Thursday, February 06, 2014

The Ukraine needs to be invited to the G8 in June by the EU.

Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) 
47 mpg Kiev (click here)

It has a auto industry, but, none are top line production vehicles. They have long term companies, but, they sell primarily to places like Iraq.

The moves come amid Russian attempts to stop Ukraine moving towards the EU.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych said they had not discussed Ukraine joining a Moscow-led customs union.

Russia is trying to create their own version of the EU and it is making investments to facilitate that. The monies to the Ukraine weren't provided as a gift. I would anticipate Russia sees itself as an ally. 

I don't know who is worse Russia or Europe. Europe is holding the Ukraine hostage to trade. That is going to escalate tensions with Russia.

Published 19 July 2013
updated 23 July 2013
The Ukrainian ambassador to the EU, (click here) Kostiantyn Yelisieiev, said the signature of an EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, which could take place in November, would be similar in magnitude for his country to the fall of the Berlin Wall in Germany.

Yelisieiev, who was recently promoted to advisor on external political processes to the Ukrainian president, made a passionate plea for the EU to adopt a “strategic vision” on Ukraine's future geopolitical position in Europe.
“We consider in Ukraine the signing of this agreement as the second event after the declaration of the independence of Ukraine [16 July 1990]. And I would like to enforce my argument: this signing for Ukraine will be, like years ago, the fall of the Berlin wall for Germany,” the ambassador said.

The association agreement with Ukraine was initialled more than a year ago but the EU made its signature conditional on progress made in areas such as democratic and judicial reforms, including the release from prison of former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko. The draft agreement offers closer political and economic cooperation, but stops short of offering a path towards EU accession....

The demands of Russia for the Former Prime Minister isn't going to work. The EU might try asking Pussy Riot to intervene for all the good this is going to do them and the Former Prime Minister.

The G-8 is the best option to bring the Former Prime Minister home. It should be part of the agenda by Europe. Russia holds the Presidency this year. There should be envoys to Russia from Europe on behalf of the Former Prime Minister before the G8 convenes. It is going to be in Sochi in June. It should be done in the spirit of allowing The Ukraine a fresh start after the turbulence in that country. I would think Russia would want to dispel any ill will with The Ukraine and the release of the Former Prime Minister will resolve political tensions as well.

Her release isn't going to change anything. We have witnessed many people released from Russia's prisons and there have good consequences, not bad. 

The Ukraine has no influence with Russia regarding this issue and it should not be held hostage by the EU.

Russia
January 21, 12:04
MOSCOW, January 21. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (click here) outlined on Tuesday priorities of Russia’s G8 presidency, listing among them fight against extremism and drug threat, as well as health protection and management of risks connected with natural calamities.

“Tasks of raising the efficiency on such directions as fight against drug threat, terrorism and extremism, health protection, formation of a global system of managing risks connected with man-caused and natural calamities, and of course contribution to the settlement of regional conflicts are among our G8 priorities,” the foreign minister said at a major news conference reviewing the results of 2013.

In pursuing its foreign policy last year, Russia was oriented towards “ensuring favorable social-political conditions for the development of the country, for the transition of its economy to the innovation track and for higher living standards of our citizens and the quality of their life,” he said.
“With that in view, Russia was consistently promoting a positive uniting international agenda to bring closer the settlement of fundamental problems of the modern world,” he said.

“It was these approaches that we were guided by in G20 presidency, and we are guided by the same approaches as the president of G8,” the foreign minister added.

And she isn't even helping herself.  She will remain a focus of concern, she doesn't have to do this, she is a former head of state. The longer the EU continues to play these games the longer it will continue. The EU has to take the Former Prime Minister off their agenda and out of any economic pact, because they are only hurting the people of the Ukraine. This isn't a matter of trade relations, it is an issue that high level diplomacy has to solve.

Graham Stack in Kyiv
February 6, 2014


Jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko (click here) is opposed to any deal between the opposition and embattled President Viktor Yanukovych to end a mass protest movement that has occasionally erupted in violence, according to a letter sent from her jail cell to her parliamentary group, and subsequently leaked to the public.

The firebrand former prime minister Tymoshenko, two and half years into a seven-year jail sentence, made a powerful intervention on February 4 in talks between opposition and government on an exit to the current crisis, which arose when Yanukovych failed to sign a deal in November that would bring Ukraine closer to the EU. Tymoshenko dispatched a six-page letter to the parliamentary group of her Batkvyshina party, in which she poured scorn on the united opposition's joint platform for talks with Yanukovych.... 


It sounds like Pakistan. I don't think the world needs another Pakistan.

