Ukrainians in Transnistria
Leonid Tkachuk: We could have achieved more, had Ukraine helped us
Last week’s statement by President Igor Smirnov of the internationally unrecognized Transnistrian Moldovan (TMR) that his country might become part of Ukraine after a referendum made headlines in the Ukrainian media. The Day asked Leonid TKACHUK, head of the Association of Ukrainians in Transnistria (AUT), for comment, also about the moods within Transnistria’s ethnic Ukrainian community.
How do you feel about President Smirnov’s statement concerning the referendum and the possibility of the Transnistrian Moldovan Republic becoming part of Ukraine?
“This is nothing new. As you know, Transnistria historically belongs to Ukraine. When [Moscow] decided to form the Moldovan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic as part of [Soviet] Ukraine back in 1924, no one bothered to ask the ethnic Ukrainians [in Transnistria] whether they wanted this. It was just another decision made ‘upstairs.’ When the Moldovan ASSR, then part of Ukraine, was annexed to Bessarabia in 1940, no one asked the ethnic community’s opinion on the matter. Just as no one did when the Soviet Union started falling apart and the Transnistrian Moldovan Republic was proclaimed in 1990. The ethnic community’s Association of Ukrainians in Transnistria responded by adopting a resolution to the effect that, should such a decision be made without their knowledge and consent, they reserved the right to hold a referendum to determine their stand, including reunion with Ukraine.
“This AUT’s program has never changed. Why hasn’t it been applied? Because TMR legislation reflects our requirements. Whereas prior to TMR the Ukrainian ethnic community was brought to the verge of extinction in Moldova, when the Ukrainian language had no official status, after the TMR’s formation it started being revived, there began to emerge schools with Ukrainian as the language of instruction. Today, there is a Ukrai-nian lyceum in Tiraspol, the Ivan Kotliarevsky Ukrainian Gymnasium [high school] in the town of Bendery, Lesia Ukrainka Secondary School in Rybnitsa. These institutions of learning have produced a number of gra-duates. There are also two primary schools. There is a Ukrainian language chair at the Taras Shevchenko Transnistrian State University, the Ukrainian language biweekly newspaper Homin, Ukrainian television and radio programs. In a word, our government keeps in mind the Ukrainian community’s opinion. Should any important political decisions be made regardless of what this community has to say on the matter, we would certainly implement this referendum right. The president is well aware of our programs because they aren’t kept secret.”
How about the 2006 referendum when most said they wanted to be part of Russia?
“Ukrainians, Russians, and Moldovans make up the largest ethnic communities: 90 percent of the TMR’s population. There is a mutual support agreement between our organizations, like when supporting the opening of Moldovan or Ukrai-nian schools. In fact, there is a pro-blem with Ukraine. Considering the rate at which your governments replace each other, there is no official [Kyiv’s] concept of Transnistria, no strategy or clear-cut policy in relation to this issue. We have to prove that we have some rights. Most our children study in Ukraine, but making such arrangements is extremely difficult because of the red tape. By way of comparison, between five and six thousand Moldovan secondary school graduates are enrolled in Romania’s universities free of charge. There are also border-crossing problems.
“Our republic has always been exposed to various negative external factors, ranging from military blockade (when they tried to physically destroy us) to telephone blackout (when no one could place a distance call) to economic blockade (when all trains to Ukraine were stopped). Under the circumstances, we were happy to receive any kind of aid. We got aid from Russia.
“I can’t quite agree that the decision made at the time was about becoming part of Russia. I think it was a decision aimed at building an independent country, considering that the choice was between returning to Moldova and forming an independent state, together with Russia that was helping us (and has continued helping us). This didn’t mean that we were giving up national independence. People were sick and tired of watching their country changing hands without listening to what they had to say (and they had enough to say after 20 years). After Smirnov’s interview, certain Ukrainian politicians appeared to be scared by apparent realties. This is proof that none of them has an idea about what is actually happening within the Transnistrian Moldovan Republic. I’d suggest they visit the TMR more often. Those who have visited appear to have developed an altogether different vision of the Ukrainians in Transnistria and their way of life. For us, Ukraine isn’t a neighbor but a close and dear relative, considering that there are so many family contacts that will never be severed. Politicians must bear this in mind. Something has to be changed in this domain, then Ukraine’s international image will improve, then all will see Ukraine’s respect for ethnic communities elsewhere in the world. There are 130,000 ethnic Ukrainians in the TMR who are denied the right to take part in Ukraine’s [elections] by casting their ballots because the Ukrai-nian embassy in Moldova has only one polling station. Even this doesn’t change our attitude to Ukraine as our native state. Each and everyone of us is keenly aware of this.”
Don’t you think that President Smirnov’s statement was a publicity stunt?
“I don’t think so. He made this statement in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of the Association of Ukrainians in Transnistria. He also spoke about our realities. As a matter of fact, TMR authorities are taking better care of ethnic Ukrainians than in other [post-Soviet] countries, like Moldova where the possibility of closing Ukrainian schools is being discussed. No such possibility here. Over the past 20 years, TMR has unveiled seven monuments to outstanding Ukrainians, mostly financed by local communities and in some cases by local authorities. (Ukraine has helped with only two such projects.) This is proof that we ethnic Ukrainians feel at home [in Transnistria, being treated as] equal among equals.”
Are TMR authorities assisting the ethnic Ukrainian community in other ways?
“They have always taken into consideration our proposals. I can’t think of a single time they failed to provide support. We want to achieve more. There is an increasing number of students enrolled in our Ukrainian grade schools each year, totaling more than 16,000. This rate is such our teacher-training program is lagging behind. We could have achieved more, had Ukraine helped us.”
How is official Chisinau helping you?
“It isn’t; there is no way Chisinau can influence Transnistria as an independent republic, even if not [internationally] recognized. We have our legislation, our government elected by the people, and our executive authorities. We have three official languages: Russian, Moldovan, and Ukrainian. We have Ukrainian channels. We are living Ukraine’s life and we would like this affinity to expand. Regrettably, Ukraine isn’t offering a single opportunity.”
You must be aware of official Kyiv’s stand: Transnistria must remain part of Moldova.
“Of course. This issue would have been long resolved, had Russia and Ukraine come to terms, the way the TMR people want it settled. Russia, unfortunately, sees only its interests. Ukraine simply can’t fi-gure out its own, waging its non-interference policy. Ukraine clearly wants integration with Europe. We ask: ‘How about our cultural and humanitarian contacts? Schoolbooks? National costumes for our performing groups? Is this politics?’ There are many issues that call for attention on the part of Ukraine. This attention will come after the Ukrainian political leadership realizes that the Transnistrian Moldovan Republic is an ethnic Ukrainian territory inhabited by more than 100,000 Ukrainians who haven’t severed contact [with their historical homeland] and who have to be lent a helping hand.”
