Trade blockade against Crimea doomed to failure

A bunch of Tatars living in Ukraine have imposed a trade blockade on Crimea by preventing the passage of delivery trucks from this country to the Russian peninsula. Huh?

According to Mustafa Azizov, first deputy head of the Dzhankoi district administration, this year Crimean agricultural producers gathered a good crop of grain, vegetables and fruit. Thus the economy of the Russian peninsula has become self-sufficient.

Yuri Shevchenko, chairman of a Crimean parliamentary committee on agrarian issues, said the neo-Nazi regime in Kiev would get the worst of the blockade because Ukrainian producers would lose traditional markets. A traffic capacity of three checkpoints in the Kherson region on the border with Crimea has been less than 250 delivery trucks per day before the trade blockade. By comparison, the traffic capacity of a ferry service from the Krasnodar Territory to the peninsula amounts to some thousands of delivery trucks with Russian goods every day.

Today Crimean stores sell a full range of dairy produce made in the Krasnodar Territory, Rostov region and peninsula. This also holds true for sausages. At the same time, melons and watermelons are delivered from the Krasnodar Territory and Astrakhan region.

The trade blockade is seen by many observers as the act of despair. All attempts to isolate Crimea are doomed to failure.

Italian MPs to visit Crimea in fall, following in French footsteps

By Vladimir V. Sytin
The Ukrainian Times

After the successful friendly visit of members of France’s parliament to Crimea in July, their Italian colleagues have decided to follow suit. The visit of Italian MPs to the Russian peninsula is scheduled for early October.

Reportedly, the members of Italy’s parliament represent the popular anti-U.S. movement.

As is known, on March 16, 2014 more than 96% of the peninsula’s population voted for secession from Ukraine and joining Russia. The referendum attracted 83% voter turnout. It is important to note that 91% of citizens of Russia approved of the reunification of Crimea with their country.

Finally, it is worth remembering that in 1954 Crimea was given to Ukraine by Nikita Khrushchev, head of the Central Committee of the Communist party of the Soviet Union, who was half-Ukrainian. At that time no one anticipated that the Union would ever collapse. And when that happened in 1991, residents of Crimea were handed over to Ukraine like a sack of potatoes. However, the peninsula’s population is mostly Russian and has had a strong Russian presence for over 230 years including an important Russian naval base. It must be noted that Russian troops under Catherine the Great conquered Crimea in 1783.

In Crimea, Russia to build checkpoints on border with Ukraine

By 2017 Russian authorities intend to construct three checkpoints in the Crimean towns of Armyansk, Krasnoperekopsk and Dzhankoi. As expected, some seven billion Russian rubles will be allocated for building the checkpoints on the border with Ukraine.

According to Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, the transitional period of the entry of Crimea into Russia has reached completion. “Overall, a basis for functioning of the Crimean economy in accordance with Russian laws has been formed,” he said. “This doesn’t mean that we won’t make pinpoint changes because full-value interlocking requires a longer period of time in terms of life and business development in the peninsula.”

Transitional period of entry of Crimea into Russia completed, says Medvedev

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev (pictured) has visited Crimea of late to conduct a conference on small business development. He stated that the transitional period of the entry of Crimea into Russia had reached completion.

“Overall, a basis for functioning of the Crimean economy in accordance with Russian laws has been formed,” Mr. Medvedev said. “This doesn’t mean that we won’t make pinpoint changes because full-value interlocking requires a longer period of time in terms of life and business development in the peninsula.”

Previously, the government of Russia permitted the Crimean fleet to fish for Black Sea anchovies, or khamsa, near the Republic of Abkhazia. In particular, Moscow and Sukhumi have agreed that the Crimean fishing fleet may bring in 15% of a total potential catch of khamsa. The agreement will allow the Crimean fishing fleet to participate in the winter season for khamsa near Abkhazia next year.

Telnyashka vodka goes on sale in Crimean stores

Recently, 200,000 liters of the vodka Telnyashka made by the Alcohol Siberian Group have gone on sale in Crimean stores. “Telnyashka” means “sailor’s striped vest” in Russian.

It is the sheer sense of marine force authenticity that makes the Telnyashka vodka bottle stand out on the shelves in Crimea. As is known, the port city of Sevastopol is the home of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.

