Border Of Ukraine Research Articles

Electoral activity of the population of western ukraine border territory

Electoral activity of the population of western ukraine border territory

Content and hierarchy of registry information resources of Ukraine border service

Content and hierarchy of registry information resources of Ukraine border service

Problematic aspects of the present system of engineering and technical control of the state border of Ukraine and perspective ways to increase its efficiency

Based on the analysis of legal documents, methodological materials of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, scientific papers, evaluation of the factors that determine the results of the operational and service activity of bodies and units of the state border the role of engineering and technical component of the state border of Ukraine protection and the system of engineering and technical control of the state border of Ukraine and its problematic aspects have been estimated.The results of attraction of international technical assistance projects (the United States Government and the European Union) for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, as well as intellectual attempts to resolve issues of application of engineering and technical control have been analyzed and the limits of the relevant researches have been assessed.The structure and composition of the engineering and technological control system of the contemporary model of the state border of Ukraine protection have been presented.The analysis of factors that determine the complexity of the system of engineering and technical control have been carried out, and one of the perspective ways to improve the system by combining different possibilities of the technical means of border protection, as the components of the system, have been defined.The research has been performed on the basis of the system approach and the method of system analysis implementation.

НАПРЯМИ УДОСКОНАЛЕННЯ ПРАВОВОГО РЕГУЛЮВАННЯ ТРАНЗИТНОГО ПОТЕНЦІАЛУ УКРАЇНИ

The present paper is dedicated to the essence and pecularities of transit development in Ukraine, to the identification of factors which are hindering the atrraction of additional transit amount as well as to the formulation of conceptual directions on improving of legal regulation of relations concerning the implementation of Ukraine’s transit potential. REFERENCES1. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (2008), The Law of Ukraine "On ratification of the Memorandum of Understanding concerning the coordinated development of the Black Sea Ring Highway", Vidomosti Verkhovnoi Rady Ukrainy, Vol. 49, p. 360.2. Bludova T.V., Manzhos T.V. and Cherevko D.R. (2009), Znakhodzhennia sfery dopustymoho ryzyku rehional’nykh eksportno-importnykh operatsij [Finding areas of risk accepted in regional export-import operations], KNEU, Kyiv, Ukraine.3. Heiets’ V.M., Kyzym M.O., Lebanova T.S., Cherniak O.I., Bazhenova O.V. (2006), Modeliuvannia ekonomichnoi bezpeky: derzhava, rehion, pidpryiemstvo [Modeling of economic security: state, region, enterprise], INZhEK, Kharkiv, Ukraine.4. Dolishnij M.I. (2006), Rehional’na polityka na rubezhi ХХ - ХХІ stolit’: novi priorytety [Regional policy at the turn of XX - XXI century: new priorities], Nauk dumka, Kyiv, Ukraine.5. Medvid’ V.Yu. (2013), "The strategy of regional economic development: theoretical aspect", Ekonomika rozvytku, vol 1(65), pp. 48-51.6. Kotlubaj A.M., Lypynskaia A.A. (2008), Uproschenye orhanyzatsyonnykh protsedur v yspol’zovanyy tranzytnoho potentsyala Ukrayny [Simplify organizational procedures in the use of transit potential of Ukraine], YPREEY NAN, Odessa, Ukraine.7. Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (2009), "Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine "On approval of the State Target Program of reforming the railway transport in the years 2010-2019", Ofitsijnyj visnyk Ukrainy, vol. 101., p. 3523.8. Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (2011), "Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine "On approval of the update locomotive park of railways of Ukraine for 2012-2016", Ofitsijnyj visnyk Ukrainy, vol. 61, p. 2426.9. Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (2013), "Disposal of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine "The issue of implementation of infrastructure projects in the transport sector", Uriadovyj kur’ier, vol. 15.10. "UZ" approved the Program electrification of railways in 2011-2016 years" (2015), available at: http://economics.unian.ua/transport/506442-ukrzaliznitsya-zatverdilaprogramu-elektrifikatsiji-zaliznits-na-2011-2016-roki.html (Accessed 4 March 2016).11. "In January 2015, consisting of container trains and combined containers transported 5312" (2015), available at: http://ru.magistral-uz.com.ua/news/za-sichen-2015-roku-u-skladi-kontejnernih-ta-kombinovanih-poizdivperevezeno-5312-kontejneriv.html (Accessed 10 January 2016).12. Sadlovs’ka I. (2014), Priorytety reformuvannia ta modernizatsii transportnoi infrastruktury ta dorozhn’oho kompleksu v Ukraini [Priorities for reform and modernization of transport infrastructure and road complex in Ukraine], DETUT, Kyiv, Ukraine.13. Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (2013), "Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine "On approval of the Strategy of development of sea ports of Ukraine till 2038", Ofitsijnyj visnyk Ukrainy, vol. 61, p. 2194.14. Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (2011), "Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine "Some issues of public administration reform public roadways", Ofitsijnyj visnyk Ukrainy, vol. 59, p. 2378.15. Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (2011), "Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine "On approval of the Concept of the state target economic development program of road transport for the period until 2015", Ofitsijnyj visnyk Ukrainy, vol. 59, p. 2376.16. Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (2011), "Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine "On approval of the Strategy of improvement of road safety in Ukraine to 2015", Ofitsijnyj visnyk Ukrainy, vol. 42, p. 1724.17. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (2011), The Law of Ukraine "On amendments to some legislative acts of Ukraine to implement the preliminary documentary control at checkpoints across the customs border of Ukraine", Vidomosti Verkhovnoi Rady Ukrainy, Vol. 33, p. 326.18. Kava O. (2011), "Rolling stock "Ukrzaliznytsya" has kept in good condition", available at: http://www.mtu.gov.ua/uk/news/print/48595.html (Accessed 4 March 2016).19. Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (2015), "Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine "Some issues of state enterprise "Antonov", available at: http://www.kmu.gov.ua/control/uk/cardnpd?docid=248151286 (Accessed 5 March 2016).20. "The new container terminal of the Odessa port does not work because of the sunken breakwater" (2015), available at: http://dumskaya.net/news/v-poiskah-zatonuvshegovolnoloma-040835/ (Accessed 5 March 2016).21. Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (2009), "Order of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine "The program of perspective development of the State Enterprise "Sea Commercial Port" Southern" for the period till 2015", available at: http://mtu.gov.ua/ru/mtzu_decrees/14412.html (Accessed 15 Jan. 2016).22. Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (2006), "Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine "The program of the national network of international transport corridors in Ukraine in 2006-2010", Ofitsijnyj visnyk Ukrainy, vol. 15, p. 1105.

