Page 47 - The Economist20171214

The Economist December 16th 2017 Europe 47

Ukraine’s double Christmas
So nice, they celebrate twice

KIEV
Whyjustone Noël when you can have two?
DULTS take the adage “Christmas part ofa westwards turn. But its celebra-
Acomes but once a year” as an excuse tions are more frugal than in the West. On
to splurge on gifts. Forchildren, it is a Christmas Eve, Ukrainians toss straw
warningofthe limits ofUtopia. The tots underthe table to recall Christ’s manger.
would no doubt be angered to learn that The traditional meal, called “poorkutia”,
in some places it is not true. This year consists of12 meatless dishes (afterkutia,
Ukraine recognised December25th as an a porridge with raisins, honey, nuts and
official holiday, alongwith the traditional seeds). “Rich kutia”, with meat dishes,
OrthodoxChristmas on January 7th. It follows on Christmas Day.
thus became the world’s fifth country Some Ukrainians see no need fora
with two Christmases, joiningBelarus, new celebration when most citizens keep
Eritrea, Lebanon and Moldova. the laterdate. “I don’t mind that the
The sources ofthis yuletide surplus lie [Roman] Catholics celebrate it as they
deep in history. In1582 Pope Gregory XIII always did, but why should we spend
approved a reform ofthe Julian calendar, money on that?” asks Evgenia, a pension-
which dated from 45BC. Many European erfrom Kiev. AmongUkrainians under12,
Russia countries quickly switched over, though the idea ofdouble Christmas probably
others tookcenturies. Russia only adopt- polls much better.
Beware siloviki ed the Gregorian calendarin1918, after
bearing sausages the Soviets came to power. But the Rus-
sian, Serbian and Georgian Orthodox
churches stuckwith the Julian one,
which now runs13 days late.
MOSCOW The atheist Soviet Union did not
Ajuicycorruption trial reflects tensions recognise Christmas as a public holiday.
within the Russian elite
But afterits collapse, its successor states
AST November Igor Sechin, the power- had to picka date. Belarus refused to
Lful head ofRosneft, the Russian state oil choose: it endorsed two Christmases
giant, summoned Alexei Ulyukayev, Rus- afterindependence in1991. Moldova
sia’s economy minister, for a meeting. Mr picked the Orthodoxone, but added
Sechin chastised Mr Ulyukayev for not December25th in 2013 as part ofits tilt
wearing a coat, for he knew it would be towards the EU. Lebanon, where a shaky
cold where the minister was headed. Mr peace is underpinned by a policy of
Ulyukayev left Mr Sechin’s office with a celebratingeveryone’s religious holidays,
heavy briefcase—a gift, he thought, of rare has longrecognised the Armenian Christ-
wine. Instead, packed inside was $2m in mas on January 6th. In Latvia, several
cash, and waitingoutside were agents with attempts to accommodate the Russian
handcuffs. “It was said long ago: send not Orthodoxminority by recognisingJanu-
to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for ary 7th have been voted down. Latvians,
thee,” Mr Ulyukayev declared during his like turkeys, don’t vote forChristmas.
closing statement in court last week, seem- In mostly OrthodoxUkraine, as in
ingly addressing his peers in power. “I Moldova, recognisingDecember25th is Please may I have some more?
want to say now that the bell could begin
tollingforany ofyou.”
The court’s verdict will ring out for Mr fort meant to reduce state participation in The proceedings have provided a un-
Ulyukayev on December 15th. No matter the economy. Prosecutors claim that while ique window onto the innerlife ofRussian
the outcome, the ruling will only fuel ten- playing billiards with Mr Sechin during a power. Transcriptsofbugged callsand con-
sions within the Russian elite. The case is summit in India, Mr Ulyukayev held up versations have been read aloud in court,
seen not as a good-faith anti-corruption ef- two fingers, a signal meant to indicate the revealing details such as Mr Sechin’s prac-
fort, butthe resultofclan warfare. MrUlyu- sum he desired. Mr Sechin ignored four tice of giving favoured people baskets of
kayev was a stalwart of the government’s summonses to testify. sausages, produced from creatures report-
technocratic bloc; Mr Sechin is a commit- Mr Ulyukayev and his allies insist that edly slain by MrSechin himself.
ted statist and a longtime confidant of he could never demand a bribe from Mr Perhaps the most telling moment came
Vladimir Putin who wields outsize influ- Sechin, whose political ves, or weight, in in Mr Ulyukayev’s closing statement,
ence among the siloviki (former and cur- Russia’s Byzantine system far exceeds that when he admitted his guilt—though not of
rent members ofthe security services). of the minister. Mr Ulyukayev calls the the crime for which he is accused. “I’m
The prosecution alleges that Mr Ulyu- case a set-up led by MrSechin and Oleg Fe- guilty of compromising too often, choos-
kayev demanded $2m from Mr Sechin to oktistov, an FSB general who ran Rosneft’s ingthe easy way out, and I all too often put
approve Rosneft’s purchase of Bashneft, a security division at the time. The defence my career and welfare ahead ofmy princi-
mid-sized oil producer. Mr Ulyukayev had argued that neither money nor a bribe ples,” he said. “I got caught up in a sense-
opposed the deal, arguing that Rosneft were discussed directlyin wiretapped con- less bureaucratic ring dance, I received
should not participate in a privatisation ef- versations between the men. some gifts and I gave them myselftoo.” 7