The final stage of the two-month “going out to the people” of opposition leaders within the campaign “Rise, Ukraine” took place in Kyiv on May 18. The event was supposed to be a kind of apotheosis, and finally unite the opposition sympathizers, and to make it hot for the government.
The rally in Kyiv on Europe Day, source: facebook.com
At the very beginning of the campaign, the head of the faction “Fatherland” Arseniy Yatsenyukannounced: “We have planned it for two months, and this is a struggle for economic and political rights”. Three opposition leaders (Yatsenyuk, Oleg Tyagnibok, Vitali Klitschko) led people to a Kyiv square where they delivered a fiery speech in front of tens of thousands of people. What a bad luck for them! At the same time the Party of Regions, being on the alert, decided to organise their own action – an anti-fascist one, a “response to Chamberlain”. Opposition supporters gathered at Sofia square while the authorities spent time at European square. Both the camps listened to speeches of People’s Deputies: some of them defended “improvements” and claimed that “the enemy will not pass”, others allegedly fought against the “criminal regime”.
What do we have as a takeaway?
That two-month going out to the people has turned into nothing. Many experts, bloggers and independent journalists were writing about it. The Ukrainians who came to the opposition rally in Kyiv expected to hear something more concrete, than just general statements. For example, it would be logical if the members of opposition had demonstrated the results of their work at the Verkhovna Rada. They, however, had nothing to demonstrate here, since the main result was disappointing: the opposition members were blocking the parliament rather than working in the session hall. Also, they could have demonstrated their unity in practice and presented, finally, a clear and simple strategy plan to Ukrainians. After all, people could shout all those slogans – “Gangsters – get out!” and “Freedom to Julia!” – at home, without even leaving their sofas.
Finally, it would be nice to hear the name of the jointly chosen opposition candidates for the positions of mayor of Kyiv and the President of the country. All that did not happen, confirming the government’s statements about weakness and disorganization of the opposition more truthful than the fiery speeches and the campaign done for effect by the opposition itself. After all, even during the opposition rally in the capital, the pro-government forces were not only criticizing their opponents but managed to organize an alternative mass action under the anti-fascist slogans.
Again, the voters did not demand too much, just something clear, understandable and concrete, something that could inspire them, and, despite the disappointment of recent years, give them strength to continue to support the opposition. But they didn’t get what they wanted. For the opposition leaders, the backroom interests once again had had won with thoughts and hopes of the people. Thus, according to the analyst Vladimir Tsibulko, the opposition only simulates the fight, and, in fact, the opposition is just waiting until people choose a single candidate themselves. “The opposition has simplified casting for a single presidential candidate. Now they are waiting for the people’s decision. For six months the ratings will change, and it will become clear who is the chosen one. Therefore, the opposition has really nothing to do but to imitate adherence to it’s principles and struggle to escape internal fighting,” he said.
Rabbits with carrots on an APC and a “beaten” journalist
It seems that anyone who would take the trouble has already written about an armored car with carrots on the board manoeuvring in the center of Kyiv. And for those who do not know about it, I will tell in brief: when the procession of the opposition was going along St. Michael Street, unknown persons attempted to stage a provocation against the leader of “Fatherland” Yatsenyuk. An APC with large painted carrots and with one real carrot fixed on the top appeared in front of the procession, with a man dressed as a rabbit on top.
This creative exposition broke through the cordon, causing “righteous” anger of some representatives of the opposition (the members of the “Freedom” party) and, as a consequence, a fight. Among all this mess there happened to be the journalist Olga Snitsarchuk, who in the heat of the moment was beaten – or maybe wasn’t? – but, in any case, now the Internet community is clearly divided into two parts: those who think that she was beaten and those who consider all that pure provocation. It is fair to say that a person who gets into the very epicenter of the fighting, trying to take pictures of all this mess, should be ready be burnt. Chasing after an effective picture has its reverse side, which is a couple of bruises. And by the way, no one saw them on Olga, unlike on the popular deputies of the Party of Regions, who a few months ago got hit in the head with snowballs just in front of the Verkhovna Rada.
But the fact remains: the incident happened. As a result we have numerous appeals from the opposition for protection of independent journalists, freedom of speech. It was followed by meetings in parliament; the Verkhovna Rada Committee discussing the incident (the Verkhovna Rada has created a special temporary investigative commission on beatings of journalists on May 18 and on other cases of pressure on the media and obstruction of lawful professional activities of journalists) and welcoming back the journalists accredited at the Cabinet of Ministers, who had been earlier banished by Mykola Azarov…
And that’s the only result of rallies of many thousands?! It turns out that, yes, this is the only effect of this action. At least, such a conclusion can be drawn from all the hype around these two events, which the country has been concerned for more than two weeks. But what about the people – the ultimate goal? Those went out into the field, as usual. After a working week, they’re spending that hot May day in their gardens, trying to fulfil a year food program for a their families. And in the evening, after a shot of vodka, sitting in front of the TV, they – sluggish and sleepy -were discussing all these political games in the capital.
May 18 is the Europe Day
On May 18 Ukraine celebrates the Europe Day. This is a significant day for the country, which, in the words of almost all political parties, strives for the close cooperation and integration with the European Union. This is a peculiar trend of the political season. This explains the desire of both the opposition and the authorities to carry out their activities precisely on May 18. However, none of them noticed that they had thrown out the baby with the bath water. That Day of Europe has turned out to be like in the famous phrase of the late Chernomyrdin: “We wanted the best, but it turned out as always”. The information war overshadowed all the rest.
In general, the Europe Day in Kyiv has left quite a depressive impression. It became clear once again that most representatives of both the government and the opposition consider European integration something like expensive perfume: the decent society will appreciate it and even pay a compliment, but in everyday life, and especially when you “are going to the people”, is is something not quite necessary.
The Europe Day would have established itself for real if the representatives of all the sides – the authorities, the opposition, civil society, and ambassadors of the EU – had met together at European square (and not in front of the Kyiv City State Administration). Half a year before the Vilnius Summit, such a consolidated position of all the parties would be very appropriate. However, putting the EU flag at the administration building and saying a few memorized phrases about who actually leads Ukraine to the EU, and who – God knows where – turned out to be much easier. Europe on the Europe Day was, alas, not “trendy”. All that was overshadowed with rallies, rabbits on an armored car, and journalists, who are for European integration, democratic values, and freedom of expression, but only in words. Fighting – started by members of the “Freedom” Party -was more spectacular than the flash mob parade of drummers of the Kyiv State Art Center. And that’s the whole story.
“He’s gone, but promised to come back” (from the Soviet cartoon “The Kid and Carlson”)
At the last moment it became known that Ukraine should expect some more rallies. The head of the faction “Fatherland” Yatsenyuk said that the next opposition rally “Rise, Ukraine!” would take place in Donetsk, and would end on the day of the inauguration of the new President. The Head of Donetsk Regional State Administration, Andriy Shyshatskiy, answered that the people of Donetsk region will fight off to the organizers of “Rise, Ukraine!”.
The show must go on…
Translated by MA
