They prepare to protect Ukrainian culture yet again

Ukrainian radio stations broadcast Russian songs, musicians pay TV channels to play their renditions, annually 0.4 books are published in Ukraine per capita (compared to the desired 12); Ukrainian channels have to prepare even New Year programs jointly with Russian counterparts; newspaper delivery costs are 40 times those of prophylactics. People concerned about the national interests or simply wishing to live in a civilized country do not like this and a lot of other things. Eventually they combined efforts and set up an Association for the Protection of Ukrainian Culture and called it Ukrainian Sunrise. Its presentation took place at the capital’s art club OstaNNia Barykada [Last Barricade]. Among its founders and active supporters are Mykola Kniazhytsky, member of the National Television and Radio Council; Oleksandr Bohutsky, director general of the ICTV Channel; Oles Dony, inspirer and director of the OstaNNia Barykada; Roman Andriyko, manager of Ukraine’s only Ukrainian language radio station Radio Lux; Ivan Malkovych, manager of A-BA-BA-HA-LA-MA-HA; singers Oleksandr Ponomariov, Andriy Kuzmenko (of Skriabin), and Ruslana.

The founders see their main objective in lobbying for the benefit of Ukrainian culture, yet on that particular occasion no one could clearly explain what they meant by lobbying. They refuted allegations about information manipulation as part of the election campaign. No one is campaigning for or against anything, at least not now. So what was there to lobby for? Perhaps the only actual step the new champions of Ukrainian culture can take is their declared commitment to monitor bills addressing culture, the mass media, and have them examined by experts. If they could supply such objective information on a regular basis, possibly through the media where some of the promoters have some presence, this would be quite a step forward. As it is, the range of the Ukrainian Sunrise’s aspirations is considerably broader: 50% quota of Ukrainian products on the air in Ukraine, along with a clear definition of what Ukrainian products are, developing an effective copyright and property protection system for Ukrainian artists, exempting audio and video cassettes and CDs from the value added tax, ratifying the convention on cross-border broadcasts (which would make it possible to promote Ukrainian products on the European market), establishing an effective and transparent system of grants to support Ukrainian culture through the Ministry of Culture, and so on. The association’s action program consists of ten clauses, but whether they will implement at least a couple is anyone’s guess.

The Sunrise’s main points were promulgated by Messrs. Kniazhytsky, Bohutsky, Dony, Andreiko, Ponomariov, and Ruslana. During a press conference, interesting and simultaneously symptomatic aspects were voiced by Mykola Kniazhytsky who admitted that “it’s hard to counter the tastes of our elite.” Also mentioned was the Soros Foundation doing more by far to finance Ukrainian book publishing than the Ministry of Culture. Ruslana attacked stereotypes. She was convinced that “Ukrainian culture is considerably wider than the traditional Cossack trousers.” Oles Dony did not agree with the emphasis on government support; society must be awakened to the problem, getting through to people’s hearts rather than minds: enacting new laws will change nothing, for people must really wish to change. Oleksandr Bohutsky countered, “If we leave the state out of it, why pay taxes?” What the newly established association seems to lack is unanimity, but there is an old adage about truth born of argument. We will have to wait and see.