BY
Odessa has approximately 30 consulates sprinkled around the city, with more
nations deciding it is a city worthy of a presence.
By far the biggest (and rather splendid) consulate in Odessa is that of
China, the most modern looking is that of Poland, the most imposing that of
Russia (atop a hill overlooking Arcadia), with the majority situated in
aesthetically pleasing Viennese styled buildings in and around the city centre.
The most visible of the resident professional diplomatic corps socially are
Turkey, Greece, Georgia and Armenia, the consuls (and staff) to be found
enjoying Odessa’s cosmopolitan and numerous restaurants almost daily.
There is an Odessa Diplomatic Club that meets fairly frequently at the
encouragement of Konstantin Rzhepishevsky, head of the Odessa Ministry of
Foreign Affairs – and decade plus friend of this blog.
It has to be said the Odessa Diplomatic Club is rather fun having attended
a few gatherings. It is always interesting to see who is particularly
friendly with who, and listen to the gossip – albeit nothing beats one to one
“chats”.
The Odessa diplomatic scene, no differently to many outside of capital
cities, is predominantly composed of professional diplomats, but it also
includes a reasonable number of Honorary Consuls.
Honorary Consuls are not professional diplomats, and are usually foreign
citizens living and working in the host country, paying taxes therein, whilst
simultaneously representing their native country on a voluntary (or at least
non-salaried) basis. There may be a few expenses covered such as
“Honorary” business cards and ad hoc taxi fares occasionally, but that is as
far as it goes for many “honorary” title holders.
The criteria set for having an honorary consul varies from nation to
nation. Some nations simply do not entertain having them. Others,
such as the UK, go through cycles where honorary consuls are in fashion – or
not. (Indeed this blog many, many years ago was approached and asked if
acting in such a role for the UK would be possible – but they went out of
fashion once again and that was that.)
There are also issues of what interest, if any, does a nation have in a
city where they feel it necessary to have a visible, official presence, but
insufficient to have a professional diplomatic presence outside of a national
capital. Is it based on the number of their nationals within that city?
On the level of existing or proposed investment? Is it that a
particular city is deemed strategic enough, or otherwise important enough that
a low cost, yet overt and official presence is somehow justified if none of the
usual reasons apply?
Whilst there are naturally good reasons for having (cheap) official
“diplomatic” representation in far flung, but nevertheless important regions
and cities outside national capitals (in certain nations and for certain
nations), there are also potential problems.
There are certainly some “colourful characters” acting as honorary consuls
for certain nations in Odessa – nations from both Europe and MENA.
Certain individuals seem to use their “honorary” status as a veneer of
respectability to put a gloss upon some questionable business activities.
Indeed their “seasonal gifts” can be of a value far exceeding that which
would certainly require either refusal or declaration by most professional
diplomats if they be accepted.
Indeed so “colourful” are these particular bottom-feeding honorary consuls
that Long Term Election Observers (LTOs) that have met them in their roaming,
necessarily liaising with candidates and “the local enlightened” during the
regular election campaigns, have commented to this blog regarding their lack of
integrity.
Yet there are also those that wear the “honorary” title with, well honour,
and who assume their positions responsibly as solid citizens representing their
nation in good faith and with unquestioned morality, befitting of their
professional counterpart’s ethic.
The long-serving German Honorary Consul, Alexander Kifaku, for
decades a practicing lawyer of wholesome repute in Odessa, on 18th April kept
the “honour” in “honorary”.
He is about to purchase UAH 30,000,000 ($1.2 million) worth of land (and
the property that sits thereon) around the city. (Specifically 1 hectare
of warehousing on Motornaya, 1.45 hectares of land on Proselochmaya, 0.2
hectares on Kanatnaya, 0.3 hectares on Marshalla Zhovokva, 05 hectares on
Lustdorf, and 0.2 hectares on Chapeyev.)
He has chosen, though it be entirely unnecessary to do so, to make such
information very public himself – perhaps (or indeed probably) to insure that
the City Hall/Administration can do nothing opaque or nefarious involving
himself, and thus avoiding the potential of an entirely unnecessary stain upon
Germany by inference.
Quite wise.
After all, arguably the only honour to be found within City Hall is honour
among thieves, and thuscaveat emptor applies to reputation as well
as purchase.
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