Bagrayev: Tavriya is my love

Author: Sergei KomissarovPhoto: InterMedia consulting

"Everybody has the place in the world where he wants to stay alone for a moment..."

The place where MP Mykola Bagrayev wants to stay alone is situated in the South of Ukraine, in Kherson region. This place is called Tavriya.

- I connected with Kherson region by many roots. I have rooted to this land both soul and body. A lot of my friends live and work here with whom it is very pleasant to communicate. Because they see me not as the elected representative of the parliaments who is endowed by many authorities, but as an ordinary man. And that's why they speak with me on the equal terms.

  - Is there a place in Kherson region where you would like to go the most?

-Of course. This is the "Askaniya Nova" nature reserve. I consider it as a unique place on the map of Ukraine which has the image meaning for our state. And the paradox is that the whole world knows about the "Askaniya Nova" nature reserve. But if you ask our fellow countrymen what is it and where it is? I'm sure that many of them will not say where it is really situated.

Many our fellow countrymen also don't know what is Desnyanska Obolon and where are Basalt columns.

- Why does it happen so?

- The most part of Ukrainians thinks about daily bread and then about culture and spirituality, the beauty of our Motherland.

- Is Tavriya land rich only in this natural pearl?

- Of course, in Kherson region there are many wonderful places which could compete with the "Askaniya Nova". And one of these places is the only one on the territory of Europe desert. It is called "Oleshkivski sands"... The sand massif is placed 30 km from Kherson. Old residents call this place the hole of Burkuty.

The "Oleshkivski sands" is the biggest sand massif on the European continent. It must be preserved for our progeny.  

- How could it be achieved?

- It seems to me that it is very important today to pay attention of the capital's authority, as well as local authorities that in Ukraine there are unique natural places, and it is necessary to think how to preserve them at the State level. Often we here: the tourism is not developed in Ukraine.

I will say more: it is necessary to elaborate a program to stimulate the development of the tourism in Ukraine. Due to this program it will be possible to promote our natural miracles through the prism of tourism sphere. Then we will see the result.

- In 2008 "Obolon" JSC has initiated "Malovidoma Ukraina" ("Little known Ukraine") project. Its aim is to represent Ukraine through the prism of socially responsible business before the world community as a unique State where every corner could pretend to the status of a historical monument. What do you think about this?

- The idea is interesting. It is necessary to speak about the PR (in good meaning of this word) of our State. The promotion of Ukraine with the help of mass media should foresee not only the replication of information about our political system and "showdown" which takes place on the Olympus of the government of Ukraine.

Every state of Europe and the world should know unique information about Ukraine - about our nature, about our culture, about our traditions. Then the logics of tourism will start working, then the logics of investments will start working.

The material is prepared within the framework of the "Malovidoma Ukraina" project.