February 24, 2008, 5-th TV Channel, Chas Novyn [News Time], 21:00
Presenter Lidia Taran:
In the case of Serbia and Kosovo the absence of mutual consent has played a key role – if one of the sides does not consent, it is indeed difficult to separate peacefully. How one can competently break the binds of Hymenaeus, which have suddenly become too tight, without turning into a victim of unjust court rulings. See in the ‘Conclusion Time’ section.
Binds of Hymenaeus
“Science of enjoying a divorce”
Presenter Lidia Taran:
From a bride receiving wedding presents to a victim being deprived of them, and even through a court. As almost each second marriage in the present-day Ukraine ends up in a divorcement, one has to know how to divorce. This week, Margarita Chervonenko, now the ex-wife of the well-known politician Chervonenko, took up helping all divorced women of Ukraine. She has created and headed the civic organization named ‘I’m strong enough!’
Margarita Chervonenko, head of the ‘I’m strong enough!’ civic organization:
I never imagined that a divorce would befall on me. And a woman suffers the worst not so much from the very fact of a divorcement, as from an uncivilized divorce.
Lesia Kyshelia, author of the report:
One year has passed since the word ‘divorce’ became attached to the name of the well-known Ukrainian politician’s ex-wife. And when the question arose who owes whom and how much – the Family Code and documents for creation of a civic organization for divorced women appeared on the table of the bright blonde. Margarita left her personal claims to the ex-husband Yevhen to be tackled by lawyers and judges, and started examining the history of other people’s divorces. Almost all of them are typical, like in films. The exemplary Family Code, or the long years of living together can not at all guarantee a fair division of property. In the process of divorce, in Ukraine, the female side of the couplesuffers the most, at least in the financial aspect. And the contribution of a wife into homemaking and upbringing of children that in no way can be measured by any bills is impossible to prove in a court. A replicated photo of the two-year-old son Anton and a backpack full of court claims – this is the remembrance about the brief marriage of Volodymyr Anzhel, a Slovenian citizen, who once married a Ukrainian girl. The tragic story of his divorce is also typical. But, from a man’s standpoint. Another gender right – the equality of father and mother in upbringing their common child – is also often broken during divorce proceedings in Ukraine. For three years already, Volodymyr has been trying to find out which law allowed his ex-wife to take away the son before the very eyes of justice and disappear in an unknown direction. As far as he can remember, some law enforcer then explained that this is an unwritten law in Ukraine.
Volodymyr Anzhel, a citizen of Slovenia:
The chief explained that my child was taken away, that allegedly there is such a law in Ukraine that the child is to be with the mother.
— Did you ask what law it was?
Volodymyr Anzhel, a citizen of Slovenia:
I asked him, but he wouldn’t explain.
In the first and the happiest day of living together few people think about the Family Code, but the lawyers advise, first of all, to read the laws with a due attention to avoid violation of your rights in the future. It is also possible to sign a prenuptial agreement envisaging everything to the minutest details. For instance – who is to prepare the supper, and at which hour husband or wife is to come back home.
In Ukraine, prenuptial agreements are, so far, considered to be the first step towards a divorce, and thus, even after court proceedings, Ukrainians do not give up hopes to defend the rights, that have been infringed, in their opinion, and then, to get at least some compensation for damagesthey incurred. As a rule, the women’s blackmailing instrument is children, and the men’s – alimony and housing. In order to separate competently one needs to get married wisely at first, the co-author of the current Family Code Eduard Bagirov advises. It is necessary to thoroughly study the law even before going to a Civil Registry Office. For the Code applies to both registered and open marriages and conceals many surprises. For example, the entire salary of husband and wife is considered to be a common property from the moment of receiving revenues. Earlier, the joint budget was the one consisting of voluntary contributions only. Though, even if you learn the Code by heart you can’t be sure to avoid troubles anyway. In complicated divorce proceedings, even a minute grammar mistake may be fatal.
Eduard Bagirov, human rights activist:
If people go to courts and file their statements of claim with mistakes – this delays the process of consideration and enforcement of their rights, and their reflection in court rulings. And another more serious problem – when the parties are divorcing, it is good if they have no common property or no children, for when parents divorce they forget, first of all, about the rights of children. They think about themselves. How to tear off as much as possible.
Suffering of a child during a divorce is the worst result of a break-up of relations. While human rights organizations appear to help adult victims of divorce, practically none of them deals with the rights of children. And thus, today, only a court ruling may speed up the meeting of the five-year-old Anton Anzhel with his dad. The only thing left for his adult father is to further study the Ukrainian laws and endlessly rewind and play the record of his son’s voice that Volodymyr managed to make in court in the last moment.