...But this flexibility on the part of Yanukovych has aroused the suspicions of Tymoshenko, who has every reason to be leery of him: after losing narrowly to him in presidential elections in February 2010, she was subsequently jailed on what are widely regarded as trumped-up charges of having exceeded her powers during her time as prime minister. She has repeatedly warned of the threat he poses to Ukraine's fragile democracy.... 

That is exactly what Pakistan does. They put former leaders that have lost an election in prison before they can run again. It is the exact same thing.

Mushy is up on charges of treason. They want to execute his sorry butt. He should ask Kahn to stand up for him as a character witness. At least Kahn is a national hero, it will give him some credibility.

By Azam Khan / Hasnaat Malik
Published: February 6, 2014
ISLAMABAD: Former president Pervez Musharraf (click here) has pledged to appear in court if the hearing of his treason trial were to be referred to any court other than the special court, according to a surety bond, available with The Express Tribune.
If Musharraf fails to honor this commitment, he is liable to pay a penalty of Rs 2.5 million, according to the bond. Musharraf is due to appear before the special court on Friday but there are murmurs from his top aides about the likelihood of his appearance at the hearing....

Former Prime Minister Tymoshenko should not be yelling at the current Ukraine President from a Russia prison. She should be proposing how to approach a better economic outlook for the country. Russia has got reins on the Ukraine. The people of that nation have to realize no other nation is giving them a break and at the same time putting pre-conditions on trade. Trade with the EU is perceived as a threat by Russia. Why? There is absolutely no reason why The Ukraine can't trade with both Russia and Europe. Right now, the EU is being lazy and putting conditions on trade that is unrealistic and oppressive all by itself.

The Ukraine will never break out of it's doldrums so long as the EU is using it as a puppet to power.

I am trying to find what is so egregious of the 2004 constitution.

Article 3 

The human being, his or her life and health, honor and dignity, inviolability and security are recognized in Ukraine as the highest social value. 

Human rights and freedoms and their guarantees determine the essence and orientation of the activity of the State. The State is answerable to the individual for its activity. To affirm and ensure human rights and freedoms is the main duty of the State.

Article 9

International treaties that are in force, agreed to be binding by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, are part of the national legislation of Ukraine.

The conclusion of international treaties that contravene the Constitution of Ukraine is possible only after introducing relevant amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine.

Under Article 9 there is no reason why current trade relations with Russia can continue while incorporating new nations into trade laws. No other nation showed up at the doorstep of the Ukraine with billions of dollars.

There should be no political entanglements to cast the Ukraine into servitude to any other nation in order to gain economic consent.  That is crazy. Just because the EU demands it, doesn't mean it is possible or best. There is no way the Ukraine should include an amendment in their constitution stating it will bargain for political prisoners in exchange for trade relations.

The Ukraine has to recruit other nations leaders to help free the Former Prime Minister. There is way of putting that kind of pressure on Russia. War is out of the question. 

The 2004 Constitution even has an environmental provision. 

Article 16
To ensure ecological safety and to maintain the ecological balance on the territory of Ukraine, to overcome the consequences of the Chornobyl catastrophe — a catastrophe of global scale, and to preserve the gene pool of the Ukrainian people is the duty of the State.


Neither the West or Russia can set up a military base in the country. I like that part.

Article 17
...The creation and operation of any armed formations not envisaged by law are prohibited on the territory of Ukraine.
The location of foreign military bases shall not be permitted on the territory of Ukraine.

The Ukraine Constitution has an entire section dedicated to human rights. It is obvious they want to be a neutral country. So the idea they are going to fight Russia at some level to free a Former Prime Minister is not in their purview.

Chapter II: Human and Citizens' Rights, Freedoms and Duties

They have an article guaranteeing women equal standing. The USA never passed "The Equal Rights Amendment" and it is written into the Ukraine Constitution of 2004.

Article 24
...
Equality of the rights of women and men is ensured: by providing women with opportunities equal to those of men, in public and political, and cultural activity, in obtaining education and in professional training, in work and its remuneration; by special measures for the protection of work and health of women; by establishing pension privileges, by creating conditions that allow women to combine work and motherhood; by legal protection, material and moral support of motherhood and childhood, including the provision of paid leaves and other privileges to pregnant women and mothers.

According to Article 25, Tymoshenko should not have been removed from the sovereign state of the Ukraine. Russia has the same type of protections for it's citizens, so this should be understood by Russia. Russia does not extradite. It should not have happened.

Article 25 

...A citizen of Ukraine shall not be expelled from Ukraine or surrendered to another state....

This is interesting. 

Article 31 

Everyone is guaranteed privacy of mail, telephone conversations, telegraph, and other correspondence. Exceptions shall be established only by a court in cases envisaged by law, with the purpose of preventing crime or ascertaining the truth in the course of the investigation of a criminal case, if it is not possible to obtain information by other means. 

