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| Ukrainian protesters in Independence Square on Sunday (Image: Kyiv Post) |
Dozens of thousands of protesters
have gathered on Sunday, 9 February, in Kyiv Independence Square for the tenth
rally dubbed “People’s Council”, as Yanukovich’s regime and opposition still
cannot find a solution of the deepening political crisis, and the talks seem to
become in a deadlock, same as parliamentary debates over the Constitutional
reform and fulfillment of the demands of Euromaidan.
Subday’s rally has started
traditionally with the prayer, and then politicians, oppositional leaders,
civic activists and artists have delivered their speeches from the stage.
Arseniy Yatsenyuk, one of the
oppositional leaders, has declared that oppositional leaders aren’t scared of
losing their popularity by forming an interim government pressed to possibly take
unpopular decisions and that opposition is ready to sacrifice the ratings for
the sake of the county’s future. But at the same time there’s no place for
trade for the ministerial positions, claimed Mr. Yatsenyuk, referring to the
offers of Yanukovich of the position of Prime Minister to him.
Oleg Tyagnybok, another leader of
the opposition and head of Svoboda (Freedom) Party, declared that the power is
with the people and that the regime is close to fall. Vitaly Klichko in his
turn has reminded again from the stage about the key demands of Euromaidan,
including unconditional release of political prisoners and detained activists
and the issue likely forgotten by other oppositional leaders during the talks
with Yanukovich, which is Yanukovich’s stepping down and early presidential
elections. In addition to that Vitaky Klichko has called for Yanukovich to come
to Maidan personally and to see the people and to hear their voice and their
demands.
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| Protesters on the barricades in Kyiv (Image: Den') |
Though the situation with the talks
and resolving the crisis still remains tense, and there are new threats of
possible attempt to disperse protesters or to provoke violence, as additional troops
of riot police and “Berkut” (special security forces) have been deployed to
Kyiv downtown, not mentioning the so called “titushki” (paid thugs used by
government to attack and intimidate peaceful protesters). Thus, nearly thousand
of these “titushki” have attempted to attack and remove some barricades on
Saturday, but they retreated as self-defense units of Euromaidan arrived.
Self-defense units have defended the barricades and have held after that march
through the streets of downtown and governmental district, demonstrating that
they re peaceful but ready for actions in case of attacks and provocations.
In addition to that, the units of
self-defense have been already formed in several Ukrainian cities and regions
becoming a part of the all-Ukrainian network, announced on 7 February by the
oppositional MP Andriy Parubiy. Lviv, Vinnytsya, Ivano-Frankivsk, Rivne,
Odessa, Ternopil, Poltava, Uzhgorod, Chernivtsi and other cities as well have
joined the network.
Meanwhile debates continue in
Ukrainian parliament as the MPs cannot find the silution of the crisis, and the
team of Yanukovich works actively on creating the schemes to prolong the time,
as Yanukovich has the meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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| Barricades in Kyiv downtown (Image: Den') |
The main issues being currently
discussed in Parliament are the forming of the interim government and
Constitutional reform. In addition to that, divisions are deepening within the
pro-Yanukovich Party of Regions, as at least 30 MPs have announced they will
join opposition and become actually against Yanukovich. The group was named “Democratic
Platform” and is headed by Sergiy Tygipko.
Party of Regions reportedly plans an
extraordinary meeting of the fraction to be held next week in order to discuss
the candidacy of the head of interim government and to offer it during the
following parliamentary session. Their candidacy for the PM’s seat is Andriy
Klyuev, current Head of Presidential Administration and former Head of National
Security and Defense Council, very controversial figure accused of being
responsible for the dispersals of the protesters.
As for the second issue, the
amendment of the Constitution, there are also divisions and fight within
Parliament. Party of Regions claims it agrees to amend the national Charter,
but insists on doing it according to all the legal procedures, with forming of
the special Constitutional Committee, studying the draft by the Higher
Constitutional Court and then voting in Parliament in two stages. These
procedures could take a lot of time and the results couldn’t be earlier then in
autumn.
Opposition though insists on the
quick procedure of amending the Constitution and returning to the 2004 edition,
but with several serious changes aimed to limit presidential powers in the
country, as this step would help to ease the tensions within society and to
resolve the crisis.
As for the propositions of the
opposition regarding the amendment of the Constitution, they are about
returning to the text of 2004 Constitution with the following changes:
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Return
to the term of “parliamentary coalition” with the possibility of the individual
membership;
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| Volunteers on the barricades (Image: Den') |
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Cancelling
prohibition to be elected in Parliament for the people faced trials;
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Easier
procedure of parliamentary voting;
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Liquidation
of the vertical of administrative power, creating the local councils in the
regions;
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Changes
of the presidential status with limiting of his powers (easier impeachment procedure,
limiting the right to dismiss Parliament, to appoint and dismiss Prosecutor
General and heads of SBU, no influence on the Constitution Court, National
Security and Defense Council and Council for TV and Radio, limiting the power to
impose state of emergency etc.).
Yanukovich team though is ready for
these proposals and is also ready to stop their realization or at least to
prolong the time. There are reportedly two scenarios prepared by Yanukovich’s
team: either dismissal of Parliament (in case the new majority will be formed,
and the control will be totally lost), or sending the amendments to the
Constitution for expertise to the Venice Commission.
Opposition and many experts as well
state that all these maneuvers are aimed to prolong the time, as Yanukovich has
meeting with Russian President Putin in Sochi. Two presidents have met after
the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games, but the details of their meeting
weren’t revealed by the both sides. But it became known, that the credit, which
was so expected by the current authorities of Ukraine, is currently frozen by
Russians. From the promised $ 15 billion Ukraine has got only the first
tranche, $ 3 billion. The next tranche though will be only after Ukraine will
pay for the Russian gas, stated representative of Russian Ministry of Finances.
Western countries are increasing
their critique of the Yanukovich regime and threaten it with the personal
sanctions, but now it is really serious issue, as Western countries are
disappointed in the outcomes of the talks and absence with the problem’s
solving, as the repressions and ignoring of human and civil rights and freedoms
of Ukrainians continue. USA has already the list of the officials to face the
sanctions, as several persons have already received travel bans with their
financial assets frozen. Canada has imposed personal sanctions against
representatives of Yanukovich’s regime. EU is also ready to impose sanctions,
according to many European politicians.
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| Commemoration of the victims of the clashes (Image: Den') |
As for the recent scandal over the
leaked telephone conversation between USA Victoria Nuland and US Ambassador in
Ukraine Jeffrey Payatt, it had the opposite impact on the situation than it was
possible expected by those who leaked the talk, stated EU politician Andreas
Umland. Instead of dividing European politicians it united them and pushed to
more active steps. Thus, Christian Democratic Party of German Chancellor Angela
Merkel demands imposing sanctions against Ukrainian high officials if the
crisis won’t be resolved in peaceful way in the nearest future.
Meanwhile, Euromaidan activists and
riot police and security forces on Grushevsky Street, the site of recent
clashes, are holding ceasefire, but representatives of the so called “Right
Sector”, responsible for the starting of the clashes and supporting more
radical action, claim that this ceasefire could be ended any moment and call
for the total mobilization. Explaining their position, they claim that the
regime doesn’t fulfill their demands, as detained activists are being released
very slowly, and most of them also remain under investigation, just with the
changes of cases and accusations. Thus, the situation is relatively calm
currently, but tense, as ceasefire could be ended and there are also fears
about possible force scenario and Russian involvement as well.
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