The suggestion as the basis for customs inspection

The article is devoted to the coverage of defined frames of references, developed under the influence of legal application features of warning information in the form of suggestion which are forwarded to customs houses of State Fiscal Service of Ukraine by law enforcement authorities of Ukraine for the purpose of carrying out the custom examination of goods on their custom registration by officers of custom houses; goods which are moved across the customs border of Ukraine and along customs territory of Ukraine by tax payers carrying out international economic activity.The present article provides the legal analysis of definitions «suggestion», «risk indicator», «risk profile».Based on analysis of current legislation of Ukraine on state customs affair it is found that the suggestion – it is the information about people and/or vehicles, with the aid of which offenses of the legislation of Ukraine on state customs affair may be committed, and the information about goods that may be objects of an offense, which was created independently by customs authorities as a result of analytical work or was received by the customs authorities. It is found that a goal of the suggestion is detection, prevention and suspension of offences of the legislation of Ukraine on state customs affair, and no allowance of release for free circulation of goods in the customs territory of Ukraine with offenses of the legislation of Ukraine on state customs affair.It is also proved that directing by law enforcement authorities to authorities of incomes and fees, which are the customs houses of State Fiscal Service of Ukraine, information about offenses of order of foreign goods transference with the subsequent requirement of customs examination of these goods by customs houses of State Fiscal Service of Ukraine is one of the forms of cooperation between law enforcement authorities and authorities of incomes and fees.Taking the results of the research into account, the author notes that the decision on the use of certain customs formalities (forms of control) is realized only on the grounds of actualizing lists of risk indicators – criteria with in advance specified parameters, using of which gives an opportunity to choose the object of control which is a risk.The author concludes that the suggestion directed by law enforcement authorities of Ukraine to the customs houses of State Fiscal Service of Ukraine does not always have reasonable grounds for the customs examination of goods which are transporting through the customs border of Ukraine. It leads to less effective decision-makings by officials of customs houses of State Fiscal Service of Ukraine that usually end with a zero result during a customs examination of goods initiated by law enforcement authorities. Herewith, the resources of customs houses of State Fiscal Service of Ukraine are spent, the customs houses of State Fiscal Service of Ukraine staff is personally responsible for the violation of legality during the determination of forms and volume of customs control, time norms introduced by legislation of Ukraine on state customs affair for realization of customs formalities are groundlessly violated and a certain negative public outcry is formed.In addition, the attention is focused on the fact that the customs officer of State Fiscal Service of Ukraine, deciding on the application of additional customs formalities on the base of lists of risk indicators, should take into account commitments of the Government of Ukraine within the framework of the EU Sector Budget Support Program of customs examinations not more than 5 % of customs declarations.

