Zoo Yanukovych

Kyiv diary of American journalist David Satter, part 5

Protesters on the Maidan are now faced with another problem of reality - Russia's intervention. Putin's regime, promising Ukraine $ 15 billion and a decrease in gas prices, perhaps in the short term saved the Ukrainian economy. But he made the opportunity that Yanukovych will give in to the requirements of the demonstrators, even less likely.

The square reacted to reports that Russia came to the aid of Yanukovych, with anger. At the barricade on the worker leading to the Square of Institute Street, the worker from Lviv Oleg says: "These handouts are not a solution to the issue. We came here not for things, but for freedom." Kiev woman Lena, she works in the Internet company, remarks: "Money will go to those who are upstairs. And the price of gas will remain the same for us." The young woman leaving the square in response to the question of what Yanukovych donated for the sake of money, she answered: "He sacrificed the nation."

The anger about the Russian loan, which the government presented as an act of Russian nobility and generosity compared to the mean proposal of the European Union, issues one important line of protest. The opinion on the protests themselves in Ukraine is ambiguous, but the demonstrators clearly have a monopoly on faith.

Maidan in mid -December has the features of national revival with elements of global struggle

The Maidan in mid -December has the features of the national revival with elements of the global struggle. Priests from the Ukrainian Orthodox and Greek Catholic Churches lead the people with prayer. One woman selling textbooks of the Ukrainian language told me that Ukraine will solve the fate of the world. Thousands of people gather on the Maidan at night, despite the cold. Girls give out passers -by "free arms", green laser rays write on the walls of buildings around the perimeter of the area "gang, clean" and "strength in unity". Rock musicians entertain the crowd, and people waving Ukrainian flags to the beat of music.

Strict discipline emphasizes a sense of unity. If a person seems to have a tipsy, he is not allowed to the square. At one of the entrances to the square, a man with his face in bruises screamed that he had been beaten. A crowd instantly gathered around, and a doctor ran to him. Yes, he was beaten, but the security of the block repost explained to the crowd that traces of beatings of a week ago.

Some in the crowd during the performances of the organizers of the pro -government demonstration played football with empty bottles

What is happening on the Maidan sharply contrasts with the official demonstration last Sunday on the European Square, to which from 10 to 50 thousand people came out. The worker from the Carpathians told me that he was paid 200 hryvnias for him to come to a demonstration. Otherwise, he would have joined the Maidan. “My place is there,” he told me. Some in the crowd during the performances of the organizers of the pro -government demonstration played football with empty bottles. And some just squatted with an absent look, either drinking, or smoking drugs.

The problem of corruption in Ukraine is similar to Russian, but with some differences. During the time of President Leonid Kuchma, Ukraine was a corrupt and authoritarian country. Immediately after the "Orange Revolution" of 2004, a certain progress was achieved in the fight against corruption. Former President Viktor Yushchenko fired thousands of traffic police officers. Some of them then returned to work, but the gesture took the action. For some time, corruption on the roads almost completely disappeared. During the years of Yushchenko, tax inspectorates were often arbitrary in nature, but ordinary people were ready to oppose corrupt officials of the authorities and turn to the courts for help and to courts. When Yanukovych came to power, tax inspections turned into the main tool of political control.

Taxes in Ukraine are high. Employers pay 67 cents from each dollar of salary. Most of the tax fees have corruption. According to some estimates, only 10 percent enters the treasury of taxes.

That is, all this resembles Russia. Employers are trying to underestimate the salaries of employees, like their number, and prefer to conduct business in offshores. And this makes them vulnerable: in the event of a conflict with the authorities, they can be held accountable for tax evasion. The members of the Verkhovna Rada are also in a vulnerable position. Despite the fact that there are no reliable security measures against the conflict of interests in the country, many decided to get into parliament in order to protect their business, and are ready to show political loyalty at any time in order to protect their investments.

The protests began suddenly, but they reflect the accumulated discontent of a part of Ukrainian society with the conditions in which people are forced to live.

Many of the demonstrators are afraid that if they lose now, then the European future will disappear, and they will forever be under the control of Russia

Many of the demonstrators are afraid that if they now lose, then the European future they dream about will disappear, and they will forever be under the control of Russia. The Kiev journalist Oksana says: "If Yanukovych wins, then we are afraid that there will be no more elections. Yushchenko did not intervene in the elections. And now we have the first term of Yanukovych, then there will be his second term, then there will be the first term of his eldest son, then the first term of the second son."

People are also afraid that if the demonstrators are not able to achieve a change in the regime, repression will begin. The demonstration on December 1 was accompanied by a car industry in Kyiv - the drivers drove to the streets and signal in support of people in the square. Obviously, cars were recorded because many were invited to the police to testify in connection with violations that they did not commit.

This perseverance is partly a reflection of despair

Three weeks have passed since the beginning of the protests, but there are no signs that they are depleted. On the contrary, the food delivery service and self -defense brigade acquired an organized nature . This perseverance is partly a reflection of despair. Many protesters see in Euromaidan their last chance for a better life. Arseniy Yatsenyuk, the leader of the party "Fatherland", said in his speech that Yanukovych behaves like the king and refers to the people as "cattle".

At a fire on one of the checkpoints, a group of men discusses Yanukovych’s house, where, as they say, there is a gilded toilet and there is a private zoo with lamas and a kangaroo. The mason from Ternopil Victor says: "It is impossible to live on the money earned like that, Yanukovych and his family steal."

I asked if, in their opinion, it was necessary to attract Yanukovych to the court for waste, as Tymoshenko was attracted. They said: yes. One invited the prosecutor’s office to figure out how Yanukovych received the zoo in the property. The other remarked: "In this zoo, only one animal is lacking." I asked: what? “Yanukovych himself,” he answered me.