POLITICS AND SOCIETY:

UKRAINE

Ukraine is situated in …

Our country borders on …

It is washed by …

… is occupied by the

mountains.

The main rivers are …

WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT

THE GEOGRAPHICAL

POSITION OF UKRAINE?

SOCIETY

People

Community

government

family

nationalities

constitution

laws

THE STATE OF UKRAINE

Beginning in the mid-1950s, outbursts of political protest against the totalitarian system gained momentum in Ukraine. An increasing number of illegal literature was published, and several dissident organisations and groups appeared. In late 1980s Gorbachev’s perestroika and glasnost served to develop the society. In 1988 the Ukrainian Helsinki Union was organised. In 1989 the Rukh National Movement for Perestroika in Ukraine was formed (since 1990 known as the Narodnyi Rukh of Ukraine).

On June 16, 1990 the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine passed the Declaration on State Sovereignty of Ukraine. On August 24, 1991, the Ukrainian Parliament solemnly¹ proclaimed Ukraine’s independence and the formation of the independent state of Ukraine, proceeding from the right to self-determination², provided by the United Nations Charter and other international documents.

¹solemnly [ˊsɒlәmlI] — урочисто; ²self-determination [ˊselfdiˊtɜ:miˊneiʃn] — самовизначення

On December 1, 1991, the All-Ukrainian Referendum took place in the country, involving 84.18 percent of citizens, of which number 90.35 percent supported the Independence Act of August 24.

Winning 61.6 percent of the votes, L. Kravchuk was elected the President of Ukraine. The nation supported L. Kravchuk’s programme aimed at the construction of the New Ukraine with a strong state system, genuine [9dzenjuin] democracy, material well-being and elevated spiritual awareness.

A new state, Ukraine, appeared on the world political map in 1991. It is a democratic state, ruled by the law. It includes 24 administrative regions and the Autonomous Republic of the Crimea.

The state power in Ukraine is based on the division of authority into legislative, executive and judicial. The Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) of Ukraine is the sole legislative and supreme authority. The President is

vested¹ with the highest executive authority of the Ukrainian state. He exercises it alongside with the Government, the Cabinet of Ministers and through the system of central and local organs of state executive authority.

President’s Administration

in Kyiv

Sitting Hall of the President’s

Administration

¹vested [ˊvestid] — наділений законом

Judicial power in Ukraine is vested in the courts of law. The courts are independent and in all their activities abide1 only by the rules of law.

The National Emblem of Ukraine is the Golden Tryzub (trident) on a blue shield. The National flag of Ukraine is a rectangular cloth with two horizontal stripes of equal width, the upper coloured blue and the lower — golden yellow. The National Anthem has been performed since January 1992 (music by M. M. Verbytskyi).

The National Holiday, the Independence Day, is celebrated on August 24.

Ukraine is making efforts to create an effective economic system, along with advancing of institutions of democracy, and raising the country’s prestige in the international arena.

By voluntarily rejecting its recent status as the world’s third nuclear power, Ukraine took the first historic step toward a nuclear-free, peaceful future, bringing mankind closer to the long-cherished goal and total nuclear disarmament.

Building of the Cabinet Constitutional Court of Ukraine of Ministers in Kyiv

Constitutional Court of Ukraine

¹to abide [әˊbaid] — (тут) керуватись

an anthem — гімн to declare — оголошувати, декларувати

awareness — усвідомлення to elect — обирати, вибирати

a court — суд to proceed — відновлювати, переходити

disarmament — роззброєння to proclaim — проголошувати, оголосити

a division — відділ, дільниця executive — виконавчий

a law — закон judicial — судовий, законний

an official — службовець, legislative — законодавчий

чиновник, supreme — вищий, верховний

урядова особа

a self-determination — самовизначення,

самостійність

long-cherished — довгоочікуваний

sovereignty — суверенітет, державність

a vote — голос, право голосу

Read the article again and complete the sentences.

1 In 1990 the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine …

2 In 1991 the Ukrainian Parliament proclaimed …

3 The right to self-determination is provided by …

4 All Ukrainian Referendum involved …

5 L. Kravchuk was …

6 State power in Ukraine is based on …

7 The President is …

8 The Verkhovna Rada is …

9 Judicial power is …

10 The National Anthem …

11 Independence Day is …

12 Ukraine took the historic step toward …

12 a nuclear-free, peaceful future,

bringing mankind closer to the long-cherished goal and total nuclear disarmament.

Key: 1 passed the Declaration on State Sovereignty of Ukraine;

2 Ukraine’s independence;

3 the United Nations Charter and other international documents;

4 84.18 %;

5 was elected the President of Ukraine;

6 the division of authority into

legislative, executive and judicial;

7 vested with the highest executive authority of the Ukrainian state;

8 the sole legislative and supreme authority;

9 is vested in the courts of law;

10 has been performed since January 1992 (music by M. M. Verbytskyi);

11 celebrated on August 24;

1 The main legislative body of Ukraine is the Verkhovna Rada. The elections to the Verkhovna Rada are held:

a) every four years

b) every five years

c) whenever the government

determines

2 Members of the Verkhovna Rada are called deputies. How many deputies are there?

a) 350 b) 300 c) 450

3 Each deputy represents an area of the country.

This area is called ...

a) a place b) a constituency c) a post

4 The head of the Ukrainian government is called ...

a) the Prime Minister b) the President c) the leader

5 How old do you have to be to vote in a general election?

a) 16 b) 18 c) 21

Do the quiz

Verkhovna Rada

of Ukraine

Verkhovna Rada

of Ukraine

Complete the chart

THE DECLARATION OF STATE SOVEREIGNTY OF UKRAINE

Read and say which articles are about:

• Ukraine’s territory;
• the rights of the citizens of
• Ukraine;
• environmental protection;
• the national wealth;
• the national rights;
• what the Declaration considers.

¹supremacy [sjuˊpremәsi] — вищість, перевага

²endowed [inˊdaud] — обдарований

1. an anthem

2. an official

3. a sovereignty

4. a vote

5. to proclaim

6. to declare

7. long-cherished

8. supreme

9. to elect

a) the state of being a country with freedom to govern itself

b) to say something officially or publicly or to state something clearly and definitely

c) a song that has a special importance for a country, an organization or a particular group of people, and is sung on special occasions

d) an idea, a hope or a pleasant feeling being kept in your mind for a long time

e) highest in rank or position

f) a person in authority

g) to choose somebody to do a particular job by voting for them

h) a formal choice that you make in an election or at a meeting in order to choose somebody or decide something

i) to publicly and officially tell people about something important

Match

What’s this?

the Golden Tryzub (trident)

What’s this?

National

Anthem

What’s this?

Independence Day