Euro 2012 – Racial insults & Ukraine

Elsewhere in cyberspace a heated debate amongst the Ukrainian Expat community and some English football fans is engaged, fueled by media coverage in the UK of Ukrainian and Polish supporters football violence and racist actions and chants.

Now there is no denying that there is a racist element amongst certain fans and in particular those associated to certain football clubs in Ukraine.

There is also one Ukrainian football club whose supporters are associated with anti-fascism (not that such a thing would be reported in the UK media).

However,  this heated debate between the Ukrainian Expat community and traveling English fans has now centred over the word “nigger/negro” (негр).

It is time to be crystal clear.  In Ukraine and Russia there is no racial derogatory slur attached to the word “nigger/negro”.  It is not an insult here and neither is it meant to be insulting!

Despite the negativity attached to the word in the UK and other nations, historically and currently, the word nigger has no such undercurrent in Ukraine or Russia.  It is not a word that Ukrainians or Russians would use to insult a black person.

In Ukraine and Russia, the word nigger/negro simply means a black person and nothing more.  It is politically correct here.

If a Ukrainian or Russian wanted to racially insult a black person, nigger is most definitely not the word they would use to do it.

They would use words like chernomazy (черномазый) or several others I won’t bother to list that have the same distasteful connotations as those attached to the word nigger in the UK.  Anyway, you get my point.

So, if you are in Ukraine for the football (or Russia or Ukraine for any other reason) and hear the word “nigger/negro” – it is not the insult you will automatically associate it with if you are an English football fan or western tourist.   It is a politically correct word with no insulting undertone whatsoever!

Do please remember not all words have the same insinuations or inferences in all cultures and languages.  Taking a drunken swing at somebody you hear using the word nigger here will land you (and not them) with a robust response from the police as they have said nothing wrong – in fact they have been politically correct.

Cultural, linguistic and historical awareness is a necessity if you are looking for an excuse to call racism over words like nigger in Ukraine.  Wonder if the BBC or UK media will actually highlight this, or whether they will simply be so ignorant as to see it as a racial insult – that it isn’t?

Global Vice Index, Ukrainian rankings and Sunday’s statistical fun

Time for something light-hearted and frivolous despite the seriousness of the intended subject.

What do you get when you mash together World Heath Organisation, Tobacco Atlas, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and the Global Betting and Gaming Consultants statistics?

The answer is the Bloomberg Global Vice Index, a fairly flawed academic and cumbersome manipulation of statistics to reach an international “vice league” if ever there was one.  Not to mention a rather misleading title as it includes only 57 nations from almost 200 on the planet due to the availability of statistics.

So, of the Bloomberg  Global 57 nation  Vice Index, where does Ukraine sit?  The answer is a lowly 17th when all statistics have been mangled, making Ukraine more virtuous than half of Europe, the US, UK and Australia.

My family will be pleased that upon emigrating from the UK to Ukraine all those years ago, I now live in a more virtuous nation than the one I left!  (The UK ranks 15th according to the Bloomberg Vice Index, debauched cesspit that it apparently is.)

The full global 57 nation league table and statistics can be found here, although if there are any statistics there worthy of note, skip page 1 which is Bloomberg’s less than academic model to arrive at its “Global Vice Index” and go to pages 2 and 3 which detail rankings in specific categories of “vice”.

I wonder if there is a “Worst Use of Statistical Data Index”?  If so, where do we think Bloomberg would come on the basis of their Global Vice Index?

New laws for NGOs – Dramatic and radical changes for the better (possibly)

As I have written here before many times about NGOs, civil society and Ukrainian academia, occasionally in a supportive way when writing about specific individual NGOs, but also in a robust and critical way when writing about them in general, I should not let the new radically and dramatically better Ukrainian laws relating to NGOs pass unnoticed.

I have issues with NGOs collectively in Ukraine as anybody who puts “NGOs” in the search facility of this blog will see,  however the RADA, with massive bipartisan support, has passed a significant piece of legislation that comes into effect in January 2013 which may (or not) dramatically improve the below par performance of most Ukrainian NGOs.

Certainly it will dramatically increase the number of NGOs and civil society groups, but as we all know, quantity does not always deliver quality.

