An alternative plan for peace and reintegration of Donbas was presented in Kyiv

10:54 / 14 Dec. 2016 / 423

An alternative plan of how to regulate the conflict in Donbas and its further reintegration was presented by the initiative of Alexander Klimenko “Restoring of Donbas” within the II Annual Forum “Restoring Donbas and Ukraine”, attended by more than 90 specialized experts, volunteers, representatives of public organizations and international missions. The plan includes issues of the cessation of hostilities and the establishment of the peace to ensure the security of citizens.

The following strategic priorities in resolving the conflict in eastern Ukraine were determined: cessation of hostilities and the establishment of peace; public safety, renovation of social infrastructure; trade and economic relations restoration, information and humanitarian stabilization and consolidation of society; social protection, legal security and humanitarian support of the citizens; modernization of the economy in Donbas and Ukraine; the involvement of international organizations and partners into these processes.

The document made up by experts of “Restoring of Donbas”, Ukrainian Institute of Analysis and Management Policy, Institute of Strategic Studies “New Ukraine” and the Institute of social protection of citizens.

“It is obvious today that the government is not interested to stop the unfolding disaster. To make political statements, which do not have common sense and wish to solve the problem. We all witnessed the deception and the “process for process’ in the long three-year negotiations”, – Klimenko said. The politician also said that the purpose of his initiative today is to prepare and to implement detailed strategy to achieve peace and to restore Donbas and Ukraine.

Developed under the auspices of Klimenko plan was a response to ignorance from the side of official authorities to the problems of Donbas. The document pays a considerable attention to recovery of the regional economy, the social reintegration of the residents of Donbas and the decision of problems of IDPs’. The documents resulted to hand over to the Ministry of the temporarily occupied territories and IDPs. The participants of the Forum decided to implement the messages in their work.

The concept of the systematic solution of military conflict, peace building, reconstruction and development of Donbas and Ukraine became a logical continuation of the outcome of the First Forum hold by “Restoring Donbass and Ukraine”, which took place on 10 December 2015. As noted by Elena Petryaeva, the head of the initiative “Restoring of Donbas”, last year, the platform for the experts was created. We produced more than 420 proposals sent to all government bodies and international organizations. Now it’s time to move on. The problem of Donbas and its reintegration to be raised higher. We have to establish a national dialogue that will lead to national unity. For this, we created the concept of reintegration and development of Donbass and Ukraine”.

The idea of the Concept came from the results of research presented by the organizers of the Forum and the lack of activity from the government.  Thus, it is high time to start a dialogue between the parties to the conflict.

Andrey Ermolaev , the director of the Institute of Strategic Studies “New Ukraine” admitted that now there is no dialogue between the parties to the conflict. There is no decision on the formation of a national unity concept. Therefore, we propose today to develop a plan that would really help to resolve the conflict. We face with a great danger of creating two Ukraines. We need an internal national dialogue, which will help maintain a single state. ”

According to the director of the Ukrainian Institute of analysis and management policy Ruslan Bortnik: “For three years we have played in politics. Speaking of geopolitics, we have forgotten a person in the process. For all of us it is crucially important to return IDPs to their homes, we should think over how to unite families separated by the conflict. Finally, we should think how to make our society, if not tolerant, or at least condonation”.

Alexander Amosha, director of the Institute of Industrial Economics of NAS of Ukraine, shared the same point of view. According to him, Ukraine gradually lost Donbass. Alexander Amosha concerned that the longer the problem delayed, the more expensive solution would cost.

The authors of the Concept offer specific solutions and implementation mechanisms. Forum organizers appealed to the expert community to offer constructive cooperation in the finalization of the document and its subsequent submission to the authorities.

The participants of the Forum also decided to appeal to the Council of National Unity under the President of Ukraine’s for the establishment of multi-level, structured dialogue on national unity.

The initiative “Restoring of Donbas” also presented a public report on the results of two years of the work, and encouraged to join their projects and community partners.

The restoring-donbass.com website - is an interactive platform, which was created by the "Restoring Donbas" community initiative of Oleksandr Klymenko. The latest news, blogs and analysis, background information and useful ads for IDPs and Donbas residents are available on the website.