THE STRATEGY OF CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION FOR INCREASE OF TOURIST POTENTIAL OF YAROSLAW CITY PODKARPATHIAN PROVINCE OF POLAND

The functioning mechanisms of the Cross-border cooperation Strategy, that had an impact on the increase of competitiveness of many spheres of industrial small frontier cities of Ukraine and Poland, are analysed in the article. An especially successful example preliminary operating Programme Poland – Belarus – Ukraine 2007 – 2013 – the financing arrangement of the underground city routes Jaroslaw (Poland) and Uzgorod (Ukraine) in total number 2 mln euro. As a introduction of project in Yaroslav city was completed in December, 2015, then already all following 2016 year the tourist image of the city among other cross-border settlements significantly picked up. Since the moment of opening of new underground route in Yaroslav to May, 1, 2016, one have been visited by 23 766 persons. The amount of arrive tourists grows from other cities and other countries to this small frontier town. This experience is instructive and useful to other cities that are suffering from underfunding by Ukraine state structures. Funds of Strategy of the Cross-border cooperation are additional source of funding for vital reforms in Ukraine border small towns. Key words: Cross-border cooperation, trans-border settlements, small city.

REGIONAL ASPECTS OF BANKING SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT IN CASE OF WESTERN BORDER AREAS OF UKRAINE

One of the key factors to ensure the proper development of regions is the functioning of banking institutions in them. It is bank as an independent financial institution, accumulating temporarily free funds of legal entities and the population, by active operations creates serious infusion into the economy of the region in the form of investment, financing some separate areas of the business entities economy. The regional banking system affects the whole region development, thereby creating the conditions for active investment, ensuring adequate financing of companies, and thus increasing production and employment and, consequently, improving people's lives level. With the expansion of the European Union the western border of Ukraine acquired a new meaning. Therefore, was analyzed the state of the banking sector in western border regions of Ukraine and were examined existing regional disparities in the development of the regional banking system. The results of empirical analysis of the process are given. The recommendations on the development of the credit market of Western Ukrainian region are provided.

Eastern Donbass Resources as Improvement Factor in the Fuel and Energy Competitiveness Sector of Russia

Authors consider possible development ways of the Russia coal industry. Researchers recognize that the world economic crisis had an essential negative impact on the coal industry in general. Research relevance consists in resource analysis of the East Donbass coal basin, whose social and economic situation represents a particular interest in connection with a political situation in the Ukraine border regions, in the Donetsk national republic. East Donbass (160 billion t) is in the west of the Rostov region. Basin coals, as well as in the main Donbass have high quality. The predominant energy, anthracite coal with a high calorific value, there are almost no coking coal. The small power of layers (the majority from several centimeters to 1 m), a deep water of development (on average 350 m, the greatest - over 1000 m) do an expensive coal rather. The coal industry state and development are defined by the following factors: size of mineral reserves; coal quality; mining-and-geological conditions; mine fund; scientific-technical progress; working conditions; economic factors. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n3s6p329

UKRAINE: PUBLIC AUTHORITY’ DISTURBANCE

The paper examined the complicated military and political situation within the borders of Ukraine, the neighboring state that has unleashed military operations against the southeastern borderlands of the country, and crisis in relations between the Quarters and the outlying districts of the single state, and rising of explicit threat to integrity of the Russian Federation; all these factors have worsened the state of things over the region. That required urgent examination of forms and techniques of destructive impact the Kiev regime once having seized power exerted on the population of the Lugansk and Donetsk districts. Evaluation of aftereffects arising out of this situation shall be required, too. The author having applied the comparative analysis’ technique has brought to light a position held by the State and the part taken by the public authorities and their assistants from Germany, the USA, France, Poland, Holland, Great Britain in worsening the situation within the borders of Ukraine, revealing specifics in taking measures for destabilizing relations between the states and ethnic communities. The survey inferred with assessment of a negative part taken while intervention into internal affairs of the states. The study explored measures of destructive nature once implemented in other states in the course of their evolution, and has shown divergent and similar features typical of similar society control settings.

