The political opposition was clearly elated. After years of rollbacks of freedoms under President Viktor Yanukovych and many unsuccessful attempts to call people out onto the streets to defend their rights, people were out massively again.
“So many people – we didn’t expect that,” says Maria Ionova, a parliament member from Vitali Klitschko’s Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reforms faction.
A crowd estimated at 100,000 people poured from every side street towards the main Khreshchatyk Street, trying to squeeze onto European Square, where a massive rally was taking place to pressure the president into signing a landmark association agreement with the European Union. People braved the cold weather to express their anger at the president’s sudden turn of direction towards Russia, after months of preparations for signing.
Crowds filled central Kyiv and plastered the hills nearby to get closer to the epicenter of the protest – the stage erected by the opposition. Just like nine years ago, during the Orange Revolution, the stage was used by the political leaders to give speeches and voice their demands, watched by crowds at the front, and journalists and advisers at the back.
This time, the back of the stage was also being watched by the riot police officers locked in Ukraine House, a conference hall whose steps are housing the stage. They don’t like to be photographed, and move anxiously away from the windows as cameras approach.
Backstage is also where strategies are being discussed, and the question “What do you think will happen next?” is one of the most common. The opposition has no answer. They’re not in touch with anyone in the rival camp, and have no insider information on what they can expect.
Urged by Oleksandr Turchynov, a part of the crowd take off to check on the Cabinet of Ministers. Others are setting up tents. Sergiy Sobolev, one of Batkivshchyna leaders, argues in the back that the president’s resignation has to be demanded, he does not believe in keeping it simple by merely demanding the president’s signature on the EU deal.
Yanukovych had previously said that he will travel to the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius for the Eastern Partnership Summit on Nov. 28-29. But he won’t be signing an agreement that he said Russia bullied Ukraine out of.
__________________________________________________________________
Editor’s Note: Join top government officials, leading industry CEOs, business owners and other experts to discuss Ukraine’s future after the Vilnius Summit at this year’s Kyiv Post Tiger Conference, which will be held on Dec 3 in Premier Palace Hotel. The guests and speakers will assess the effects on Ukrainian political and economic life of not signing an association agreement with the European Union at the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Nov. 28-29. Register now
__________________________________________________________________
The president made no statements or public appearances on the day of the rally, despite massive crowds and unrest in the capital and a handful of other cities, including Lviv, Dnipropetrovsk, Rivne, Cherkasy and Mykolaiv.
The opposition’s own messages were a mixed bunch.
Yulia Tymoshenko, the ex-prime minister and imprisoned leader of the opposition, sent an open letter to the demonstrators, which was read to the cheering crowd by her daughter, Eugenia Tymoshenko.
“By a mythical coincidence, Yanukovych returned out all to the streets in the same days of November as nine years do,” she said in her address. “Today, we have a very clear task – to force Viktor Yanukovych to change his humiliating decision and sign on Nov.29 in Vilnius the association agreement with the European Union.”
Yuriy Lutsenko, one of the opposition leaders and formerly a political prisoner who was pardoned by Yanukovych this spring, kicked his speech off with an apology.
A former leader of the Orange Revolution, which took place nine years ago, he came to power as a result of it and served as interior minister.
“Before saying what should be done next, I would like to apologize to you. I am sure the same has to be done by anyone who nine years ago stood on the Orange Maidan. I am asking you to forgive me for the mistakes, for not doing to end what was done,” Lutsenko said.
He went on to call for a signature in Vilius, and for the president’s resignation in case he fails to listen.
“The future of a 46million country is being stolen. We had war declared against us. Are we ready to take up the challenge?” he said.
