Olga Timofeeva, "People cannot be crossed out of life"

Interview by Vladimir Nesterov. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza

Crimea and Sevastopol are preparing to celebrate the Day of the return to Russia. Last year on March 16 in the Crimea was held a referendum during which the inhabitants of the peninsula were asked to choose whether they want to remain a part of Ukraine or return the republic to Russia. 96.77% voted for reunification with Russia. This contract was signed on March 18 in and in a short time it was approved by the State Duma and the Federation Council, and then as a part of Russia two new entities were formed - Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol. About the festival and how Crimea lives now, the senator from the city of Sevastopol, a member of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs Olga Timofeeva told to "Vestnik Kavkaza".

- Members of the Legislative Assembly of Sevastopol decided to make March 18 a day off, to establish a holiday called the Day of return to Russia. How will you celebrate?

- A series of festivals with the obligatory concert on Nakhimov Square is planned. For us it is a continuation of a three-week holiday, because a year ago all of the events began on the 23d of February. From February 23, we have opened a series of celebratory events. For the city of Sevastopol it is a point of reference, when the city decided to stand up for themselves, their own world, for their land until the end.This is the phenomenon of Hero City, it was the first defense, the second defense of Sevastopol  is that the city always pulls together overnight and decides to become a single entity. The same thing happened on February 23, 2014, when the residents of the city have made the decision and to split the city was impossible. Either on a shield or with a shield. This time - with a shield, thanks to our great motherland, which heard the heart of Sevastopol and did not leave either Sevastopol or the Crimea and saved from the great disaster.

- During this year there have been great changes in the life of the Crimea and Sevastopol. Currency was switched to the Russian ruble, starting from January 1, Sevastopol and the Crimea live exclusively under Russian law. How do you assess the transition to the Russian system? Are there a lot of work left?

- There remains a lot of work, but the justification for the transition is beyond doubts. The longer we were trying to build a binary system, the more we sank to inconsistencies in the legislation, the more difficult it would be for the residents of the Crimea and Sevastopol - a never-ending horror or horror without the end. Naturally, there remain questions.

The State Duma considered a proposal by our members and extended the dacha amnesty for the whole of the Russian Federation until 2018, giving people the opportunity to quietly and painlessly solve the issues of the property complex.

- The privatization was prolonged, specifically for residents of Crimea and Sevastopol, so that people can become owners of their homes ...

- Possibility of re-registration of vehicles and other property was extended until June.

Ukraine acted very tough with residents of Sevastopol and the Crimea locking the database, ranging from land issues and ending with the elderly, who are now again have to stand in line to confirm their right to receive some or other benefits. This attitude toward the elderly - stupid cruelty, but it is a fact. Therefore it is necessary to operate the executive authorities to ensure the normal occurrence of the laws of the social sphere, which from 1 January 2015 have became actual on the entire territory of Russia, but we are all burdened by the need to restore the rights of the people, because we actually have to create new database.

- How was the transition to the Russian banking system? Was it possible to resolve issues with people who have had accounts in Ukrainian banks which have ceased to work in the Crimea?

- This work is ongoing. In the electronic age access to the documents is limited, including the banking system. There are problems with the banks that are local to Sevastopol and the Crimea. For example, because of the sanctions large banks do not work in the Crimea and Sevastopol. It is also about the impossibility of obtaining preferential loans, because any credit system works when a person has a history of trustworthiness. For example, an entrepreneur should have a story in the Russian Federation to get soft loans. And we are "brand new", we do not have any positive points, or negative. This puts our businesses at a disadvantage with entrepreneurs from the "mainland".

- From January 1, a free economic zone was officially opened in the Crimea and Sevastopol. This measure was supposed to spur the economy of the Crimea and Sevastopol. When, to your opinion, people will be able to feel it?

- When will begin to reveal the real production and real jobs, which will be invited in residents of Sevastopol, Crimea. People should not feel crossed out of this life. In Soviet times, Sevastopol was a smithy in the field of instrumentation, in the field of shipbuilding, ship repair. The city provided experts to the entire south of Russia. Even if the production will be launched, the approach of "bring all from the mainland, and then you may do what ever you want in order to survive" is wrong. Need a balance of interests. Yes, in some areas, while in some reservations, apart from the homeland, we are lagging behind. But people are teachable and should be allowed to keep those developments that exist in Sevastopol.

In December, the city was struck with the situation which developed around two leading academic institutions of the city - the Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas, which is already 143 years old, and Marine Hydrophysical Institute. These two science flagship represented the south of the Soviet Union, the South of Russia. They have interesting developments. In Gidrofiz in Soviet times there were several research vessels, a whole technological process, research was conducted. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, an idea Fano of Russian Federation to make these two institutions structural units of the Sochi Institute of natural and technical systems. Let's call a spade a spade – it is an attempt of raider attacks. Only through the power of the spirit of the two research teams who refused to move into the newly created structure, we managed to raise the issue in the appropriate committee of the Federation Council. Together, we were able to stop the processes, institutions received regional registrations and will be included as independent units in the scientific community of the Russian Federation. Is it trifle? Perhaps it’s not, it is a very serious matter.

There isn’t any organization in the world (or Turkey or Bulgaria, on any point of the Black Sea coast) that would be carried out so consistently, deliberately studying the Black Sea basin. This is our heritage. And you need to correctly use the property. You can hammer nails with microscope, but you can use the potential so that it worked for the good of the state.

Now we need to observe the actions of Fano and any attempt to bite at some point some more. Property complex, the Marine Hydrophysical Institute’s platform in the Black Sea would be of great interest to business, in particular, a there could be organized casino or anything else ...
 
- We touched the research institutes, let's talk about education. In Crimea, for the past 20 years history was taught with other books, with another twist. Will young people from Sevastopol have to pass the exam mandatory?

- For this year there is a relief with respect to the exam, so for the Crimea and Sevastopol is not mandatory.

And in terms of history, despite those books with which our children were taught, history teacher always addressed to the principle of close connection of Sevastopol with our big homeland. Even within the subject of "World History" the history of the Russian was studied with more detail. Because every stone in Sevastopol connected to the history of the Russian state, starting from the moment of development of the Crimean land. For Sevastopol and it’s people  this relationship has always existed.

For more than 10 years already in Sevastopol there is a course of Sevastopol-study. From elementary school small dwellers of Sevastopol begin to explore the world that surrounds them. Naturally, the first step to the history of the motherland, to the history of the Russian Federation, this relationship has always existed.

- How Sevastopol and the Crimean people will enter Russian universities this year?

- This year they will enter without passing the exam, and then will take exams on the same basis. Now there is a large restructuring of Sevastopol National Technical University. I worked in Sevastopol University for 24 years. Once it was Sevastopol Instrument Institute. Now, connecting together seven schools on the basis of our institute, Sevastopol State University are created. There are many problems, and our task is to save the best that was in the Sevastopol National Technical University - people, scientific schools. People can not be crossed out of life. Because you can fix anything but you can not fix the loss of a person.

And scientific schools create the intellectual base, the potential of any educational institution. But at the heart of it there is still a person who complies with certain principles of life. You can not come into the audience and to be false, because the children (whether they are three years, 15 or 22) they sense any false in a second.