To summarise the main features of the new law, actively lobbied for by Yuri Miroshnichenko (Party of Regions) and Andriy Shevchenko (BYuT, and no, not the footballer of the same name) it reduces the registration time from what is currently a month or more to about a week, there is no longer a need for 42 like-minded people to stand up and be counted as part of a NGO and the 23 documents required for registration have been slashed comprehensively to 4.

Not for profits will be able to register without any fees whatsoever and conduct business activities and thus raise funds to continue and expand.

The new law no longer regionalises NGOs to activities within the region of registration but allows for national activity regardless of location of registration and allows NGOs to act on behalf of those who have no connection with that NGO.

In short a very heavy bureaucratic and unevenly applied boot will be removed from the neck of NGOs and civil society in January 2013.

Excellent news for small, local NGOs and civil society groups who we will hopefully see begin to hold local administrations more accountable in a much more formal and publicised fashion.

Maybe the expatriate and immigrant community will form a NGO and hold State agencies like the OVIR to account for the inconsistent and  foggy interpretations they apply to the immigration laws or the customs service that applies random “taxes” that differ from one point of import to another.  Blimey!  If so, I volunteer to be part of the Odessa regional infrastructure of such an NGO.  (I am joking, perseverance and patience is all that is required to win those frustrating battles.)

I would be interested in any newly formed human rights, human trafficking, rule of law or domestic violence NGOs that may appear in Odessa.  I may actually be an asset to a newly formed NGO/NFP in Odessa.  Who knows?

The new law is also something of a god-send for the EU, who, having given up on the dysfunctional Ukrainian opposition and being stone-walled by the current government over several issues, have decided on a public  strategy of NGO/civil society engagement for Ukraine at great expense through numerous platforms.

All very exciting!  It will be even more exciting if government, society and academia will actually agree on what civil society actually is.  On that note, I will leave you with an excellent piece by Michael Edwards contemplating exactly that.

I should also thank Sir Mike Aaronson, for bring Mr Edwards’ sterling article to my attention two days ago. – Thank you Sir Mike (but no cheque in the post for your timely assistance!)

Still, a good piece of legislation passed.  Let’s hope that civil society and quality NGOs will flourish under the new law when it comes into effect, as the current landscape is somewhat barren to put it politely.

(By the way, the law passed with 334 votes in favour from those present in the RADA at the time of voting.  The only party not to vote in favour was the cancerous Communist Party – No surprises there!)

Ukraine’s European Charter for Regional or Minority languages budget

It’s Sunday.  I don’t want to rant.  It seems I have ranted for most of the week and I only write about one topical and current Ukrainian issue each day.  I can assure you there is much more than one Ukrainian issue to rant about each day, but I try to bump my gums about those things that don’t necessarily get reported on by the media as much as they could or should be.

After all, if you want to read the standard media agenda for Ukraine when it comes to reporting, you would read the standard media regurgitation from any number of sources main stream sources.  That generally, like the politics here, is personality driven with hardly a mention of policy unless it is an after-thought.

When you do get “experts” commentating it is to state the blindingly obvious that in no way requires any qualifications in political science, economics or  anything more than common sense.  Recently an “expert” stated the electricity prices in Ukraine will begin to rise towards the end of the year.

Well, no shit Sherlock!  Ukrainians pay an electric bill equivalent to about 26% of the cost to generate the said electricity.  Of course it has to rise as the government cannot afford to continue to subsidise it to that extent.  However prices are not going to rise before the next election in October for political reasons and is will make sense to incorporate any rises in the 2013 budget rather than the last few months of 2012.  Does it take an “expert” to state the obvious?

Anyway, returning to the subject of the post, we all know about the “language issue” in Ukraine which (wrongly) is simply seen as Ukrainian verses Russian by those looking to score political points given the very large Russian speaking minority.  The fact is, Ukraine recognises far more ethnic minorities and minority languages than Russian and those languages are protected by not only by the Constitution but also by Ukraine’s ratification of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages many years ago.

Russian simply happens to be one of those languages recognised and due to the volume of Russian speakers, not to mention the usual meddling and propaganda from  Moscow, it creates a political (and when stirred by the politicians), and public issue.

When all is said and done, however, the official State language for Ukraine is Ukrainian.  People will speak what language they want to regardless of that fact, just as they Welsh will speak English or Welsh as they prefer.  The Swiss and the Belgians do the same amongst the multiple languages used in those nations.  It really shouldn’t be the big deal that it all too often becomes given that numerous nations have numerous languages used within them around Europe.

