Posted on 04/23/2014 6:16:03 AM PDT by No One Special
SIMFEROPOL, Crimea — After Russia annexed Crimea practically overnight, the Russian bureaucrats handling passports and residence permits inhabited the building of their Ukrainian predecessors, where Roman Nikolayev now waits daily with a seemingly mundane question.
His daughter and granddaughter were newly arrived from Ukraine when they suddenly found themselves in a different country, so he wonders if they can become legal residents. But he cannot get inside to ask because he is No. 4,475 on the waiting list for passports. At most, 200 people are admitted each day from the crowd churning around the tall, rusty iron gate.
“They set up hotlines, but nobody ever answers,” said Mr. Nikolayev, 54, a trim, retired transportation manager with a short salt-and-pepper beard.
“Before we had a pretty well-organized country — life was smooth,” he said, sighing. “Then, within the space of two weeks, one country became another.” He added, “Eto bardak,” using the Russian for bordello and meaning, “This is a mess.”
One month after the lightning annexation, residents of this Black Sea peninsula find themselves living not so much in a different state, Russia, as in a state of perpetual confusion. Declaring the change, they are finding, was far easier than actually carrying it out.
The chaotic transition comes amid evolving tensions in nearby eastern Ukraine, where the possible outcomes include a Crimea-annexation replay.
In Crimea now, few institutions function normally. Most banks are closed. So are land registration offices. Court cases have been postponed indefinitely. Food imports are haphazard. Some foreign companies, like McDonald’s, have shut down.
Other changes are more sinister. “Self-defense units,” with no obvious official mandate, swoop down at train stations and other entry points for sudden inspections. Drug addicts, political activists, gays and even Ukrainian priests — all censured...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Thanks No One Special. Bordello ping.
Let’s see in a year.
The “Slimes” MacFarquhar’s presentation seems to assert residents of that peninsula supported the Russian seizure. If those who responded to his questions were in favor of kicking the Russians out you won’t find out about it from the paper of record.
Its a transition going to take a year if not longer. On the plus side, nearly every one speaks Russian so there is no language barrier. But Crimea’s return to the Motherland was never going to be a path paved with gilded roses.
Most people seem to feel as hard as things are there is a sense of security. And living standards will take time to catch up with those in mainland Russia.
Referendums have consequences. :-)
Inside the issue there is a story about a collection of ancient items from a museum in Crimea which had been sent to the Netherlands for a special exhibit before the invasion. Now the Dutch aren't sure whom to send the items back to--Kiev or Crimea. If they send them to Crimea they may end up in Moscow.
Its going to take time but in the end all problems will be worked out—May take eight to ten months. Russia will do many things but give up Crimea isn’t one of them.
Crimea needs a land connection to Russia. Putin must annex large areas of Ukraine.
In the News/Activism forum, on a thread titled Under Russia, Life in Crimea Grows Chaotic, goldstategop another Paulista Putinhead wrote:
Most people seem to feel as hard as things are there is a sense of security. And living standards will take time to catch up with those in mainland Russia.
Yea you should go back there instead lurking around here if things are better in Ruskyland.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.