Article 33

...A citizen of Ukraine may not be deprived of the right to return to Ukraine at any time.

The people of the Ukraine have the right to freely organize political parties and express the parties aspirations. There is no reason for any oppression based in the 2004 constitution. 

Article 37 provides for domestic tranquility, however, that article dissolves IF any public or political party seeks to liquidate the independence of the Ukraine. I don't see that Article 37 gives the state to oppress the people if they believe their rights throughout the rest of the constitution is being denied.

Article 37

The establishment and activity of political parties and public associations are prohibited if their program goals or actions are aimed at the liquidation of the independence of Ukraine, the change of the constitutional order by violent means, the violation of the sovereignty and territorial indivisibility of the State, the undermining of its security, the unlawful seizure of state power, the propaganda of war and of violence, the incitement of inter-ethnic, racial, or religious enmity, and the encroachment on human rights and freedoms and the health of the population.

Political parties and public associations shall not have paramilitary formations.

The creation and activity of organizational structures of political parties shall not be permitted within bodies of executive and judicial power and executive bodies of local self-government, in military formations, and also in state enterprises, educational establishments and other state institutions and organizations.

The prohibition of the activity of associations of citizens is exercised only through judicial procedure. 

Citizens are guaranteed the right of protest, albeit, peaceful. The restriction placed on the people that spawned the protests are unconstitutional according to 2004. The restrictions are specific and it is about protecting the people, their. National security and public order is about safety of the citizens.

Article 39

Citizens have the right to assemble peacefully without arms and to hold meetings, rallies, processions, and demonstrations, upon notifying in advance the bodies of executive power or bodies of local self-government.

Restrictions on the exercise of this right may be established by a court in accordance with the law and only in the interests of national security and public order, with the purpose of preventing disturbances or crimes, protecting the health of the population, or protecting the rights and freedoms of other persons.

They have consumer protections in their constitution. We should be so lucky.

Article 42

Everyone has the right to entrepreneurial activity that is not prohibited by law.
The entrepreneurial activity of deputies, officials, and officers of bodies of state power and of bodies of local self-government is restricted by law.

The State ensures the protection of competition in entrepreneurial activity. The abuse of a monopolistic position in the market, the unlawful restriction of competition, and unfair competition, shall not be permitted. The types and limits of monopolies are determined by law.

The State protects the rights of consumers, exercises control over the quality and safety of products and of all types of services and work, and promotes the activity of public consumer associations.

They have labor protections, the right to work, the right to organize, protections from unlawful dismissal and a right to timely pay. It demands days off during every week for rest. It demands paid vacations. Disability laws. They have a right to own property.

Article 48
Everyone has the right to a standard of living sufficient for himself or herself and his or her family that includes adequate nutrition, clothing, and housing.


Homelessness is illegal which explains the labor laws. The constitution does not encourage dependency, it encourages a work ethic as a demand on employers. Very interesting.

Article 49

Everyone has the right to health protection, medical care, and medical insurance.
Health protection is ensured through state funding of the relevant socio-economic, medical and sanitary, health improvement, and prophylactic programs.
The State creates conditions for effective medical service accessible to all citizens. State and communal health protection institutions provide medical care free of charge; the existing network of such institutions shall not be reduced. The State promotes the development of medical institutions of all forms of ownership.
The State provides for the development of physical culture and sports, and ensures sanitary-epidemic welfare.

Children have constitutional rights. 

Article 52

Children are equal in their rights regardless of their origin and whether they are born in or out of wedlock.... 

Article 53

Everyone has the right to education.

Complete general secondary education is compulsory....

...Citizens have the right to obtain free higher education in state and communal educational establishments on a competitive basis....

The 2004 constitution does not require mandatory military service. The rest of the 2004 constitution is extensive and outlines the legislature, etc. House keeping primarily.

It seems to me the 2004 constitution protects citizens, provides for their upward movement with every opportunity open to them, it protects their lives through health measures from the time they are children. 

It allows for the protection of freedom by the people through demonstrations of peaceful measure, but, when the rights of citizens are threatened they have a right to dissolve the peaceful protests and protect themselves from an egregious government. 

Under this constitution the Prime Minister could not be extradited to Russia and it is that reality that brings the right of allies of the Ukraine to put pressure on Russia to honor the constitution of the Ukraine. I see no obstruction to the Ukraine having many trading partners.

If the people want this back, they should have it and the Former Prime Minister should rely on it to send her back home.

The current President and legislature is in the mood to roll back 'bad law' and decisions, I suggest the Ukraine allies take advantage of that and bring the Former Prime Minister home.