentation to the Constitutional Court of Ukraine does not halt lustration in respect of the judges. Earlier the Supreme Court appealed to the Constitutional Court of Ukraine on checking the constitutionality of th provisions of the Law on judges lustration. Economist Oleksandr Paskhaver emphasizes that despite the “freshness” of the text of the coalition agreement he sees no channels and instruments for reforms implementation. It is about a post of a Minister of reforms. So, according to Paskhaver, the authorities are not thinking about reforms. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The center is located in the hotel Ukraina (4 Instytutska Street), 3rd floor. Hotline +38 050 157 8159, +38 050 157 8423, fax +38 044 593 7407, e-mail [email protected]. For more information please visit uacrisis.org, and follow us on Twitter, Twitter (Russian version), Facebook, YouTube. The Ukrainian Crisis Media Centre was set up in March 2014 to provide the international community with objective information about events in Ukraine and threats to national security, particularly in the military, political, economic, energy and humanitarian spheres. The Centre is providing media support on a 24/7 basis to all those covering events in Ukraine and runs a daily schedule of live press briefings and moderated discussions to provide the world with accurate and up-to-date information about the fast-moving situation in Ukraine. Since inception the Center has evolved into a communications hub with outreach to both internal audiences in Ukraine as well as conducting active outreach to opinion formers and the media outside of Ukraine. Since its launch Ukraine Crisis Media Center has initiated and organized over 370+ press briefings, with 500+ speakers, among whom there are leading government officials, diplomats, experts and civic activists and opinion formers.
Posted on: Tue, 25 Nov 2014 08:48:01 +0000
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