Crisis expands to Ukraine as Luhansk Provincial Council issues demands to Ukrainian Legislature
In the case of "Events developing way too fast for me to keep up," Navigator is reporting that the Regional Council of the eastern Ukrainian Oblast' (province) of Luhansk has issued an ultimatum to Ukrainian legislature. Citing the public protests in their Oblast', and other parts of eastern and southern Ukraine, and said protestors' demand for order, they made the resolution that states
Expressing the will of our electorate, considering the demands of participants in peoples assembly, we, the MPs of Luhansk Provincial Council:
Support the referendum, to be exact - the initiative by the participants in the assemblies to collect signatures to conduct a national referendum on the question of Ukraine's federal structure.
We DEMAND that Supreme Rada of Ukraine:
- give the Russian language the status of the second national language of Ukraine as soon as possible.
- immediately take steps towards disparagement of all unlawful armed formations. (Translator's note: This refers to armed "self-defense militia" volunteer units that sprouted all over Ukraine in the last week and a half)
- give the population of Luhanschina and all other regions of country a guarantee of safety, defense of their rights and freedoms of possible threats from the unlawful armed formations.
- stop all politically motivated criminal persecution of members of interior armed forces, polices forces and divisions of Berkut riot police for performing their duties during mass upheavals (Translator's note: for joining us late, it was was excessive force by Berkut riot police and, to the lesser extent, regular police, that inspired the backlash that helped bring the current government to power. In response, Ukraine disbanded all Berkut units. A day later, the upheaval in Crimea began)
- not to allow the shrinking of the social safety nets for the population, decrease of subsidies and other social programs, increasing tariffs. (Translator's note: this has to do with concerns that IMF will impose austerity measures in exchange for financial aid to Ukraine)
- to not allow any manifestation of censorship and any limits on foreign channels' ability to broadcast on Ukrainian territory.
We express full confidence in the existing government of Luhansk Oblast, namely the Chairman of the Provincial Council Valeriy Golenko and the chairman of Oblast State Administration Vladimir Pristyuk. And we demand that all appointments of representatives of central organs of the executive branch would be decided exclusively by the provincial council.
We demand the ban on political parties and community organizations of pro-fascist and neo-nazi leanings, who violate Ukrainian law. First and foremost, as marked in the resolution of the people's assembly UNA-UNSO, VO "Freedom," "Right Sector," "Trident," "Ukrainian Patriot," "White Hammer" and others.
We demand that the Ukrainian security agencies prosecute those guilty of inflaming national divisions.
If those demands are not fulfilled, if the escalation of civilian clashes and if the lives and welfare of the population of Luhansk Oblast is under direct threat, we reserve the right to turn to our brother-nation of Russian Federation for help
So there we have it. I think it's safe to say that it's not Crimean crisis anymore. In fairness, a lot of their demands aren't unreasonable - the groups they listed are either pretty damn right-wing nationalists or outright Nazis. Since the new government came into power, the Right Sector has been a prominent part of the self-defense militias that have been allowed to operate throughout the country more or less unrestricted. I support Ukraine and I'm nervous about Right Sector. Russian population is outright scared that things like "demoting" Russian from its status as a second official language is just a prelude to greater repressions.
There are some demands that would not be so easy to meet. Berkut units have killed people, and a decent chunk of the country is quite justifiably upset at them and wants to see them brought to justice. And if IMF really does demand austerity measures... It's not like there's any place where Ukraine can get money with strings attached.
The gauntlet has been thrown. The situation is definitely escalating.
Expressing the will of our electorate, considering the demands of participants in peoples assembly, we, the MPs of Luhansk Provincial Council:
Support the referendum, to be exact - the initiative by the participants in the assemblies to collect signatures to conduct a national referendum on the question of Ukraine's federal structure.
We DEMAND that Supreme Rada of Ukraine:
- give the Russian language the status of the second national language of Ukraine as soon as possible.
- immediately take steps towards disparagement of all unlawful armed formations. (Translator's note: This refers to armed "self-defense militia" volunteer units that sprouted all over Ukraine in the last week and a half)
- give the population of Luhanschina and all other regions of country a guarantee of safety, defense of their rights and freedoms of possible threats from the unlawful armed formations.
- stop all politically motivated criminal persecution of members of interior armed forces, polices forces and divisions of Berkut riot police for performing their duties during mass upheavals (Translator's note: for joining us late, it was was excessive force by Berkut riot police and, to the lesser extent, regular police, that inspired the backlash that helped bring the current government to power. In response, Ukraine disbanded all Berkut units. A day later, the upheaval in Crimea began)
- not to allow the shrinking of the social safety nets for the population, decrease of subsidies and other social programs, increasing tariffs. (Translator's note: this has to do with concerns that IMF will impose austerity measures in exchange for financial aid to Ukraine)
- to not allow any manifestation of censorship and any limits on foreign channels' ability to broadcast on Ukrainian territory.
We express full confidence in the existing government of Luhansk Oblast, namely the Chairman of the Provincial Council Valeriy Golenko and the chairman of Oblast State Administration Vladimir Pristyuk. And we demand that all appointments of representatives of central organs of the executive branch would be decided exclusively by the provincial council.
We demand the ban on political parties and community organizations of pro-fascist and neo-nazi leanings, who violate Ukrainian law. First and foremost, as marked in the resolution of the people's assembly UNA-UNSO, VO "Freedom," "Right Sector," "Trident," "Ukrainian Patriot," "White Hammer" and others.
We demand that the Ukrainian security agencies prosecute those guilty of inflaming national divisions.
If those demands are not fulfilled, if the escalation of civilian clashes and if the lives and welfare of the population of Luhansk Oblast is under direct threat, we reserve the right to turn to our brother-nation of Russian Federation for help
So there we have it. I think it's safe to say that it's not Crimean crisis anymore. In fairness, a lot of their demands aren't unreasonable - the groups they listed are either pretty damn right-wing nationalists or outright Nazis. Since the new government came into power, the Right Sector has been a prominent part of the self-defense militias that have been allowed to operate throughout the country more or less unrestricted. I support Ukraine and I'm nervous about Right Sector. Russian population is outright scared that things like "demoting" Russian from its status as a second official language is just a prelude to greater repressions.
There are some demands that would not be so easy to meet. Berkut units have killed people, and a decent chunk of the country is quite justifiably upset at them and wants to see them brought to justice. And if IMF really does demand austerity measures... It's not like there's any place where Ukraine can get money with strings attached.
The gauntlet has been thrown. The situation is definitely escalating.