Review of Main Topics in Donetsk Press Media

Review of Main Topics in Donetsk Press Media (for the last week).

“Municipalnaya Gazeta” №9, article “Provocations will Not Fly”: On February 26th mayor Aleksandr Lukyanchenko assured the citizens that the city has enough resources to guarantee peace and order. This address was caused by appearance of several radical organizations calling the local authorities to declare new government and decisions the Verkhovna Rada is making now illegitimate. Currently, such organizations gather on Lenin`s Square, organize protests and guard the statute of “the great leader” that is, allegedly, has to be taken down by nationalists. However, the mayor assured that police and civil society will not allow any unrest.

Article “Order without Insurgency”: “Indeed, in Donetsk, there are civil associations created and working in cooperation with police. However, it is not that anyone who feels like it can join such association. “Donetsk police can manage providing order on the streets. However, our organization has been working for several years based on the Law of Ukraine on Protection of Public Order. The police do not refuse help and I think they are right to do so. We select people we work with on a very strict bases and any Tom, Dick or Harry cannot protect public order. To become a voluntary association member each candidate goes through several serious checks”, – Public Order Protection Non-Government organization leader Igor Melnik told us.

Newspaper «Donetskiye Novosti» №8, article «There are no Winners or Losers»: Head of All-Ukrainian Scientist-Economists Union, Head of Economic Development Strategic Management Department at Donetsk National Technical University, professor Aleksandr Kendiukhov: “Russian Government should be interested in keeping friendly relationships with Ukraine and be consistent in their suggestions on economic development. It is too early to talk about winners and losers. It all will depend on whether the new government can manage the complex of difficult economic issues. If it manages, it will be recognized by the citizens of the country. If not, in several moths the attitude of people to the new government will start changing, because people are expecting more than just management reshuffling, they are expecting improvement of their material welfare. We need to stop whipping the tension and believing any nonsense that Zhirinovskiy and others like him says about Ukraine on Russian TV channels. Donetsk region has always been calm, sense and tolerant. There is no need for aggressive people to come here”.

Article “Stop “biting” each others backs”: To begin with, let’s honestly answer a simple question: was Mr. Yanukovych what South-Eastern population expected him to be? Most people would say that he was not. South East voted for him mostly because he was “one of the guys” to spite Central-West. This has been happening through entire history of independent Ukraine. Two large parts of the country voted not FOR, but AGAINST. That is why so often we elect “one of our guys” rather then professionals, moral authorities or practical people, it is “one of our guys” against of “one of their guys”. So, we got what we got. What is next? Perhaps, South-East should listen to the rest of the country’s opinion and Central-West should listen to South-East. We should finally understand that we have been caused to fall out artificially for years and it was done with electoral purposes. We have more in common than different. What separates us is not paramount, and what we have in common has critical importance. Is it that important what languages we speak and what church we attend? These are our personal choices. But ALL of us want to live in one, peaceful, wealthy, democratic, European Ukraine. NONE of us wants to pay bribes, feed dishonest government officials and violent “law enforcement representatives”. ALL of us want legal and social justice.

Article “People in Donetsk Chanted: Praise to Berkut Soldiers!”: On Sunday requiem for dead on Maidan (Independence Square in Kyiv) was held by the Shevchenko Statue. It gathered about 200-250 people The event was surrounded by police and riot police protecting Donetsk Euromaidan supporters from three thousand people wearing St. George Ribbons that announced organizing levee en masse to protect “peace and order” that were not broken in Donetsk region even though blood was shed in the capital and many other regions. These people were chanting Praise! Donbass! To the riot police, hugging them and taking pictures with them.

Newspaper «Donbass Nedelya» №24, Article “The Citizens are Eager to Patrol the Streets”: From the beginning of this week public organizations representatives and just citizens that care join patrols of the streets in cooperation with the police. Public organization members participate in all the forms of patrol and do that for free in their spare time. However, there are more radical “people’s guards”. “We all need to do our jobs” – the mayor stated – “If I only knew who gave those 15-year-old Regional State Administration protectors clubs and sticks, I would give these person piece of my mind.” After Sunday protests such groups of armed young people were wandering around the city and the police was stopping them and took such “proletariat arms” from them till Monday morning.

Newspaper “Vecharniy Donetsk” №23, Article “The City is Ready for Defense”: In order to prevent any possible braking into Regional State Administration building the side exits and some windows on the first floor are welded with large metal sheets. The main entrance is guarded by law enforcement representatives. It is worth mentioning that regional police units are put on an alert as well – the windows are blocked with sandbags.

Article “In Donetsk, Euromaidan and Antimaidan Protests were Held at the Same Time: On February 23rd opposite from Euromaidan near Regional State Administration legitimate government supporters gathered to protect the administration building from possible attack. This protest numbered about three thousand people including representatives of such organizations as Donbasskaya Rus, Chest and Doblest, Patriot, Donetskaya Respublica etc. Moreover, it was noticed that there were athletic people with clubs in their hands; also there were a lot of regular citizens. Some Antimaidan protesters were aggressive toward journalists – they threw small change under their feet saying that “journalists” are corrupt and not objective. Indeed, the information war has been going on for over three months and many Mass Media cover the events from only one side and there is a lot of disinformation appearing in the Internet every minute.

Article “Supported the Legitimate Government and Honor Dead Riot Police Soldiers: “We are against fascism and forcible power takeover in our country, we are against coup. Also, we are here to support Riot Police soldiers that did not come back home, we extend our condolences to their families and friends” – movement activist Sergey said. Kharkiv Public Regional Oplot Organization representative: “It seems that everything started with a peaceful protest. But in reality this is a campaign that was carefully planned two years ago by strong psychologist, logicians and scientists. Some Praviy Sector (Right Sector) that does not support anything and has no particular ideas was included into this plan. These people are just Nazis that have been training for many years and who need to express their anger somehow. Now we – people in every region – are cannon fodder for them.”

Article “Eastern Front was Created”: “We are forming a local-defense front. If Right Sector comes to us with peace we will meet them with peace, but if they come with war, they are going get war. We do not support violence or blood shed, we do not want Molotiv`s Cocktails, but it is our obligation to protect Donbass and our families.”

Newspaper “Vecherniy Donetsk” №24, Article “Ukraine is not Welcome in the EU”: Ukraine was not offered EU membership in the near future, we talked only about Association Agreement and free trade with EU” – John Vittingdale, Great Britain MP, Cross-Party Parliament Group representative on Ukraine, stated. In his interview to “Golos Rossii” the conservative MP stated that Ukraine will have to keep close relations with Russia due to geographic and economic factors.” – UNN reports.

Article “Against the Stream”: “Almost all newspapers and TV channels in unison and with excitement gushed over the perspectives that the country would have when we sign the Association Agreement with the EU. In this choir nobody could hear voices of those warned saying that accession to the EU would not be any benefits, especially during the first years, if anything it will bring a lot of economic issues. However, nobody wanted to hear these voices. Perhaps, those political scientists are right, that believe that Western special services not achieving the desired result with inspired revolutions in the Middle East are trying to achieve the desired results in Ukraine. But things worked out according to a famous saying: don’t trouble trouble until trouble troubles you”.

Newspaper «Zhyzn» №30, Article “Ukrainian East Needs New Leader”: President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych, that showed promise four years ago, threw it over the wall without explaining himself to the electorate. And the facts that were discovered after that leave more questions than give answers. Let’s be honest and accept that this is not a big deal. Instead, we got rid of a manager that did not meet our expectations and hopes. Now people living in the East of Ukraine have a real chance to find a genuine representative of their interests that will not betray them and flee.”

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