Translated by Ollie Richardson & Angelina Siard
20:50:54
18/10/2017
riafan.ru
During a discussion on the air of the TV programme “60 minutes” about the disorder in Kiev, the chairman of the board of the public organization “European Movement Ukraine” Vadym Tryukhan stated that it is definitely impossible to call the clashes between protesters and law enforcement authorities in Kiev a new Maidan. The political scientist, publicist, and historian Vladimir Kornilov didn’t agree with this opinion, and reminded the guest from Ukraine that howitzers in the center of the capital don’t appear just like that.
“It’s not ‘Maidan 3.0’, but this is a warning for the authorities. A warning about the fact that the people are tired of waiting for the implementation of those promises that were made at the time of Maidan, and then during the presidential and parliamentary elections. And now the people demand that these promises are kept: there is a need for an anti-corruption court, because the fight against corruption is zilch, and there is already suspicions that the situation is worse than it was at the time of Yanukovych. Secondly: the cancellation of parliamentary immunity — they feel their impunity and use it behind the walls of parliament. And thirdly — the new legislation about elections, such legislation that would allow the coming to power in parliament and in local bodies of self-governance. And I personally support these three demands, if I wasn’t here I would already be on Maidan now,” stated Tryukhan.
Also, in his opinion there is a basic difference between what happened in 2013 and what the whole world observes today in Kiev.
“Now time is squeezed, because Ukraine is under external pressure from the Russian Federation. And I think that literally during a week or two all demands will be met, and as proof of this already today the President in anticipation submitted two bills — for the elimination of parliamentary immunity, and he also agreed about the law on an anti-corruption court. By the way, here there is no need to think that it is Saakashvili who offered such ideas, it isn’t like that. Saakashvili is one of the symbols. […] It is precisely now that it is necessary to carry out reforms and only after to move further. It won’t be in three months, I predict a week, at most – two. And these decisions must be made. Otherwise there will be trouble. There is no other exit!” concluded the representative of Ukraine.
In turn, the Russian political scientist Vladimir Kornilov stated that doesn’t agree with Tryukhan’s position, because all the world community can observe the fear that is felt by the Ukrainian authorities during the advancing of Mikhail Saakashvili and his supporters towards the center of the capital.
“When Mr Saakashvili only just entered the territory of Ukraine, it was said: yes, in a week everything will be forgotten. Literally on Sunday you said that nothing will happen, that all Russian media inflate Maidan, and that nothing will happen. Now you say: it’s not a Maidan. Look at what is happening in Kiev in general. Why did Poroshenko all of a sudden introduce two bills at once? While apparently there is nothing seriously. Look — 15 ranks of law enforcement bodies, there weren’t such things even at the time of Yanukovych. Further — a howitzer in the center of Kiev, while we are told that it is in honor of a salute. How many leaders of different States came — and there was never howitzers in the center of their countries. […] Go on the Internet and find at least one photo of a howitzer during the visit of reigning US Presidents or of other States. Such things never happened. There is a howitzer in the city center, imagine to what extent the authorities are frightened, to what extent they are afraid of the people,” answered Kornilov.
By the way, the Russian political analyst urged to pay attention to how in 1917 the Bolsheviks acted during the revolution in the Russian Empire.
“They took bridges, post offices, telegraph offices, and what now is a revolution started with? In Kiev they seized a helipad so that Poroshenko wasn’t able to flee,” concluded the political scientist.
We as reminder, on Tuesday at the building of the Ukrainian parliament a mass protest action organized by a number of Ukrainian political forces took place, including the party of the former President of Georgia and former governor of Odessa region Mikhail Saakashvili the “Movement of New Forces”. Protesters demand to cancel parliamentary immunity, to create an anti-corruption court, and to make changes to electoral laws. Some participants of the meeting declared their intention to “stay as long as necessary, even overnight”.
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