Political disputes often take unexpected turns, especially when they concern cultural and historical aspects of national identity. The latest case was the discussion in Ukraine of the initiative of some people's deputies to rename the city of Brovary to Brovary.
Now it is necessary to unite Ukrainian society, and not to create unnecessary lines of conflict, in particular, with controversial renamings. Politicians who raise these issues should be aware that this is primitive and even criminal PR. This opinion was expressed by political scientist Ruslan Bortnyk.
The expert noted that during the war, the issue of various renamings should be postponed, because in most cases they will cause a political debate. And society should prevent the attempts of some politicians to use PR on such things.
"For the duration of the war, all renamings should be postponed. Because, first of all, they cost money, to one degree or another, a banal change of plates, names, etc. And secondly, these renamings cause political discussions, sometimes very difficult ones, which we do not need at all now. Today, it is necessary to ensure the unity of Ukrainian society, in the struggle for the preservation of the Ukrainian state, and not to create lines of conflict. Renaming is a very primitive and sometimes even criminal PR of individual politicians. It seems to me that society should react accordingly," Ruslan Bortnyk said.
The political scientist also emphasized that it is normal practice for a democratic society to ask people whether they agree with a possible change of the name of their city.
Now everything looks like someone wants to impose their will on the residents of Brovary, without taking into account their opinion.
We will remind
At an extraordinary session, deputies of the Brovary City Council almost unanimously decided to support the initiative to preserve the name of the city "Brovary" and to appeal to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine with a petition to preserve the name of the city "Brovary" taking into account scientific and historical research.
The resolution on renaming Brovary to Brovary was previously registered by a group of people's deputies led by the representative of the "Voice" faction Roman Lozynskyi.
Commenting on the city council's decision, the mayor of Brovary Ihor Sapozhko noted that there are three conclusions of scientific institutions of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine that the name "Brovary" is historical and should be preserved.
He added that by voting at the extraordinary session, the deputies confirmed the position of the majority of the residents of Brovary, who oppose the change of the city's name.
"Taking into account that the initiative of renaming the city has already been repeatedly considered at the special committee of the Verkhovna Rada, and there have been several appeals with certain justifications, the deputies today decided to also adopt the appropriate decision of the local self-government body and to appeal to the Verkhovna Rada to keep the historical name of the city of Brovary.
In my opinion, taking into account independent polls, with today's vote, when 24 deputies supported the appeal to the Verkhovna Rada, we clearly expressed the opinion of the residents that the city should be called Brovary," said Ihor Sapozhko.
The Association of Cities of Ukraine stated that decisions on changing the names of settlements must be made taking into account the opinion of the community. The profile committee of the Verkhovna Rada must contact the relevant local self-government body to obtain the community's position. And later take this position into account when preparing a decision regarding a possible renaming.
