It is one thing to say that taking countermeasures against instigation of hatred and protecting of human dignity are one of the primary tasks of the government. Responding in the cases when the dignity of millions of Ukrainians is insulted is quite a different thing. A bright example of this is the Ukrainian authorities’ response, or, to be more precise, the lack of it, to the comments of Russian comic Mikhail Zadornov, who called Ukrainians “Eurokhokhols.” In the air of Russian Radio Neformat Zadornov wondered whether the “Euromaidan with Eurokhokhols” had not been dispersed in Ukraine. “They are so-called Eurokhokhols. They accuse Russia of making colony of Ukraine. What kind of colony can be made of a country, which does not produce anything,” Radio Liberty quoted the Russian comic, who in his performances offends Americans and Georgians alike, calling the former stupid, and the latter – as being able only to sing and dance, not wage a war.
Probably, Zadornov’s figure is not important enough to respond to each of his comments, but, as The Day’s editor-in-chief Larysa Ivshyna aptly noted in an interview to Telekrytyka, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine did not pay attention to Viktor Medvedchuk’s FB post either. Ivan Kapsamun, The Day’s politics section editor (who, incidentally, won the award in 2013 for being a nonconformist in journalism) wrote in this respect: “Do we have a parallel government?” It will be reminded that the thing is about the post where Medvedchuk says that he met with the head of Russian Federal Migration Service Konstantin Romodanovsky in order to solve the problem of entry ban to Russia for Ukrainian citizens. “Is not it the way a state is ruined? Is not it a more serious challenge for journalism? There is no need to say that Putin is the godfather of his child. It is a secondary thing. But there are concrete challenges. And we should respond to them,” Ivshyna noted.
MP Viktor Baloha was the first to respond to Zadornov’s insulting words on his Facebook page, emphasizing that when a citizen of a neighboring state, even if he is not a comic, insults Ukraine, the head of Foreign Affairs Ministry of Ukraine must “leave the Christmas Eve affairs and call the Russian ambassador for explanation.”
Chief of Ukrainian diplomacy did not leave his Christmas Eve affairs; the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Yevhen Perebyinis stated instead in a press release that Zadornov’s words about Ukrainians are disgusting for Ukrainian citizens and emphasized that it would be too great an honor for Zadornov, if the whole Ministry of Foreign Affairs responds to his words. “But as a citizen I can say that even satirists like he should mind the line which divides humor from offending people,” spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
But if a satirist does not mind the line, the owners of TV channels should pay attention to public opinion and refrain from broadcasting the performances of the Russian comic who insults human dignity. On the other hand, the government should respond as well, like France does, (and Ukraine has in many ways picked up the French model of governance, where the president, in particular, in France, is in fact an emperor, and in our state the head of state has practically unlimited power), where the governments of French cities Nantes and Tours banned the performances of the scandalously known humorist Dieudonne M’bala M’bala, one of the leaders of France’s anti-Zionist party, who as a result had to cancel the scheduled tour. According to BBC, the cities Bordeaux and Marcel did the same this year concerning the performer, who has been accused of stirring hatred towards Jews, and sentenced him to pay fines.
Typically, the country’s president Francois Hollande called upon the municipal authorities to implement this kind of ban; however, Dieudonne, who dares to publicly joke about gas chambers and Holocaust, filed an appeal. On Monday the head of the Ministry of the Interior of France Manuel Valls joined the call to ban the comic’s performances.
Dieudonne is a performer of Franco-Cameroon origin and early in his career he performed together with another comic, a Jew Elie Semoun. Years later Dieudonne got closer to ultra-right party National Front and became friends with its leader Jean-Marie Le Pen. He started to criticize the French mass media, which, in his opinion, attach to much attention to the Holocaust, but ignores the slave trade. After all, Dieudonne became an ardent anti-Semite and anti-Zionist.
