UWC Expresses Outrage Over Verkhovna Rada Decision to Officially Fly Red Flag

May 6, 2011

PRESS RELEASE

 

UWC EXPRESSES OUTRAGE OVER VERKHOVNA RADA DECISION TO OFFICIALLY FLY RED FLAG

The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) expresses outrage over the Verkhovna Rada’s amendment of the Law of Ukraine “On immortalizing Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.” This amendment introduces the concept of the “Victory Flag” as a red flag emblazoned with a star, hammer and sickle that is required to be officially displayed on all buildings and raised on all flagpoles alongside the State Flag of Ukraine every May 9.

 

The UWC is appalled at the political immaturity and lack of national consciousness of parliamentarians who, on the 20th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence, adopted amendments to legalize the red flag. In doing so, they have enabled the dissemination in Ukraine of symbols of the Soviet empire, whose totalitarianism has been condemned by the international community, and shown their desire to return Ukraine to a communist authoritarian regime.

 

“The adoption of amendments to officially fly the red flag is an act of open contempt for the memory of millions of Ukrainians who suffered and perished during more than seven decades of the totalitarian communist regime in Ukraine. It was under the red flag that this regime conducted a genocide of the Ukrainian people, ruined Ukrainian churches,executed Ukrainian scholars and cultural activists and crushed all expressions of the Ukrainian national spirit,”said UWC President Eugene Czolij.