FreeСХІД.ua#20 Nine months of fighting for pension; People changing Slavyansk and Avdiivka, and new traffic rules in “LNR”
Renowned photographer Serhiy Varganov decided to sue the state – and won. Oleksiy Ovchynnikov from Slavyansk dreamt of state of the art co-working space – and his dream came true. After shelling of her school a Russian language teacher from Avdiivka Tetiana Pereverzeva switched to Ukrainian language and thinks that her native city will become a cultural capital of the East of Ukraine.
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#FreeZONE
Famous photographer Serhiy Varganov travelled to hell and back to get his rightful pension paycheck. He moved to Maryupil in 2014 and registered as IDP. Starting August 2017 he started receiving disability pension.
However, the paychecks stopped. Vaganov went to court and after nine month of litigation finally managed to get his money back.
“My lawyers won this battle, but we haven’t won the war. There are thousands of people in the same position, but with no legal support”
How many people are not receiving their pension payments?
About 150 thousand retirees residing at uncontrolled territories have not been receiving their earned pension for several years because they do not have IDP status.
What else is important?
The Supreme Court ruled to renew pension payments to a woman whose pension was suspended as she turned on Ukrainian Security Service list for people who stay at uncontrolled territories for more than 60 days. The Supreme Court decision should expedite similar judicial proceedings. Provided appeal is not filed, the women will receive all the money she is owed for state pension retained for over a year during a single month. However, until the decision becomes effective, this type of trial is being suspended.
#FreeLuhansk
New traffic rules enter into force on the occupied territories of Luhansk region starting September 1, 2018. The change mirrors traffic rules of the Russian Federation.
What is different?
• As per current traffic rules, emergency stop is allowed if required by any road user. New rules limit this paragraph to driver and passengers only.
• Traffic rules of Ukraine state that Daytime Running Lights must be white and provided by vehicle design. According to the new “LNR” traffic rules these are just external light devices that are intended to improve moving vehicle front visibility at daytime.
• In addition to required documents specified by motor vehicle traffic regulations of Ukraine, drivers in the so called “republic” must also carry a waybill and g transport documents in cases specified by “the law”.
• According to the Ukrainian traffic rules, the pedestrian has priority over vehicle at unsignalled crossing. “LNR” pedestrians will be deprived of this priority. New rules state that pedestrian is responsible for assessing crossing safety before setting foot on the road.
• “LNR police” can stop vehicles not only with a wand or a hand, but also via loudspeaker.
• Traffic rules of Ukraine prohibit vehicle stop within 10 meters of pedestrian crosswalk or crossing. The new “LNR” rules reduce this distance to 5 meters.
#FreeQUOTE
There are plenty environmental issues in the war-torn Luhansk region. The Head of State Environmental Inspection in Luhansk region Anatolii Hatsko listed the most crucial among current regional eco problems. The major issue is logging, which must be outlawed while forests are on fire due to hostilities. The second problem mentioned by the official is asphalt factories ongoing unauthorized operation. And the third environmental devastator of Luhansk region is household waste, or rather absence of waste dumping facility.
“The first problem is the forest. When we conduct joined operations with the enforcement agencies no timber passes the checkpoint – whether it was lodged legally or illegally. Next day I designate a representative to the checkpoint, and he records 14 to 16 vehicles”.
#FreeINFOGRAPHICS
Does an IDP child need certificate? What about the kids who were born to IDPs on Ukraine-controlled territory after 2017? Which documents are needed to get a young resettler his/her own IDP certificate?
”Donbas SOS” organization provides detail on this matter in their infographics.
#FreeNEWS
Donetsk regional prosecutor’s office issued suspicion to Dobropillia mayor Andriy Aksenov on account of document forgery and fraud. He is suspected of forging documents for trips to annexed Crimea.
Luhansk energy department started shutting down the supply of electricity to “Lysychanskvodokanal” and Rubizhansky water utility companies for non-payment. Unexpectedly, the communal workers of Rubizhansk Company fought back. They organized a rally and blocked company entrance roads to impede access to electrical equipment used to shut down the electrical lines. So, energy department workers could not shut down electricity, but, in turn, they argue that the longer debtor companies keep on their non-payment practices, the greater will be the damage to Luhansk Energy System.
