In a recent blog entry (22 May, 2019) I reported that,
"Even more interesting,
"President Volodymyr Zelenskiy named lawyer Andriy Bogdan (left) head of his administration.
...For Andriy Bogdan, the new post will not be his first in government. He previously served as deputy minister of justice and deputy minister in charge of anti-corruption policy under Viktor Yanukovich before the former president fled to Moscow during the Maidan uprising in 2014." (Deutsche Welle DW : 21 May, 2019) (my emphasis)"
We now learn that,
“On the question of reaching peace agreements with Russia, we [i.e. Ukraine's new President, Volodymyr Zelensky] are considering holding a popular referendum,” Andriy Bogdan said.(Natalia Zinets : Reuters : 21 May, 2019) (my emphasis)
Now a referendum is defined as,
"... a direct vote by the electorate of a country to advise or decide on a specific issue, in contrast to votes for individual candidates to national or local elections." (Oxford Public International Law)
But president Zelensky's referendum will simply be, as Andriy Karakuts explains,
"Yesterday, president Zelensky already said that this referendum will be informational ... It will not be obligatory [Questioner: Just like a consulting procedure] ... Consulting ..and ... this idea of this referendum is clear ... President Zelensky .. he wants support from the people for his peace initiative ..."
So this referendum will not be about seeking advice from the people of Ukraine, nor will it about making a decision about the Zelensky 'peace' process.
Andriy Karakuts also informs us that the people of Ukraine do want 'peace', but before such 'peace' can become a reality many complex procedures including diplomatic efforts, political measures, and military measures will have to be positively concluded.
Simply having a referendum about 'peace' will NOT make that 'peace' become a reality.
He also argues that without Putin's agreement, such a referendum will simply be a populist thing.
One is somewhat reminded of that saying (wrongly attributed to Marie Antoinette (right) but first penned by Jean-Jacques Rousseau when she was nine years old) when the French peasants were suffering because of chronic bread shortages,
"Let them eat cake ..." (Wikipedia)
So the suffering of the people of Ukraine under the war that Putin started with his invasion and illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimea, closely followed by his invasion of the Donbas, will not evaporate their suffering through the holding of a 'consultative' referendum.
Has this 'referendum' proposal of Zelensky played right into Putin's hands?
(to be continued)
"Even more interesting,
"President Volodymyr Zelenskiy named lawyer Andriy Bogdan (left) head of his administration....For Andriy Bogdan, the new post will not be his first in government. He previously served as deputy minister of justice and deputy minister in charge of anti-corruption policy under Viktor Yanukovich before the former president fled to Moscow during the Maidan uprising in 2014." (Deutsche Welle DW : 21 May, 2019) (my emphasis)"
We now learn that,
“On the question of reaching peace agreements with Russia, we [i.e. Ukraine's new President, Volodymyr Zelensky] are considering holding a popular referendum,” Andriy Bogdan said.(Natalia Zinets : Reuters : 21 May, 2019) (my emphasis)
Now a referendum is defined as,
"... a direct vote by the electorate of a country to advise or decide on a specific issue, in contrast to votes for individual candidates to national or local elections." (Oxford Public International Law)
"Yesterday, president Zelensky already said that this referendum will be informational ... It will not be obligatory [Questioner: Just like a consulting procedure] ... Consulting ..and ... this idea of this referendum is clear ... President Zelensky .. he wants support from the people for his peace initiative ..."
So this referendum will not be about seeking advice from the people of Ukraine, nor will it about making a decision about the Zelensky 'peace' process.
Andriy Karakuts also informs us that the people of Ukraine do want 'peace', but before such 'peace' can become a reality many complex procedures including diplomatic efforts, political measures, and military measures will have to be positively concluded.
Simply having a referendum about 'peace' will NOT make that 'peace' become a reality.
He also argues that without Putin's agreement, such a referendum will simply be a populist thing.
One is somewhat reminded of that saying (wrongly attributed to Marie Antoinette (right) but first penned by Jean-Jacques Rousseau when she was nine years old) when the French peasants were suffering because of chronic bread shortages,"Let them eat cake ..." (Wikipedia)
So the suffering of the people of Ukraine under the war that Putin started with his invasion and illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimea, closely followed by his invasion of the Donbas, will not evaporate their suffering through the holding of a 'consultative' referendum.
Has this 'referendum' proposal of Zelensky played right into Putin's hands?
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