Vakhtang Kipiani: Ukrainians needs to be better informed of European living standards
Support for Ukraine’s European integration isn’t very high because people don’t have information about European standards of living, journalist Vakhtang Kipiani said in an interview with the Crimean newspaper Argumenty Nedeli – Krym. The meeting with the journalist in Crimea was organized by the Democratic and Civic Initiatives NGO, the Svet NGO, and Argumenty Nedeli – Krym with support from the International Renaissance Foundation’s European Program.
“In order to influence this process, citizens need to know how people live in Europe. They read ideological newspapers, including ones published in Crimea, with silly horror stories about Europe, having never been there, and say: “Why do we need Europe? Nobody is waiting for us there.” That’s true. Nobody there needs us. We need Europe!” remarked Vakhtang Kipiani.
He believes support for European integration will strengthen once citizens obtain objective information about life in Europe. “We have to accept the rules of the game we’re offered. Because in Europe courts function normally – here they don’t. The roads there are normal – here they’re not. Chancellor Merkel is from one of the richest countries but dresses more modestly than the average Simferopol official. These are the examples people need to be aware of,” the journalist stressed.
Contacts:
The Democratic and Civic Initiatives NGO
Yuriy Shamkov
+380 50 932 67 89
schamkov@gmail.com
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The essential role of the European Program lies in promotion of Ukraine’s European integration, combining external pressure of the EU with the domestic one of the Ukrainian civil society, and thus contributing to promotion of open society values in Ukraine.