So, returning to the title of this post, and the budget allocated by the Ukrainian government in support of regional and minority language (and culture) in the national budget in accordance with the European Charter, just what sum of money has been allocated?

The answer is here.  UAH 1.7 million ($212,500) for the numerous minority languages and UAH 964,000 ($120,500) for minority cultural development.  A grand total of $330,000.

Unfortunately English isn’t a recognised regional or minority language in Ukraine, otherwise this blog (and my others) may well attract something in the region of about $3 in governmental development aid from such a massive budget.

If you are wondering which languages Ukraine does list with the ECRML, they are Belorussian, Bulgarian, Crimean Tartar, Gagauz, Greek, German, Hungarian, Jewish, Yiddish, Moldavian, Polish, Romanian, Russian and Slovakian.

I am not sure whether to give credit for the recognition of Ukraine’s responsibilities under the ECRML and doing something, however small, to adhere to those responsibilities in austere and gloomy economic times, or whether to ridicule the sums involved which may just (if you are lucky) meet the cost to purchase a reasonable apartment near the sea in Odessa.

Oh well, it’s Sunday and I don’t want to rant.  Time for some locally made Cognac and a nice cigar.  Tomorrow’s another day and my new kitchen is getting delivered.  That’ll give me something to rant about I’m sure!

EYP (European Youth Parliament) Ukraine

Well this is something I don’t normally do, however I am going to raise awareness of a NGO.  In fact a European NGO but specifically it is the Ukrainian branch I am highlighting.  It is the European Youth Parliament (EYP).

Why am I doing this?  Because it is not tied to Yanukovych or Tymoshenko or Yatseniuk or any other dubious politicians in Ukraine.  It is domestically A-political and free from the stench of Ukrainian political parties and personalities.  It is for and by the youth and it encourages youth to youth/people to people contact across the European continent on policy rather than political party issues.

Amongst these young people, one day Ukraine may end up with leaders that are not recycled Soviet machinery with a single style of autocratic leadership regardless of party you vote for.

To promote it and encourage  the Ukrainian youth to actually participate in something bigger than Ukraine, which does not function by the power vertical or is identified by a single personality (to the point of a Bloc name), and is not subject to oligarchy orchestration or the endemic corruption that runs through the main party politicians of all colours when it comes to policy debates, can only be a good experience for any who engage in it.

For the youth in Odessa, the EYP hold their regional session 15 – 19 August.

I have no vested interests in the EYP to declare.  I am far too old to be classed as a youth and I am in no way affiliated to the EYP currently or historically.  My interests such as they are, rest only in the fact I live permanently in Odessa and have the firm belief that policy politics and not personality politics is the only viable road ahead for Ukraine if the current cycle of useless (with a few notable exceptions across party lines) and corrupt politics is ever to be broken.

Anyway, plug for the EYP now made in English.  You can ignore the next bit as it will say the same thing but in Russian for Cyrillic SEO reasons.

Also, before I forget, happy birthday to HM Queen Elizabeth II who is 86 today.  What a fantastic monarch she has been!

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Ну это то, что я обычно не делаю, но я повышаю осведомленность о НПО. На самом деле европейские НПО, и особенно это украинский филиал выделяющий это Европейский молодежный парламент (ЕМП).

Почему я это делаю? Потому что это не связано с Януковичем или Тимошенко или Яценюком или любых других сомнительных политиков в Украине. Это внутри-политический и свободный от вони украинских политических партий и личностей. Это для молодежи и призывает молодежь к молодежи / между людьми контактирующиж на европейском континенте, о политике, а не политическим вопросам партии.

Среди этих молодых людей, в один прекрасный день Украина может закончить с лидерами, которые не утилизируются советскими машинами с одного стиля самодержавного руководства независимо от партийного голосования.

Чтобы продвигать и поощрять украинскую молодежь реально участвовать в чем-то большем, чем Украина, которая не работает в вертикали власти и определяется одной личностью (вплоть до блока имени), и не подлежат олигархии или оркестровкакоррупции, которая проходит через основной политической партии всех цветов, когда дело доходит до политических дебатов, может быть только хороший опыт для любого, кто участвует в нем.

Для молодежи в Одессе, ЕМП проводить свои региональные сессии 15 – 19 августа.