The price of a 0.5-liter Telnyashka vodka bottle amounts to 230 Russian rubles in Crimea. By comparison, it costs 290 rubles in other Russian regions.

G.D.R. annexed by F.R.G., says chairman of Russia’s parliament

By Vladimir V. Sytin
The Ukrainian Times

Sergey Naryshkin, chairman of the State Duma, Russia’s parliament, (pictured) has proposed to make an appeal to the peoples of the world. Specifically, the appeal will be to the effect that the Federal Republic of Germany annexed the German Democratic Republic in 1989.

“In contrast to Crimea, a national referendum was not held in the G.D.R.,” Mr. Naryshkin said.

A parliamentary committee on international affairs is supposed to draft a relevant statement condemning the annexation of the G.D.R. to the F.R.G. in 1989.

It is worth recalling that on March 16, 2014 more than 96% of the Crimea’s population voted in favor of secession from Ukraine and joining Russia. The referendum attracted 83% voter turnout. Importantly, opinion poll showed that 91% of citizens of Russia approved the reunification of Crimea with their country.

Commenting on the referendum in Crimea, several observers tweeted their opinion: “Mr. Putin is doing just right thing to protect Crimea from militants. The Ukraine’s so-called PM talks like a terrorist”, “Conveniently, the Ukrainian constitution accommodates a fascist coup but does not accept a democratic referendum”, “The coup at Maidan with neo-Nazis and snipers is U.S. friendly but the vote of 96% of Crimean citizens would be a sham”, “Kiev has fooled Crimea for a long time, stealing taxes without back efficiency. Fascism became the last drop. Bye-bye Nazi Ukraine! Hello Russia!”

Finally, it is worth remembering that in 1954 Crimea was given to Ukraine by Nikita Khrushchev, head of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, who was half-Ukrainian. At that time no one anticipated that the Union would ever collapse. And when that happened in 1991, residents of Crimea were handed over to Ukraine like a sack of potatoes. However, the peninsula’s population is mostly Russian and has had a strong Russian presence for more than 230 years including an important Russian naval base. Also, it must be noted that the Russian Cossacks under Catherine the Great conquered Crimea in 1783.

In Crimea, Russia’s Water Code is in force

The Water Code of the Russian Federation, which provides for a water conservation zone, has taken effect in Crimea. In particular, the zone extends
for 500 meters from a seacoast, 50 meters from a lake and 100-200 meters from rivers and other reservoirs. If vacationers enter the water conservation zone by car or bike, they will be fined between 3,000 and 4,500 rubles.

Crimea attracts record number of health resort visitors from Russian regions

Believe it or not, sanitarium accommodations are scarce in Crimea in December.

According to Crimean health resort minister Yelena Yurchenko, the peninsula has attracted the record 10,000 health resort visitors
from 50 Russian regions in December alone. The sanitariums in the cities of Saki and Yevpatoria, which use mud therapy, are their most popular destination.

A one-way airplane ticket from Moscow to Simferopol costs between 2,700 and 3,000 Russian rubles. The bus will take you for 10 rubles from the Simferopol airport to a railroad station. Fares on the trolley buses amount to only 4.25 rubles per ride in the Crimean capital city.

Russia supplies 2.5 million textbooks to Crimea

By Vladimir V. Sytin
The Ukrainian Times

“We all meandered through our schooling haphazard,” wrote Russian poet Alexander Pushkin in his world-famous work ‘Eugene Onegin’ in 1833.

At present, there are 570 comprehensive secondary schools in Crimea, including 15 schools in which subjects are taught in the Crimean Tatar language. After reunification in March Russia supplied more than 2.5 million textbooks to the peninsula. Over 80% of the textbooks were put out at the Russian publishing house Prosveschenie.

Crimea, Kherson region improve trade relations

By Vladimir V. Sytin
The Ukrainian Times

A trade turnover between the Kherson region and Crimea has amounted to 710 million grivnas over the course of a month alone. Crimean enterprises export consumer goods of Russian and Chinese make to Ukraine.

According to analysts, Russia has a flat tax of 13%. It works perfectly well. The flat tax is simple, easy and cheap to administer. It saves billions of rubles and helps business, investors and households.