A Twenty-five Year Step Backwards

Oddly enough when I heard the latest news coming out of the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, I practically fell off my proverbial horse, and still I'm trying to climb back on. You may be wondering what could shake me so much, though it really isn't what is shaking me it is what is shaking the various individuals annointed by Ukraine's president Viktor Fedorovych to keep his fiefdom under control.

As we are on the cusp of the New Year according to the Juilan Calendar which is followed for the most part by Orthodox Christians and Catholic Christians which follow the Eastern Rite such as Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the said's Ministry's Deputy Minister Timofey Kokhan decided to send a letter of warning to his Eminence Sviatoslav Shevchuk. What provoked this Soviet-type lacky to write such a letter is uncertain. Yanukovych has clearly said that it wasn't under his orders, but you know how the expression goes, “I trust him as far as I could throw him!”

So what was it that could have prompted a deputy minister who has always been some type of party hack and functionary throughout his life, excepting all kinds of awards of being Merited Artist of Ukraine and the like to do what most Ukrainian politician's, journalists and civic activists are calling nothing short of “idiotism”.

A member of the fifth column

I will give him the benefit of the doubt. Though why will I give him this benefit, you may ask. The First Deputy Minister must have been gravely effected by his father's death on January 3, 2014 and he has been having a hard time dealing with it. May his soul rest in peace! I know what it is to loose a parent, but there has to be something that goes a little bit deeper. Clearly, his father who was a “well-known” cinematographer during the Soviet regime, did everything to open up doors for his son, prior to Ukraine's indedence by throwing his weight around to ensure that his son attended the Karpo-Kariy of Theatrical Arts in Kyiv from 1982-1989. I won't judge and I don't know if this was the norm at the said instutute at the time, but if it was not, then maybe he is an “idiot”, depending on daddy's position to get where he wants to be.

Just so we understand the context, from 1962-69, his father worked as a director of the Kyiv Studio of Educational-Popular films. In short, this was the propaganda department of Moscow in Kyiv.

From his graduation in 1989 the young Tymofey began work at the Dovezhenko Film Studios in Kyiv where he would be from 1989 to 1993. Though I am quite certain that this , like many other positions of the time were not based on merit, but on whose ass you kissed, and bit by bit he pushed his way into the ranks of in the Kyiv Municipal Adminstration.

In short he became a career civil servant because of his daddy's help. He always followed the “party” line and as a reward for this he was kept on by the current criminal regime.

As an ass kisser Timofey Kokhan decides to take the initiative himself. He decides that in order to please the higher ups that maybe attacking spiritual leaders would be in the vein of his old man. Why would I say this because even in 1995 his father was the director of a film that was called “Stracheni Svitanky” which in my opinion is his attempt to discredit the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (Ukrainanska Povstanska Armiya) even after Ukraine has gained its independence. As far as I am concerned, this scum bag Deputy Minister is part of what is often refered to as the fifth column. He and others like him have been undermining Ukraine's real independence for many years. I hope that at some time he will be judged by a “court of the people” for his misgivings. But wait, let me tell you about the letter that he wrote to his Emminence Svaitoslav!
However, before I venture into that letter completly let me tell you about some of the key phrases that were used by this “idiot” of the fifth column:

• freedom of conscience and religious unions of Ukraine;

Now let me comnent on this. Since when in any country, other than the province of Quebec, has this been a matter of concern. The freedom of conscience in my opinion is according to the following definition is:

Noun
1.
freedom of thought - the right to hold unpopular ideas
human right - (law) any basic right or freedom to which all human beings are entitled and in whose exercise a government may not interfere (including rights to life and liberty as well as freedom of thought and expression and equality before the law) (Source the Free Dicitionary - http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Freedom+of+conscience) Accessed 2014-01-13.

• systematic dereliction of legislation by some priests appears to be supported by hierarchy of Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, and it has a negative influence on rule of law in general and the juridical consciousness of citizens.

Now please tell me Mr.Kokhan where the Rule of Law even exists in Ukraine? Particularly regarding the term “juridicial consciousness” of citizens? What to hell do you mean by such a statement? Do you mean that you legally want to control the thought's of individuals or what? I know that Mr. Deputy Minister you are under great duress due to the passing of your father – clearly a man of principle, and the way he brought you up, but let's be reasonable!

Now as to the next part of your letter to his Emminence Sviatoslav, you are a totally screwed individual:

• the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, as a central representative organ of executive in the field of religion, in order to observe the abidance of legislation of freedom of conscience and religious unions, would like you to pay attention to the requisition of the 21th article of Law of Ukraine (The Law of freedom of conscience and religious unions ), which claims that public worship, religious ceremonies, processions etc. can take place without any introductive permission only in buildings of worship and within its adjacent territory, in pilgrimages, in the residence and apartments of citizens and some other places (cemeteries, crematoria etc.)

First of all such a law is in my opinion is anti-consitutional! No, I am not a Constitutional judge in Ukraine, but I have some semblance of normality – something that judges in Ukraine recently have not had. Particularly under the control of bandit Yanukovych and his clan!

