The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approved the new Minister of Culture, and this appointment caused a lot of discussion. He became Mykola Tochytskyi, an experienced diplomat who previously held the position of deputy head of the Office of the President of Ukraine. This decision was approved by 252 deputies and, according to the head of the "Servant of the People" faction, David Arahamia, is connected with the need to strengthen the fight against disinformation on the international stage. However, is this step justified in view of the specific tasks of the cultural department?
Diplomat with rich experience
Mykola Tochytskyi is a specialist with extensive international experience. Born in Vinnytsia, he graduated from Kyiv University named after T.G. Shevchenko, having received the education of a philologist and translator of English and French. Later, he also received a law degree in international law. His diplomatic career began in 1993, and since then he has held various positions, including attache, permanent representative of Ukraine to the Council of Europe, and ambassador of Ukraine to Belgium and Luxembourg.
Tochytskyi is known for his achievements in the diplomatic field, in particular in negotiations regarding bilateral agreements and international projects. One of his significant successes was participation in the conclusion of the Protocol on Amendments to the Convention on the Avoidance of Double Taxation, which strengthened Ukraine's economic relations with international partners.
An appointment that raises questions
Appointing a diplomat to the post of Minister of Culture seems an atypical step. Culture has always been a field that required a deep understanding of national identity, artistic processes and support for Ukrainian artists. Although Tochytskyi has experience in cultural diplomacy, in particular in the organization of exhibitions and film festivals abroad, he is not a person of art in the traditional sense.
Skeptics wonder whether a person who has spent most of his career in foreign policy issues can lead the Ministry of Culture and make a significant contribution to the development of national cultural policy. However, supporters of this appointment believe that right now Ukraine needs a minister of culture capable of effectively promoting the state's interests in the international arena, as well as countering cultural disinformation, which has become one of the tools of Russian aggression.
Why exactly Tochytskyi?
Arahamiya emphasized that the appointment of Tochytskyi is related to the need to intensify the informational fight against disinformation, which is spreading both inside the country and outside its borders. Ukrainian culture has become the target of information attacks, and the international community still does not always clearly understand the true essence of Ukrainian identity and history. For this, according to the country's leadership, a specialist with international experience is needed who will be able to effectively protect Ukrainian culture on the global stage.
Tochytskyi himself has already proven his ability in this direction by promoting Ukrainian culture during his diplomatic service. With his participation, exhibitions of such outstanding Ukrainian artists as Ivan Marchuk and Roman Minin, as well as the Ukrainian film festival "Ukraine on Film" were held in Belgium. He believes that culture can be no less an influential force in international diplomacy than political and economic initiatives.
Despite considerable international experience, Tochytskyi faces difficult tasks in his new position. There is a war going on in Ukraine, and the cultural sphere is suffering significant losses. Many museums, theaters and cultural monuments have been destroyed or damaged, and artists often find themselves at the forefront not only of the cultural but also of the physical struggle for the country's independence.
One of the main challenges for the new minister will be to restore cultural institutions and to ensure that culture does not lose its importance in the conditions of war. In addition, Tochytsky will have to solve the issue of financing cultural projects and supporting artists, many of whom work on a volunteer basis or seek support from abroad.