However, amidst this stand-off between the two communal companies, it is residents of Lysychansk and Rubizhne, who are at risk of losing their water supply.
Stanytsia Luhanska farmers are advised to take a month-long break from grazing cattle and picking mushroom, and move their bee hives further away. Starting May 20 to June 30 coniferous forests will be sprayed with pesticides for insect pests. Extermination works will be conducted in Shchastya Malynivka, Kondrashiv, Stanytsia Luhanska, Pischane and Chuhinsk forestry. It is inadvisable to visit forests during this period.
“Street Music Day” festival will take place in frontline Avdiivka for the first time in history. Each year new Ukrainian cities join the Street Music Festival. Last year the residents of Novohrodivka and Siverodonetsk took part in the festival.
#FreePEOPLE
Oleksiy OVCHYNNIKOV, Slavyansk
Oleksiy Ovchynnikov represents to Slavyansk a hope that someday youth will stop leaving the city. Just a month ago Oleskiy, who works as a Head of Dance Center “Gratsiya”, could not even dream of meeting Kurt Valker, the US State Department representative in Ukraine, and Mari Jovanovich, the US Ambassador to Ukraine.
The reason for the meeting is presentation of state of the art Coworking&Event space «TOP PLACE» that opened recently in Slavyansk.
Ovchinnikov is one of those people who “advance” cities. It was his idea to create co-working space, and it was he, who managed to find supporters at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and engage the Head of Supervisory Board of “Donbas Ceramic Bodies” Viktor Levit.
Now Slavyansk has a state of the art co-working «TOP PLACE» with useful floor space of 250 square meters. The facility has a small stage, library corner, kitchen, utility space, negotiation room. And the organizers promise to bring in really cool events!
Tetiana PEREVERZEVA, Avdiivka
For over 30 years Tetiana worked as a teacher of Russian Language in Avdiivka High school, but she quit her profession in 2015. That’s when city shelling started, and one of shell bombs hit Tetiana’s classroom right in the middle of a teaching session.
“It was such a dissonance, I couldn’t keep teaching”, - confesses Tetiana, and adds: after that she switched to the Ukrainian language in her day-to day interaction.
Today she is the Head of a newly established Museum of Avdiivka history, the leader of patriotic organization “Plast”, inspirer for youth hub “Yellow submarine”, and an incredible woman who thinks that her native Avdiivka can someday become cultural capital of the East of Ukraine!
Stanislav KOVAL, Donetsk-Yablonovka village
Yablonovka village resident, resettler form Donetsk Stanislav Koval, has a job that is pretty unusual for a farmer. Stanislav breeds ornamental fish. Local kids and their grandparents come to his place to take a look at the exotic pool.
Before the war Stanislav worked as an architect, but he was forced to abandon his home in occupied city. Stanislav did not lose his heart and, instead, opened an ornamental fish nursery.
#FreeLEASURE
Three festivals in Donetsk region
May 17-20 – All-Ukrainian Theater Festival “Teatralna Legenda” (Kramatorsk)
Seven amateur theater companies from Kramatorsk, Poltava, Dnipro and Siverodonetsk will perform on stage.
On Sunday, May 19, there will be three performances, since the day is the most comfortable for audience. And on May 20 there will be gala concert and closing of the festival.
June 2 – Historical and Cultural Festival “Wild Field. Way to Europe” (Donetsk region)
Festival will take place on the border of Zaporizhzha and Donetsk regions on a reservoir bank at “Stone Grave” Natural Reserve of Nikolsky district (Donetsk Region).
The program includes theatric reconstruction of historical events from various periods: nomadic (Scythians), Cossack, princely, and anti-terrorist operation.
June 3 – Regional Youth festival “RoboSkhid” (Kramatorsk)
Donetsk region school teams will present their robotics achievements. Robot construction and programming workshops will be conducted during the event.
Have a nice day!
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Yours Donetsk Press Club