CRIMEA WANTS TO SPEAK RUSSIAN

A popular Ukrainian rock group is touring the Crimea to promote the Russian language. The Green Grey musicians are based in Kiev. They perform exclusively in the Russian language that infuriates ruling nationalists. Since the “orange coup d’etat” in the Ukraine that brought to power a fiercely nationalistic president, the Green Grey has been subject to discrimination. The performances of the group are drastically curtailed. The musicians are no more invited to sing at official ceremonies on holidays despite their immense popularity all over the country. In order to fight abuses by the president Yushchenko regime the rockers have launched an initiative called “Our Right”. The musicians toured southern regions of the Ukraine and now they are giving concerts in several Crimean cities. Their initiative is being supported by the United Social Democratic Party and by the Russian Bloc. Young people flock to the concerts of the Green Grey. The rally and the performance in Sevastopol on August 15 gathered more than 15 thousand people on the Nakhimov Square. A handful of government supporters showed up but they were immediately surrounded by young people shouting: “Shame!” and “Sevastopol, Crimea, Russia!” Police separated both group to prevent violent outbursts from both sides.
Opposition Ukrainian MP Nestor Shufrich addressed the crowd. He said that his Social Democratic fraction will campaign to reverse the presidential veto on the bill defining the status of Sevastopol. Mr. Shufrich blamed the new regime for the economic downturn. He said that the recent hike in sugar prices had been orchestrated by orange oligarch Petr Poroshenko who owns the chocolate industry in the Ukraine. “The chocolate bunny wants to earn a billion”, - said Nestor Shufrich. The MP pointed out that gasoline that the cost of gasoline prices is going up because because Victor Yushchenko burns to much fuel by his numerous trips abroad.
Another speaker, Guennady Basov who leads the Sevastopol branch of the Russian Bloc condemned the decision of the Ukrainian regime in the Crimea to force 16 high schools of the peninsula to switch to the Ukrainian language. The overwhelming majority of the Crimeans speak Russian and want their kids to be educated in this language. The rally participants spoke out against joining NATO and demanded that the Russian language be given an official status. The political rally gave way to the concert by the Green Grey rock group. The musicians were enthusiastically greeted by the crowd and their performance was a great success.