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| "Power and politics" newspaper №13 (158), March 28 - April 3, 2003 |
15 April 2003 |
| Conservatism has always played a significant role in life of Ukrainian people, considers Oleh Soskin, leader of the Ukrainian National Conservative Party |
- Mr. Soskin, what does “conservatism” mean for You and the Ukrainian National conservative Party?
- I think, that traditions of conservatism are significant for Ukraine and Ukrainian people. That is so, because conservative approach is a traditional one for Ukrainian people. Happy family, Ukrainian language, Orthodox Church, land have been core values of our people for ages.
I am sure that leaning against them can help to form national idea and independent state as a complex of self-sufficient families and citizens, who know their history and respect traditions.
Once, a historic chance to live independent life was spoiled in time of Kyiv Rus and Zaporizka Sich. We couldn’t and were not allowed to transform them into own state, but we have always had conservative values. And now we have a unique chance to put everything in the right order.
Protecting the abovementioned values, our party as an adherent of conservatism speaks for morality, creativity and presence of charismatic leader.
- Don’t You think, that fundamental traditions of Ukrainian conservatism were lost or eradicated when Ukraine was a constituent part of the USSR?
- It is no doubt that Ukrainian mentality has cardinally changed in those 73 years. But anyway there is Western and Central Ukraine where a lot of Ukrainian traditions are preserved. Some traditions also remain in eastern and southern parts of our state. Moreover, Ukrainian mentality is renewing now.
There is even a theory that conservative model of development is natural for our land and its energetic. So, even the spirit of land helps to revive conservatism. Moreover, I think that sooner or later we will achieve this target due to development of private property, entrepreneurship, formation of national bourgeoisie as a key component of such ideology.
- Couldn’t revival of conservatism in the era of globalization lead to isolation of Ukraine worldwide?
- Globalization is an objective process, and we can do nothing with it. The main thing is that we mustn’t lose own identity in this global boiling pot. We should try to keep the balance between internationalization and development of Ukrainian nation. If we defend Ukrainian language, Ukrainian culture and form national bourgeoisie, develop new technologies, then we have such a balance.
Undoubtedly, Ukraine is a European state, which will become NATO and EU member sometime later. But we consider that Ukraine doesn’t need just the fact of membership in any organization. The EU turns more and more into inertial structure, which can’t give fast development, since everything is established and formed there.
Even the associate membership in this organization could help us to reach European markets, which we definitely need today. Ukraine should think of its own system of co-ordinates, while forming international relations, to use its unique geoeconomic and geopolitical location. These are components of modern Ukrainian conservatism, which the UNCP defends.
- Why didn’t the UNCP participate in the parliamentary elections 2002?
- We didn’t take part in the previous elections to the Verkhovna Rada consciously. That was time of “big blocks”, and little parties having little organizational abilities had no chances, actually. So, we decided to spare our strength, preserving own self-sufficiency and independence.
Time shows that it was right tactics and now the party develops and conquers more and more positions, differing from those who hasty joined the parliamentary race.
- What are Your following steps?
- The UNCP will participate in the following parliamentary elections, whenever it would be. Moreover, we will try to influence the contemporary situation.
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