National Corps

National Corps
Національний корпус
Leader Andriy Biletsky
Founded 14 October 2016
Headquarters Zoya Gaidai Street, Kiev
Paramilitary wing National militia[1]
Membership 10,000–15,000[2]
Ideology Ukrainian nationalism
Economic nationalism
Protectionism
Political position Far-right[3]
Colours Blue, yellow
Slogan Strength, Welfare, Order
Verkhovna Rada
2 / 450
Regions
0 / 158,399
Website
http://nationalcorps.org/

National Corps (Ukrainian: Національний корпус), also referred to as the National Corps Party, and previously called Patriots of Ukraine, is a Ukrainian far-right political party founded in 2016, and led by Andriy Biletsky.[3] The basis of the party were veterans of the Azov regiment of Ukraine's National Guard and members of the Azov Civil Corps (a non-military non-governmental organisation associated with the Azov regiment).[4]

History

Two hundred and ninety-two delegates from all over Ukraine attended the founding congress of the party in Kiev on 14 October 2016.[3] The party was previously registered as "Patriots of Ukraine" (Ukrainian: Патріот України). The congress unanimously elected Andriy Biletsky (a member of the Ukrainian parliament) as leader,[3][4] and elected Nazariy Kravchenko (Azov National Guard Headquarters Commander) as deputy leader and appointed members of the party's ruling council.[4] The congress approved changes to the party's charter and political programme.[4] The congress ended with a "Nation March", which it organised with Right Sector (another far-right organisation). About 5,000 people took part in the torch-lit march from The Motherland Monument (in the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War) to Saint Sophia Square. Some of the marchers wore or carried the yellow and blue symbol of the "Azov Battalion, which resembles a Wolfsangel, a symbol associated with Nazism".[3] 14 October is Defender of Ukraine Day, a public holiday in Ukraine since 2015.[3][5]

Ideology

The party advocates expanding the powers of the President of Ukraine by granting him authority to be the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as well as the head of government.[6][4]

National Corps favours restoring Ukraine's nuclear power status and nationalising enterprises which were Ukrainian SSR-owned when Ukraine gained independent in 1991.[4] The party wants Ukraine to break all ties with Russia (diplomatic, trade and cultural ties).[4] It is against Ukraine joining the European Union and against Ukraine joining the NATO.[7] It wants to create the "Intermarium Union" with Baltic and Black Sea nations (to include Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, etc.[7]).[4] The party also advocates expanding the right to bear arms and initiate public discussion about restoring capital punishment for treason and the embezzlement of excessive amounts of government funds by officials.[4]

National Corps espouses economic nationalism and protectionism.[8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Ukraine's National Militia: 'We're not neo-Nazis, we just want to make our country better'", The Guardian, 13 March 2018
  2. ↑ "Article III: Azov Interview", The FashCast Anthology, 22 July 2018
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Talant, Bermet (15 October 2016). "Nationalist Azov Battalion starts political party". Kyiv Post.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Volunteer battalion Azov members and former members create National Corps political party". Interfax-Ukraine. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 5 December 2017. (Ukrainian language version)
  5. ↑ "Verkhovna Rada initiates declaration of the Day of the Defender of Ukraine, which is celebrated on October 14, a day-off". Ministry of Defence. 5 March 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  6. ↑ (in Ukrainian) "Білецький: "Азов" стане партією" ["Azov" becomes party], Gazeta.ua, 28 May 2016
  7. 1 2 (in Ukrainian) ""Ми намагаємося прийти до влади через вибори, хоча маємо всякі можливості" — як "Азов" стає партією" [We are trying to come to power through elections, but we have all sorts of possibilities" - as "Azov" becomes party], Hromadske.TV, 13 October 2016
  8. ↑ програма політичної партії "національний корпус" [program of the political party "national corps"] - "5.1. Economic nationalism: 'The national economy must be subordinated to national interests. Ukrainian Centerism in the economy determines the full support of the Ukrainian producer, accelerated modernization of the national economy, state support of Ukrainian exports, and the implementation of the policy of economic protectionism.'"
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