Maidan 2.0: Protest with reservations

For the largest protest, the largest “Orange Revolution” - in support of the European Course of Ukraine - last weekend, according to various estimates, from 120 to 200 thousand people. But although opposition leaders called for the impeachment of President Viktor Yanukovych, the current Euromaidan, unlike the events of 2004, is not a revolution

Participants in the rally “For European Ukraine” for signing an agreement on the Association with the European Union and employees of the Berkut special forces on European Square in Kyiv

On November 24, the entire center of the Ukrainian capital from morning to late evening was blocked by manifestants who demanded from the authorities the signing of the Association Agreement with the EU. But it was not at all that Maidan, which was 9 years ago. This time no one initially called people to the streets. They came themselves, coordinating their actions on social networks. And by the way, they came not on the weekend, but on November 21 - on the very day when the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine officially announced the suspension of preparation for signing an agreement with the EU. That same evening, 2-3 thousand people gathered on the main square of the republic. They did not have party symbols in their hands, and in their heads - the desire to change power. Their only requirement for the authorities is the invariability of the course for European integration of the country.

Then, of course, opposition leaders also connected to the movement. The head of the Fatherland Parliamentary faction Arseniy Yatsenyuk from the rostrum on the European square announced that the manifestants would demand impeachment of the president, the resignation of the cabinet and the dissolution of parliament. But these slogans and demands, in fact, did not support these slogans. “No need to set unrealistic tasks. It is necessary to demand the signing of the agreement, and nothing more. And it infuriates me that someone wants to imagine everything as if we had come here under the banners of these Gan ... ow, ”25-year-old student Mikhail, who in mind the leaders of the opposition, told the rally correspondent.

Without symbols

Indeed, although on the eve of the weekend the opposition urged people to go out on Sunday, most of them came to a rally without party symbols - only with the flags of Ukraine and the EU. For example, students of the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute called for civilian activists to go to a rally without any symbols and not succumb to provocations. Similar calls from the "disagreement" with the decision of the authorities to suspend the process of European integration sounded on social networks.

But even more amazing was how people behaved during the performance of opposition leaders in the European square. The vast majority of those present simply did not listen to them, sometimes even a murmur and whistle were observed.

Most Kyivans who came to the rally were not students and pensioners, but working citizens of middle age. Thousands of people came to a rally with young children. 35-year-old businessman Oleg Vasilenko, in an interview with The New Times, noted that he came to the protest for the first time in his life. “I do not care about Yatsenyuk and who will rob this country in the next five years - an opposition or power. I want Ukraine to stand on the European path of development. And my whole company - and this is 12 people, came here. And each of us will agree to the second term by Yanukovych if he sign this agreement, ”the interlocutor of the magazine emphasized.

Were there “professional protesters” on the Maidan - that are those who came here at the request of the opposition in exchange for 100 hryvnias (400 rubles)? Many Ukrainian and Russian media claimed that there were 100%on the Maidan. Nonsense. The number of professionals did not exceed 20-30% of the total number of protests.

Donetsk - "also for Europe"

In parallel with the rally of pro-European citizens in Kyiv on Sunday, a 10,000-strong rally of power supporters was held. Surprisingly, here, too, no one advocated the abolition of European integration of Ukraine. Supporters of the authorities proposed “building Europe in Ukraine” and in conversations with The New Times correspondent explained inconsistently: “We are actually also for Europe, but on conditions favorable for Ukraine”.

“No one, even though you are Russian, even a German, cannot dictate to us what to sign and what is not,” the 37 -year -old miner from Donetsk Pavel explained his position.

The Party of Regions, the Party of Power, paid its supporters for participating in the shares of the same 100 UAH for a three -hour rally. The organizers entertained the manifestants with performances by Ukrainian pop stars.

In order to avoid possible brawls, the rallies of the authorities and the opposition, which took place at a distance of several hundred meters from each other, was separated by a dense column of police officers and fighters of the Berkut special forces. Nobody began to storm it from any or the other - the actions in Kyiv were peacefully. The only incident is a half -hour fight between Golden Eagle fighters and radical nationalists from the Freedom party at the Cabinet of Ministers. Oppositionists wanted to capture the government building and began to poison law enforcement officers with tear gas. "Golden Eagle" answered the same. From the side of the demonstrators, cobblestones and smoke bombs flew towards the special forces. The Golden Eagle defended himself, but there was no rigid repression and Mochilov on his part.

After a fight, which lasted about 30 minutes, most opposition activists began to return to European square. The assault failed. The only result of the brawl is one seriously affected law enforcement officer, who was taken away from the scene of the incident in an ambulance carriage.

Nobody wanted “meat”. Just the nerves are at the limit, ”explained one of the direct participants in the assault, the 27 -year -old Taras, who hid his face under a rag mask for several hours after the end of the assault.

Night Maidan

Toward evening, opposition activists began to install a tent on the European square - only 20 pieces. About 2-3 thousand people left to spend the night in the square. About 200 more people remained on the Maidan. The leader of the "Fatherland" Arseniy Yatsenyuk urged people to unite, but they did not listen to him.

Politicians went home, and Andrei Parubiy, who was appointed “commandant” from the “Fatherland”, was the only deputy in the tent town.

On Monday night, several hundred fighters of the Berkut began to push people off the roadway in Khreshchatyk. A rather fierce fight ensued between them and the protesters, during which the people's deputy was broken by the five fingers. But even more surprising is that no one began to disperse the protest campaign. The protesters were pushed off the roadway, after which the Golden Eagle left. There were only a few dozen police officers remaining on duty near the protesters.

Why did the authorities not "finish" the tent town? The manifestants themselves say that Yanukovych did not dare to resolve the issue exclusively with the “power method”: if the power acceleration had if the Ukrainian regime would not have been able to become flirting with the EU.

After the tent town resisted, the manifestants perked up and began to talk about possible further actions in a positive way.

“And estimate, Yanukovych will take, and the Cabinet will dissolve, release Julia, sign the agreement and thus win the elections ahead of schedule. No one will be against him in this case, ”the“ pro -European ”activists reasoned late in the evening in Voksrest, during the installation of tents. By morning, despite a rather fierce fight with a “golden eagle”, there was still more than enough optimism on the European square.

Dilemma for Yanukovych

How will events develop in Kyiv in the near future? The political scientist, President of Berta Communications Tarasovets shared his opinion with The New Times:

“After Euromaidan in Kyiv and a series of smaller Euromaidans in the regions, Yanukovych has a choice. Either he uses this as a reason for an attack on the pro -Russian wing in the power, or he will go to a power scenario.

The first option provides for the resignation of Prime Minister Nikolai Azarov with the sending of his authorized by Ukraine on the customs union, and the adoption of a package of European integration laws.

The second option, much more likely, is power. The night demolition of tents in Kyiv confirms this. The next step is the initiation of criminal proceedings against the opposition activists on charges of organizing natural unrest in the capital. Many opposition leaders can fall under the press, including Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Alexander Turchinov and Andrei Parubiy. It is noteworthy that for today the most rating opponent of Yanukovych - Vitaly Klitschko - did not have time for Euromaidan, allegedly because of the delay with arrival from Germany (the airport in Kyiv did not accept the plane in a cat Klitschko, and that had to sit at the Krivoy Rog Airport - The New Times). So formally there can be no accusations against him.

In the case of the implementation of the power scenario, Ukraine will even more remote from the association with the EU. In the worst case, Yanukovych may not fly to Vilnius at all, so as not to become an object of criticism from European leaders. ”

Photo: Alexey Furman/ RIA-News