The features of initiation of the cases about passenger transportation across the state border of Ukraine without proper documentation on international passenger traffic

The features of initiation of the cases about passenger transportation across the state border of Ukraine without proper documentation on international passenger traffic

Movement of goods through the customs border of Ukraine

Movement of goods through the customs border of Ukraine

ДО ПИТАННЯ ВИТОКІВ ТА РОЗВОЮ УКРАЇНСЬКОГО КОЗАЦТВА

One of the most discussed problems of the national history is the problem of the origin and genesis of Ukrainian kozactvo. The scientists express different opinions concerning this topic, creating new scientific concepts. The most widely-spread among them are etymological, ethnic and autochthonous theories about the origin and development of kozaks in Ukraine. But the most reasonable among them is the last, which proves that the Ukrainian kozactvo appeared not due to the migration of other nations to the territory of Ukraine, but that it was formed by the local population.According to one of the main supporters of the autochthonous concept, M.Hrushevsky, in its development Ukrainian kozactvo has passed two major steps. The first - domestic that appeared in times of Kievska Rus' as a manifestation of rusich people against wild tribes. This stage in the history of Ukrainian kozaks was represented by free and strong-willed people who lived outside the territory of Kievska Rus’ in the twelfth - early thirteenth centuries, down the Danube river. They were called brodnyky and berladnyky. According to Ukrainian historians, after the conquest of these lands by Mongol-Tatars, the whole territory received a new name, given by the conquerors - kozactvo.The second stage of the genesis of the kozaks – “classic”, as the new state of the Ukrainian society, related to the formation of the wild field territory with brave and desperate guards of the southern borders of Ukraine from devastating raids of Crimean tatars. This new state consisted of different people: princes, nobles, boyars, peasants who were united by the true love to their land, by appreciation of personal freedom, recklessness and courage against the enemies. They were the ones who set up their military-political organization by the Dnieper rapids and called it Zaporiz’ka Sich, which became the beginning of a future Ukrainian kozaks state - Hetmanshina.

Democratic Breakthroughs and Revolutions in Five Postcommunist Countries: Comparative Perspectives on the Fourth Wave

