Ukrainians in Russia celebrate homeland's Independence Day (08/29/04)

Ukrainians in Russia celebrate homeland's Independence Day

by Maryna Makhnonos
Special to The Ukrainian Weekly

MOSCOW - Members of the Ukrainian diaspora in Russia and officials of the Embassy of Ukraine celebrated their homeland's 13th independence anniversary with a colorful music concert at the Ukrainian cultural center in Moscow on the eve of the national holiday. A top-level reception at the Embassy headquarters followed the next day.

Ambassador Mykola Biloblotskyi on Monday, August 23, addressed a festive gathering of the Ukrainian diaspora and his Embassy colleagues to kick off celebrations in the cultural center at 9 Arbat St., located in Moscow's historic downtown. He focused on his country's economic achievements, positive trends in Ukrainian-Russian bilateral relations and the upcoming presidential election in Ukraine.

"I am sure that the current state of Ukrainian-Russian relations corresponds to a strategic partnership and true and kind neighborly ties between the states," Mr. Biloblotskyi told the public. "Ukraine and Russia are and will be close friends, reliable neighbors and business partners. I am definitely sure that we will use this atmosphere of mutual trust and agreement, which was created in recent years, to develop Ukraine and Russia as independent, strong and democratic states."

Trade volume between Ukraine and Russia grew by 37 percent in January-June compared to the same period last year, and reached $7.7 billion, which equals the annual trade volume between the two states in 1999.

The ambassador also praised Ukraine's overall economic growth of 12.7 percent, 15 percent increase in people's real income and low inflation of 4.4 percent in the first six months of 2004. The inflation figure is one of Ukraine's greatest and probably most sensitive issues as people remember the first year of independence in 1991, when they suffered 10,000 percent inflation.

Mr. Biloblotskyi also touched on the theme of the upcoming presidential election in Ukraine, calling this the country's most important event this year: "I am sure that the state and its people will pass this exam successfully and according to generally recognized world standards, Ukraine's Constitution and its Law on Elections."

After the envoy's long speech, the well-known Ukrainian quartet Yavir opened the concert with the national anthem. In true patriotic spirit, attendees rose solemnly and barely restrained themselves from joining the professional choir. Several renowned opera singers, who came to Moscow from Kyiv specially for the event, local Ukrainian musicians and Russian composer Alexander Morozov, who has roots in western Ukraine's Vinnytsia region, excited the audience with classical and folk music masterpieces, eliciting bursts of generous applause.

The peak of the celebrations came on Tuesday, August 24 - Ukrainian Independence Day - when dozens of Russian officials headed by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Russian political leaders, members of other diplomatic missions and activists of the Ukrainian diaspora in Russia attended a special reception at Ukraine's Embassy in Moscow.

"Because many former Soviet states proclaimed their independence almost at the same time, we have to attend a dozen festive receptions in the span of a few weeks. And, I should say I love what the Ukrainian Embassy, and probably Uzbekistan's, do as they make these celebrations sincere and natural - not boring at all," one Russian Foreign Ministry official confessed at the reception immediately after he had heard a performance by three bandura players from Ivano-Frankivsk.

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