President of KaZantip: "I am a Dictator in My Republic"

Last year KaZantip, the most popular musical project of the former Soviet Union, celebrated its 21st year of existence. Every year at the end of July the small village of Popovka in the Western Crimea becomes filled up with thousands of tourists, yellow suitcases and loud sounds of club music. Nikita the First, the President of KaZantip showed us around the territory of the Republic to let us have an insight into the life of the great KaZantip nation.

"Citizens of 106 countries have visited our small republic so far. Ukrainians account for only about 14,2%. I believe that it is not only due to the high entrance fee, but due to the generally high prices in Popovka. In fact, KaZantip made Popovka the most expensive village in the world. The majority of guests (over 66%) come from Russia, mostly from Moscow. There are always a lot of French, German and English people coming for KaZantip every year. Surprisingly, we see a growing number of Australians and Brazilians, although we do not advertise our project commercially."

KaZantip is a republic with its own traditions and infrastructure. You can even get married here.

"We have our own marriage registration office called Stairs to Heaven. This is the place where we perform the Fast Married ceremony. Three times a week up to five hundred couples gather here and I personally sign every marriage certificate. We also have our Criminal Code. The first law states: Do not piss into the sea. The punishment is deportation."

Changes in the government of KaZantip happen more often than in Ukraine. New people come into office every season.

"This year new team members have been brought on board: two talented architects and new Technical Minister of Sound & Light. It took awhile, but eventually I understood that you don't have to look for professionals, you need to raise them. I'm trying to build a team that is capable of replacing me. I often create situations where I step away and watch how my team searches for a solution of a complicated issue. They must learn how to make the right decisions".

Any person can become a minister at the Republic of KaZantip. You just need to approach the president.

"He normally comes and says: 'I want to be in charge of this or that'. He invents his own job title and responsibility. He must understand that he would have to deprive himself of sleep and rest but he can be proud of having this high governmental position and being able to make resolutions."

Nikita the First has made a point of taking good care of his KaZantip nation.

"It is difficult to change the world but it is possible to create a model of the world to your liking: a more perfect world that will abide by the rules you create".

From the biography of the dictator: Nikita Marshunok. Married. Two children. He was a mediocre student at school and for that reason he gave up going to college. First he worked as a gold miner. Then he started his own clothes making business. In 1993 at the age of 31 he lost interest in his business and decided to become the president of his own country – the Republic of KaZantip. Now, at the age of 50 he still listens only to club music. - by Alex Shale

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