У меня нет никаких корыстных интересов в ЕМП. Я слишком стар, чтобы быть классифицированым как молодежь, и я никоим образом не связанных с ЕМП в настоящее время или истории. Мои интересы, такие как они есть, отдыхать, только я живу постоянно в Одессе и есть твердое убеждение, что политика политикой, а не личности политика является единственной жизнеспособной дорогой для Украины, если текущий цикл бесполезных (с некоторыми исключениями по партийной линии) и коррумпированных политики ли будет побит

Corruption – A good article thereon

OK.  I am tired.  Late to bed Saturday night due to the tradition of being in Orthodox churches at an ungodly hour for Easter, followed by far too much food, far too much wine and far too much family yesterday, again finishing at an ungodly hour.

I will leave you with this very insightful article on corruption from the Brussels Journal by George Handlery to mull over whilst I try to recover.

Whilst you consider his words on corruption, I will ponder why everything to do with godliness in Ukraine has to happen as such an ungodly hour!

Христос воскрес

Well it;s Easter Sunday here today and family is the priority dear readers.

Back to normal tomorrow.  Several subjects to choose between and no decision made as to which I will mutter about yet.  Indecision not normally something I suffer from!

Reforming the administration – A NGO invitation

Well, like him or not, and as a character I am not overly fond, but as an administrator he is very good, Prime Minister Azarov is certainly talking the right talk.  Obviously there is an election coming up and the talk is of course partially aimed at influencing voters and those in-State actors who can influence voters as well.  We should expect nothing less.  All sitting governments up for reelection do the same thing.

Anyway, Mr Azarov has issued an appeal to NGOs in Ukraine to assist the government in ridding itself of unnecessary administrative organs.

As he rightly states, “This work is not because we want less work, but because many administrative services are completely unnecessary.”  Quite true but only half the issue.  Not only is much of it unnecessary, but a lot of it that can be justified is overly complex and never situated in the same place, requiring different documents in a certain order, stamped and signed in a tour–de–bureoucratic organs before returning to your first port of administrative call, for them to conclude the most simple of official documentation matters.

Much of it is simply repetitive when production of document “A” would prove your have already have/done 99% of what is required for the production of document “B”.  Why repeat the entire process again?

Far too many administrative State organs have a requirement to be in the mix for simple document production  when there is no real justification for them to be part of the process at all.

I am quite sure an academic/NGO study of the Ukrainian administrative model could shrink it by a further 20% over and above any shrinkage already carried out by the government.

Cynically I am also quite sure the government are quite aware of this but want to involve NGOs and civil society in the run up to an election in an effort to get them “on-side” as much as possible.  After all, there are numerous neighbouring States that have made the administrative transition from USSR bureaucracy to a more modern administrative system who would be only too pleased to share their experiences with Ukraine.

If it were not an election year, you would suspect that tax-payer funded jollies to these nations to investigate their new administrative systems would have been the preferred governmental methodology.

However, it is an election year, the invitation has been made and any NGO worth the title will actively engage with the government given such an open invitation.  A foot in the door and collaboration over this makes it easier to gain access through the same door when pushing other issues the government is not so willing to action.

Let us hope it is an opportunity not only seized by the civil society active in Ukraine, but also the diplomatic missions of those nations with embassies and consulates here as well.  Who better to give advice over bureaucracy in other nations and their systems than the bureaucrats from other nations?

Mr Hague, FCO, UK Ambassador to Ukraine and boiler room staff in Kyiv, you all hail from possibly the oldest established civil service in Europe if not on the planet.  Choose a subject, for example tax and tax administration, and promote our experience and systems to the government of Ukraine.  As much as I dislike paying tax as the next person, our UK system is far easier to cope with than that of Ukraine as a tax payer.  I have experience of both.

This must be a golden opportunity to get very friendly with the current Ukrainian government if the UK government chooses to take it.

Go on FCO – I dare you to make a positive difference to every Ukrainian by showing the current Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers a better, more streamlined and efficient way in an administrative area of your choice.

Gauntlet publicly thrown down Mr Hague and chums!

(As an aside, Valeriy Khoroshkovskyi, First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine is in the interrogation seat at Chatham House tonight (1730 – 1830 BST) for a grilling on Ukrainian foreign policy by my esteemed and astute fellow Chatham House members.  If he says anything unexpected I’ll let you know over the course of the next few days.)