He often greets the public with a Nazi gesture turned upside down. The comic calls this outrageous greeting as la quenelle (a fish rissole) and says that this gesture symbolizes rejection of Zionism and establishment, not anti-Semitism at all. Dieudonne openly supports the Muslimization of France and has been many times ordered by court to pay compensation for insulting the International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism.
France’s experience shows that the central power does not hide its head into sand and instead is resolutely fighting against any signs of xenophobia, instigation of hatred, insulting of human dignity, all this in spite of the fact that in this case the humorist is trying to appeal to French justice, claiming that his rights, in particular, the freedom of expression, are violated.
The Day asked experts to comment on the scandal and tell what the actions of the Ukrainian government and of the public should be.
“THERE SHOULD BE A VERY CLEAR CIVIC STAND CONCERNING OFFENSIVE STATEMENTS MADE BY VISITING GUEST ACTORS”
Volodymyr OHRYZKO, former minister of foreign affairs:
“I would ban such guest actors from entering Ukraine because of their inadequate behavior. And it is very easy to do. We don’t even need an initiative of the famous Regions MP, but simply a bit of common sense. But now it is hard to expect that this step will be done. If nothing of this kind follows, the public should join in and show with its attitude who is who and how we should act concerning them.
“There should be a very clear civic stand concerning the offensive statements made by the guest actors. I think the best slap in the face will be total ignoring by Ukrainian public of his future performances. Those who will have to perform to an empty hall will never return.”
“THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS SHOWS A WEAK STAND IN MANY CASES”
Ihor ROZKLADAI, lawyer at the Institute of Media Law:
“As for me it would be normal to boycott such programs because of this person’s stand. Why are the shows still broadcasted? Well, we should apparently look at who the owners of TV channels are – this will be a partial answer to the question. Our market is quite monopolized by people who can hardly be called patriots; therefore their editing policy allows such situations. Of course, TV channel may say that the broadcasting grid is preplanned and it is hard to change. In December last year I sent an inquiry to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine concerning the anti-Ukrainian statements made by Dmitry Kiselev. The response was as follows: ‘The interpretation of Ukrainian events by Kiselev is his own author’s initiative which does not reflect the official position of the RF. In this concern the Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not find it is appropriate to comment on personal views of a Russian journalist known for his biased assessments, which are far from Ukrainian realities.’ I think the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in many cases shows a weak position in defending the interests of Ukraine. However, they demanded official explanations from Ivan Urgant. Apparently, he is less influential than Kiselev or Zadornov. But if they responded to a person of his level, they should respond to the actions of people whose activity in fact spreads the ideological stand of the RF.”
“IF TV CHANNELS ARE CONTENT WITH SUCH RHETORIC…”
Ilona DOVHAN, Ukrainian TV journalist:
“Program service, program editor or director, depending on the structure and scale of the channel, decide whether to put certain shows on air or not. Namely the leadership must define to which extent this show meets the rhetoric and values of their channel, and decide what their attitude is. The change of the broadcasting grid in many ways depends on the desire of the leadership. In case of extraordinary circumstances or tragedies, when all entertainment shows should be cancelled, the channels always have programs to replace them. However, ignoring of this situation can affect the attitude and audience’s trust to the TV channel. Maybe they did not do this on purpose (did not remove from the program), but because of holiday turmoil, when not all of them were in office and did not follow the situation. Zadornov’s words humiliate the Ukrainian people, and we should pay attention to this.
“On the whole, it is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who should follow this kind of things and respond in a proper manner. We remember the situation with Russian Ambassador to Ukraine Chernomyrdin [Viktor Chernomyrdin was RF Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Ukraine in 2001-09. – Author] and his unpleasant words concerning the former president Viktor Yushchenko. The then Minister of Foreign Affairs Volodymyr Ohryzko responded and it seems to me the ministry warned the ambassador, they threatened to announce him persona non-grata. (However, he paid for this – Ohryzko was dismissed from his post). Therefore, in my opinion, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should have a more principled stand concerning their state and people, if we want to be respected in the world.”
Interviewed by Anna SVENTAKH, The Day