The democratic breakthroughs and revolutions of 1998-2004 for Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia, Georgia, and Ukraine constituted a second phase of their transformation as postcommunist states. All five countries experienced different national revolutions that prevented the simultaneous pursuit of nation-state building and democracy immediately after communism's collapse. After the dissolution of the Czechoslovak state, Slovakia had to come to terms with being an independent state that would coexist with a large Hungarian minority. Croatia's war of independence monopolized the first half of the 1990s and the Serbian threat only receded after the re-taking of Krajina in 1995. From 1988-99, Slobodan Milo?evic dominated Serbia. His plans for a greater Serbia, which ultimately led to NATO's bombing campaign in 1999, resulted in unprecedented war crimes, chaos, and havoc in the former Yugoslavia. Georgia entered the post-Soviet era dominated by ethnic nationalism that led to civil war and the loss of two separatist enclaves. Ukraine was a leading country seeking the dismantling of the USSR in 1991, and 91 percent of Ukrainians overwhelmingly endorsed a referendum on independence. But national independence came without democracy as the state was hijacked until 2004 by the former sovereign turned centrists, under Leonid Kravchuk and Leonid Kuchma. Throughout the 1990s, Ukraine's elites felt threatened by internal threats from the anti-state and antireform communists, who were the largest political force until the 2002 elections, and externally from Russia, which refused to recognize Ukraine's borders until 1997-99.The democratic opposition perceived the Slovak '98 OK Campaign as Slovakia's opportunity to complete the Velvet Revolution that escaped the country in 1989-90 and remove Vladimir Mec iar's populist nationalism that had, until then, dominated postcom-munist Slovakia. The Croatian opposition also sought to distance itself from the nationalist 1990s in favor of returning to Europe through domestic democratic reforms. Georgia's opposition sought to overcome a failed and dismembered state, amid deep levels of stagnation under Eduard Shevardnadze. Georgian analyst Nodia believes that our revolution in 2003 reminded us of the Eastern European revolution of 1989 when a new generation of non-communist elites came to power.1 A similar sense of unfinished revolution permeated Ukraine's Orange Revolution that, for its leaders and supporters, represented the democratic conclusion to the national revolution of 1991.This article is divided into two sections. The first section analyzes ten causal factors that contribute to democratic breakthroughs and revolutions in Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia, Georgia, and Ukraine. These factors differ in their degree of intensity for all five states. The absence of all, or some, of these factors will prevent successful democratic revolutions in Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, and other CIS states. The ten factors include the existence of a competitive authoritarian state facilitating space for the democratic opposition, to Europe civic nationalism that assists in civil society's mobilization, a preceding political crisis, a pro-democratic capital city, unpopular ruling elites, a charismatic candidate, a united opposition, mobilized youth, regionalism, and foreign intervention. The second section discusses developments following democratic breakthroughs and revolutions in the five states. The section is divided into four themes: the new regimes' ability to deal with the legacies of the past, divisions in the democratic opposition, return of the ancien regime, and progress in democratization.Democratic Breakthroughs and RevolutionsNine factors have been important to the success of democratic breakthroughs and revolutions in postcommunist states. These include a competitive- (i.e. semi-) authoritarian state facilitating space for the democratic opposition; to Europe civic nationalism that assists in mobilizing civil society; a preceding political crisis that weakened the regime's legitimacy; a pro-democratic capital city; unpopular ruling elites; a charismatic candidate; a united opposition; mobilized youths; and regionalism and foreign intervention (Russia or the EU). …

Fairytale Cynicism in the ‘Kingdom of Plastic Bags’

This article explores local transformations of power, and accompanying expressions of communal powerlessness, in Chelnochovskna-Dniestre, a town on the southwestern border of Ukraine where the collapse of the Soviet system has triggered the disintegration of the political, economic and physical infrastructure, as well as the concomitant departure of almost all those able to obtain visas to emigrate. It seeks to understand and articulate the distinctive and complex sense of place that has taken hold of the town, whose collective consciousness is now at once extensively transnational and intensively local, and where place is made palpable as much through what is absent as through what is present. In so doing, it seeks a more profound appreciation of the power of place itself on the lives of ethnography’s subjects.

Ukraine Evolving Foreign Policy in a New State

turies. During World War I and World War II, modern Ukrainian nationalists made valiant efforts to attain independence. During both wars, however, unrelenting pressures from Berlin and Moscow destroyed the embryonic Ukrainian states.1 As a result, the world has per ceived Ukraine as an object throughout most of the twentieth century, rather than as a player in international relations. Even from that point of view, however, Ukraine indirectly played major roles in world events; Austria-Hungary, for example, hastened to sign the German-dictated Brest-Litovsk peace treaty to get deliveries of Ukrainian grain that were required to avert mass starvation in Vienna. It was not until 1991 that Ukraine attained the independence-quickly followed by gener al international recognition-that its nationalist leaders had sought for so long. The earlier struggles, however, served as an apprenticeship that, in some ways, helped Ukraine, in contrast with numerous new states, assume a significant role in the world order. Because Moscow wanted extra votes in the United Nations, Ukraine became a charter mem ber of the new world organization in 1945. Its delegations followed Soviet orders strictly, and few other diplomatic relations were established. Still, diplomats of Ukrainian origin did acquire some experience. More important, on gaining its independence, Ukraine immediately was able to assume its rightful role as a free general assem bly member, a factor that encouraged many other members to hasten diplomatic recognition. Apart from these formal considerations, the size and position of an independent Ukraine assures foreign attention. Apart from its area of 603,700 square kilometers, Ukraine borders three former Soviet Republics (Russia, Belarus, and Moldova) and four other Eastern European countries (Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, and Poland), and its long Black Sea coast provides access to numerous other countries. In popula tion, its initial count of 52 million people had declined to 49,470,000 by 2000. However, the proportionate decline can be attributed mainly to the extremely low birth rate, which is about the same as Russia's.2 As suggested previously, as an object of international relations Ukraine commonly was perceived as a bread basket. Just before attain ing independence, Ukraine was credited with one-fourth of the USSR's wheat production, providing a substantial surplus above local con sumption. Some commentators (myself includ ed) speculated in 1991 that Ukraine could use its surplus grain for a triangular trade in which Russia (which rarely had a surplus) could re export Ukrainian foods to the oasis cultures of Central Asia and the Transcaucasus in exchange for cotton, gas, and petroleum, with such goods being used to pay Ukrainians.3 Unfortunately, the Ukrainian food surplus has been slow to materialize. In fact, by 1993, only nine million tons of wheat were available, although a good harvest the following year produced thirteen million tons. Consequently, a major irritant of Russian-Ukrainian relations-Ukrainian inabil ity to pay for energy imports-has remained, although Russia recently apparently agreed to a barter arrangement involving importing food. At the same time, Russian industrialists have been using the large Ukrainian debt to their country to make heavy investments that may enable them to control important sectors of the Ukrainian economy. Ukrainian energy produc tion, including a declining coal output, remains far below necessity. Favorable prospects for finding new petroleum resources off the John A. Armstrong is professor emeritus of political science at the University of Wisconsin Madison.

