Uladzimir Matskevich: Ukrainian revolution has just started

Maidan has started the revolution, but it can’t assume power nowhere else beyond Maidan. The revolutionary character of Verkhovna Rada only arouses suspicion.

It took a lot to dismiss Viktor Yanukovich and hang over power in Ukraine to Verkhovna Rada. It means that revolution can be reduced to coup d’état and overlook the initial causes, which brought Ukraine to Maidan.

EuroBelarus Information Service together with Uladzimir Matskevich, the head of the Board of the International Consortium “EuroBelarus”, tried to explore the situation in Ukraine.

- Ukrainian revolution has taken place; however, can we consider it to be completed? Yanukovich and Zakharchenko, who are the culprits of bloodshed in Ukraine, are on the run and are not going to give up.

- The protest has been taking different forms: it all started as a protest against a concrete government’s decision. Such protests are common: in European countries somebody is regularly protesting against something. Then force was used against peaceful protest and then it all started. Maidan has recalled everything to the Ukrainian authorities.

However, the prolonged protest wasn’t meant to come to nothing; it required an adequate answer. There was a chance to solve the conflict in civilized negotiations, but Ukrainian authorities disrupted this opportunity with the draconian laws, and the protest developed into a violent confrontation.

The events were developing rapidly and resulted in a massacre with a hundred victims. It is only after the horrors of February 20-21 that the revolutionary process started.

It was the start of the Ukrainian revolution. In one day dual power was passed on to Verkhovna Rada, which at once became “revolutionary”. How is it at all possible? Maidan has started the revolution, but it can’t assume power nowhere else beyond Maidan. Maidan grants Verkhovna Rada with authority, and Verkhovna Rada introduces changes in personnel. What does it mean for the revolution? It means that revolution can be reduced to coup d’état and overlook the initial causes, which brought Ukraine to Maidan, i.e. state’s bankruptcy, outrageous level of corruption, deep social stratification and poverty of the overwhelming majority of people.

Revolution has to eradicate these causes. However, changes in personnel can’t cope with this goal. The Verkhovna Rada was elected together with Yanukovich, and the majority of deputies supported his policy; thus, it is these deputies who are responsible for the causes of Maidan.

What is to become with the Ukrainian revolution? It is still too early to make conclusions; everything is just starting.

- Maidan doesn’t have faith in any politicians anymore. Will it accept new personnel changes and new policy?

- Maidan is the settlement of direct democracy, the instrument of direct action. It will be horrible if Maidan continues to determine state policy and validate decisions made by Rada. If five hundred or a thousand years ago it was possible, today it will lead to chaos and degradation of Ukraine’s state system and will cause the need of external control. Within the short term Verkhovna Rada should form working transition government, which will be able to run the country before the elections. The best variant is to organize the elections of the constituent assembly, which could develop some other constitutional system to make sure that oligarchic rule won’t be re-established.

- Russia also returned back to square one; it is hard to imagine that Putin will restrain his imperial fervour and refuse to even the score.

- I’m not willing to discuss the policy of Russia towards Ukraine. Shame on Russia! Both on Kremlin as well as the Russian intelligentsia and the so-called “civil society” that is lost to all sense of shame and common sense in a burst of ultra-nationalism.

- The EU’s reaction to the events in Kiev came late. Its role in the peaceful settlement of conflict is minimal. What European prospects does new Ukraine have?

- Indeed, before the bloodshed Europe played insignificant role, but it is a topic for another discussion. Europe has more than once proved to be helpless facing such kind of problems, as it was with Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia and especially with Syria. In the situation with Ukraine delay, indistinctness and indecision border on crime. Let’s hope that Europe will change after Maidan and this time it will be a conscious decision.

- It appears that the future relations of today’s Belarus and new Ukraine won’t be easy. Ukrainian media tell about the attempts of former high-ranking officials to seek shelter in Belarus, though Belarusan Foreign Ministry rejects that.

- I don’t have any reliable information about the concealment of Ukrainian officials, but it is shameful that our country turns into a shelter for the fallen dictators, criminals and political crooks.

- Belarusans have learned a lesson of courage and firmness, Belarusan authorities got evidence that violence against their own people will sooner or later boomerang against them. What lessons will our society and our regime learn from the Ukrainian revolution?

- I have been learning and revising these lessons every day for three months, and haven’t learnt all of them yet. I can only promise that I will share the lessons I’ve learnt; with the EuroBelarus’ webpage at the first place.