Poroshenko grants Ukrainian citizenship to Maria Gaidar, reporter Vladimir Fedorin
KYIV. Aug 4 (Interfax) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed a decree granting citizenship and has given Ukrainian passports to deputy head of the Odesa regional state administration Maria Gaidar and reporter, former Forbes Ukraine editor-in-chief Vladimir Fedorin.
While giving the passports, Poroshenko said that many Russians, who understand the real state of things, make a choice "either you stay with the free world and democracy, and do everything to ensure the triumph of freedom and democracy, or you stay silent. And very serious crimes are committed amid this silent accord," the presidential press office quoted Poroshenko as saying on Tuesday morning.
"Your example shows conclusively that it is impossible to stay silent, it is necessary to live at peace with your conscience," the Ukrainian president said.
The most that can be done for Russia today is "to ensure the success of Ukraine," Poroshenko said. According to the president, only amid these conditions relations between a free Ukraine and a free Russia can be restored.
Poroshenko said he wished that the new Ukrainian citizens would not lose touch with Russia. "Your stance is not driven by agenda, opinion and information from Ukraine as an alternative to Kremlin propaganda which is very important for millions of Russian citizens," he said.
Gaidar said that Ukrainian citizenship is a landmark choice for her: "I am here at the time which is difficult for the Ukrainian people in order to share the destiny of the Ukrainian people."
Maria Gaidar said she would do everything possible "in order to conquer the enemy and to show another way - the path of freedom, democracy, respect, partnership and good neighborly relations."
It is hoped that "Ukraine will see that Russians are not just war, aggression and hatred," Gaidar said.
Gaidar is a Russian opposition public figure, daughter of the ideologue of the 1990s reforms in Russia Yegor Gaidar. She worked for several years at the Kirov regional administration as the governor's advisor for social issues. Gaidar was founder and head of the social assistance and support fund Social Request but in mid July 2015 she resigned. On July 17 head of the Odesa regional state administration Mikheil Saakashvili announced that Gaidar was appointed as his deputy, she would deal with the social sector and would take Ukrainian citizenship for the position.
Fedorin, 1971, born and living in Odesa, is a reporter, editor and media manager who defends European standards of independent journalism.