Transcarpathia—Bridgehead or Periphery?

This paper surveys the economic and political prospects of multiethnic Transcarpathia Oblast, a borderland region that historically has frequently changed political affiliations and which in 2004 will form a part of Ukraine's border with the European Union. More specifically, the analysis focuses on factors that have shaped the region's identity, the extent to which its current economic potential has been effectively utilized, whether its relative location confers upon it the potential to serve as a bridgehead between Ukraine and European political and economic structures, and implications of EU enlargement and Ukraine's macro-political orientation for the region. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: F20, J61, 018. 4 figures, 2 tables, 44 references.

The National Awakening in Subcarpathian Rus’: Aleksander Dukhnovych’s Reconfiguration of Cultural Identity

Geographically, Carpathian-Rus' is located in the heart of Europe, but from a cultural standpoint, Rusyns have always been on the periphery of one or another dominant power. Between its birth in the sixteenth century and its renaissance in Eastern Europe today, the literature of this border area has endured under various forms and in several languages, and this multicultural history has caused it to fall between the cracks of traditional classifications in literary scholarship. Situated at a crossroads of states, cultures, and languages (the Rusyn homeland is found today within the borders of Ukraine, Slovakia, and Poland), with a history of oppression under the Austro-Hungarian and later the Soviet empires,1 Rusyn literature resists easy categorization in terms of political, geographical, ideological or linguistic origins. In the west, where scholarly disciplines are organized largely by nation-states or languages, Rusyn literature has had no logical niche and thus, has been largely ignored. In nineteenth-century Russia, critics included it along with, but distinct from, Little Russian (Ukrainian) literature, as a regional sub-category of an over-arching all-Russian literature. More than one historical survey begins unequivocally, Carpatho-Rusyn literature is a part of Russian literature.3 In the early twentieth century, this orientation was countered by Ukrainophiles, who engaged the Russophiles in a battle over the identity of Rusyns, a battle in which those Rusyns who

Gas, Oil and the linkages between domestic and foreign policies: The case of Ukraine

mechanisms which coordinated economic activities between republics, this collapse by itself did not eliminate the existing web of economic dependencies on the previous 'centre,' i.e. Moscow. Nowhere has the issue of economic dependence on Russia been so clear as in the area of gas, oil and other energy resources. Thus energy sources and their transport may to a large extent hold the key to the longer-term ability of the new, post-Soviet states to achieve economic independence. This is true to such a point that one author, Smolansky, has argued that 'the proclamation of independence, the adoption of state symbols and a national anthem, the establishment of armed forces (...) and even the presence on Ukrainian territory of nuclear missiles-all important elements of independent statehood-amount to little if another power, Russia, controls access to fuel without which Ukraine cannot survive economically'.l Although the geopolitical impact of energy sources is significant throughout the entire territory of the former USSR, their importance is especially clear in the Caspian Sea area and the area on Russia's western borders, centring on Ukraine. In this article I will concentrate on this second area. What makes a case study of Ukraine's energy politics especially interesting is the fact that, as described by a writer for the Eastern Economist, the mechanisms for the supply and distribution of Russian energy to Ukraine are 'at the centre of political struggles at both the international and domestic levels'.2 Yet while the effects of Ukraine's structural energy dependency on Russia have been studied elsewhere,3 little attention has been paid to the domestic determinants of this situation, and the ripple effects of these domestic factors beyond Ukraine's borders.