Maybe, the deputy Minister is a little pissed off because there is the possibility that his father may have not had been offered any respect by the religious community after his passing. I cannot be sure, but it sure as hell wouldn't surpise me. But let us let him rest in peace, but I will not let his idiotic son the chance to rest for his idiotic statements.

As his Emminence Svaitoslav stated at a press conference in response to such an “idiotic” letter, a number of facts that this Deputy Minister was never probably aware as a member of the fifth column!


One of the first things that he mentioned was that it was twenty-five years ago that the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, after existing as many years as an underground church was finally officially recognized as a legal entity – and this happened while the Soviet Union had still not crumbled but was clearly cracking. He added that there never was the question on who the church should be with, neither during Ukraine's independence nor during its time as an underground church, and added confidently “To be with its people – its as if it is imprinted in the church's memory.” I know I haven't stated in any of my recent blogs but the current atmosphere and state of society is in fact much worse then during Soviet times from what many of my friends who experienced living in both an independent and Soviet Ukraine will vouch. Even during the early years of independence, I personally felt comfortable with talking to those who police Ukraine's streets, you don't have to take my word for it, Ukraine has become a police state.

While many may not think that it is this bad, it is clearly this bad... Yanukovych and company has decended into a state that is so far from a democratic one that I would not be surprised if those who live under him want to simply have him executed! Most damn journalists really don't give a shit what is going in Ukraine. They are too busy with the Olympics in Sochi,which the world should boycott. Government's of the world, do your damn homework and understand who to hell what Vladimir Putin is up to. He has tried to capture Ukraine as part of his “Empire building” strategy. Now he is trying to deny, another genocide not of the Soviet Union but of the Russian Empire of which he wants to remain “Tsar”.

Vasyl Pawlowsky
Independent Consultant

The Singing Rector...Some answers to questions?

There have been many different friends who while visiting Kyiv have said, "What's the take with this rector of some University with his own TV program!" It usually doesn't take long for me to figure out that they are referring to Mykhailo Poplavskiy, Rector of the Cultural University. Incidentally the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine contributes half a million hryvnias to the production of this show, which can be called little more than kitsch by international standards and which showcases him and his students.

Yesterday, was Easter, the holiest of Christian holidays. While having a traditional Easter breakfast at my business partner's we had the TV on for some ambient noise and to keep abreast of what is going on in the country as most of my friends are not indifferent to what is going on politically in this country, even on the holiest of Christian holidays. While surfing the channels we stumbled upon an interview being conducted with Poplavsky. Below are some of the questions [paraphrased] as they were posed to the singing Rector by the interviewee, along with answers which I have also paraphrased. While this is not the entire interview, these are the questions and answers that struck me the most.

    Q: Mykhailo what was the largest amount you have ever been paid for one of your concerts?
    A: I can't really answer that as the Tax Administration would be all over me.

My business partner grins and says, "Yeah, no kidding! If the Tax Administration was doing its job it would be all over him in a minute!"

    Q: What kind of car do you drive?
    A: A Mercedes.
    Q: What model?
    A: I don't know what model it is but it is one of the latest one's.... You know it's important that I drive something that my student's will have respect for...I have an image to maintain. There are a number of students at our university who's parents are influential business people, and some of them arrive at the university not only in nice cars but also accompanied by their own personal security guards.

A friend who had joined us for breakfast laughed at this comment. I then noted that a friend of mine had conducted a Master Class at this University only to have his mobile phone stolen by one of the students. My business partner interjected, what kind of parent would even consider sending their child to such a school. Our other friend then smiled and said, "The kind that can afford the fees that the University charges, and whose kids can't get into any other university!"

    Q: How much money do you have in your pocket right now?
    A: Let me check... I don't have any money in my pocket right now.
    Q: While you may not have any money in your pocket now but how much do you usually carry on a daily basis?
    A: About 3,000 hryvnias.

"Not bad money," I thought to myself!

    Q: So what is your home like?
    A: Well I live in a small 3-room flat but in some time I hope to build myself a nice place outside of Kyiv. When I first arrived in Kyiv I lived in pretty tight conditions, but let's say I learned about business and management through life. I used to by things here and take them to Poland and resell them, after some time I was transporting things by plane to Poland and making quite a bit.

I smiled, "Ah, one of the many who was involved in contraband!" My business partner added, "At the time he was doing what he claims was business, it was completely illegal. I know I a guy who got caught for contraband during this period he was talking about when the the Soviet Union was crumbling and ended up in prison for seven years!"

While Poplavaskiy claims on his personal website that he wants to see Ukraine develop into a democratic European country in a civilized manner, why is it that European and North American friends often ask about this guy who they think is totally off the wall. Maybe his understanding of civilized is completely different? Maybe, he really doesn't care, as he has the money to do what he wants? Maybe, his is disinterested in the development of a real and formidable cultural and entertainment industry, one which plays by civilized rules? But there must be a reason.

I have never been a advocate of either Poplavskiy's singing or the institute, god forbid call it a University, that he heads. But clearly the man has connections which put him in a field of his own and has allowed him to amass a small fortune. Apparently, according to the interview, he also has a chain of restaurants along the Kyiv-Odesa highway, and claims that he loves to cook. I would much rather see him take an early retirement and cook at his restaurants rather then appear on any stage in this country. But then again this is only my  personal opinion.