As currency crashes and products, goods and services become more expensive, in Ukraine there is a tendency of irritation and direct non-acceptance of the problems of IDPs. The coordinator of the initiative Crimea SOS Tamila Tasheva announced that at the press-conference in Kiev.
During the two and a half months – from January 16 to March 7, 2015 – Crimea SOS together with the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives monitored the attitude of local population of 5 Ukrainian cities towards IDPs. The respondents were 900 people from Kiev, Kherson, Kharkov and Lviv. In addition, about 70 publications of all-Ukrainian and regional mass media were analyzed.
According to monitoring results, the largest number of mass media covering the topic of IDPs in a positive manner is in Kharkov (84%). The negative tone regarding the IDPs topic is in the materials of Kiev mass media – 11%. In the opinion of Crimea SOS, the main negative tendency is when displaced persons are represented as victims and consumers, who need help, and that only reinforces negative stereotypes.
The study results of the attitude of the local population of towns towards the IDPs showed that people in Kherson treat displaced persons positively. 51% of respondents said that they absolutely didn’t mind that people from other regions lived in their city. Negative attitude is prevalent in Vinnytsia – 13.1%. The main reasons why the locals demonstrate this attitude are politicization of the migrants’ issues and also the fact that the IDPs “claim” to have the same social benefits as the local population.
Crimea SOS believes that a common state strategy on this issue and adoption of controversial legal steps and decisions are needed to avoid the aggravation of this situation.