Keystone in the Arch Ukraine: In the Emerging Security Environment of Central and Eastern Europe

At the beginning of the 'nineties, when new and unforeseen horizons were opening everywhere in central and eastern Europe, much was made in Canada of the fact that one Canadian in ten is of eastern European ancestry. The links between Canada and Ukraine were cited as a leading example of Canada's eastern connections, given the size of the Ukrainian community in Canada. Yet close to a decade later, the significance of these connections still fails to make more than a confused and unfocussed impression in Canada outside a small circle in government, the universities, and business. This is notwithstanding the emphatic support of the present Canadian government for an early and extensive expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as a result of which Canadians, whether they entirely realize it or not, have now joined in extending the security guarantee in article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty to the borders of Ukraine, while Ukraine itself has sought to conclude with NATO arrangements that amount to 'everything short of article 5.'Considering its size, its strategic location, and its internal and external problems, there is a clear need for accessible analysis of Ukraine's situation and its significance for Western interests. This book by Sherman Garnett, Senior Associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, thus helps fill a notable gap. The keystone metaphor of the title is in itself an invitation to fresh thinking. With discussion of the expansion of NATO focussed largely on the Russian reaction, a more conventional view might have located the key to the security debate elsewhere. But Garnett asserts flatly that 'Ukraine is the keystone in the arch of the emerging security environment in Central and Eastern Europe.' Certainly little in the flood of coverage of the NATO expansion debate in the press would tend to such a conclusion.The author's review of Ukraine's record as an independent state is therefore all the more useful. Ukraine has barely existed in modern history as a sovereign country, and not at all within its present boundaries. It is less ethnically and culturally uniform than many Canadians might suppose -- less so than Poland, for example -- for all the historic richness and strength of the Ukrainian language and culture. At independence, Ukraine inherited internally a stricken economy and externally a set of troublesome problems with its neighbours, especially Russia. These included the question of Ukraine's nuclear future, both military and civil, the fate of the Crimea, the disposition of the Black Sea fleet, and the evolution of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). …

The current state and main directions of improving customs control in Ukraine

The article highlights the theoretical aspects of the organization of state control and customs control in the field of customs. The current state of customs control and its legal regulation are analyzed, which allowed us to conclude that the reorganization of customs authorities in 2012–2019 was carried out without appropriate scientific justification, the study of European experience and the consideration of national legislation and customs practice. The main tasks and functions of customs control during the movement of goods across the customs border of Ukraine by subjects of foreign economic activity are determined. It is proposed to review and prioritize the implementation of the basic functions of customs control, based on the interests of national security. The forms of customs control are analyzed. The practice of implementing post-customs control as a form of control, which is used by the administrations of European countries, is examined through the prism of the stages: previous, current and subsequent control. The main tasks and functions of customs control during the movement of goods across the customs border of Ukraine by subjects of foreign economic activity are determined. It is proposed to review and prioritize the implementation of the basic functions of customs control, based on the interests of national security. The forms of customs control are analyzed. The practice of implementing post-customs control as a form of control, which is used by the administrations of European countries, is examined through the prism of the stages: previous, current and subsequent control. The necessity of consolidating the efforts of the customs service, government and the public to create truly partnerships between the customs authorities and the business community with the aim of achieving a balance of interest of people who move goods across the customs border of Ukraine, overcoming “sulfur” and “black” schemes is noted. Important steps were noted regarding the implementation of best international practices in the activities of customs authorities. Directions are proposed for improving the legal regulation of customs control by introducing into the Customs Code and clearly defining the priority tasks of customs authorities, and their compliance with European standards. The necessity of adopting a new law “On the Customs Tariff of Ukraine” is substantiated.