MP: Euromaidan exposed to neo-Nazi trends

“Events happened on January 1 in the evening in Kyiv and several
cities of Ukraine [the nationalist torch marches] are alarming trends, a
challenge to the whole Ukrainian society and each citizen of our state.
We start understanding that Euromaidan is being exposed to
marginalization. Unfortunately, xenophobic moods, cave nationalism and
elements of Nazism start dominating there,” the lawmaker told
Interfax-Ukraine on Thursday, January 2.

He said that the said marches do not fit Ukraine, “this is a
prototype of fascist dictatorship, and everything that happens in the
country over the past weeks shows that representatives of opposition
have united in the fascist ideology, intolerance and desire to destroy
the country and the future of our state.”

He expressed alarm that the torch march organized by the Svoboda
(Freedom) party was supported by Maidan participants, including
lawmakers from the Batkivschyna Party.

“The torch procession involved many Euromaidan activists, which
starts being scared. This is not a democracy, this is really dangerous
for our state, as slogans were heard there are not acceptable in the
21st century for cultural people. These are calls for interethnic feud,
confrontation, and the most scared thing that Euromaidan was
participator… Ahead of the march lawmakers from the Batkivschyna party
were going,” Kolesnichenko said.

The lawmaker said that radicalization and fascistization of the political opposition is a danger for the Ukrainian state.

He also said that “in the minutes of such danger for our country”
both authorities and each citizen “should understand what he will
personally do to stop fascistization of our state, expansion of neo-Nazi
slogans and ideology and stop this fascism.”

“It’s no secret that the Party of Regions strongly condemns the Nazi
sabbath in the center of the capital and calls on opposition leaders to
evaluate the actions of Svoboda and Batkivschyna parties. Nazism does
not fit Ukraine,” he said.

The lawmaker said that supporters of neo-Nazi ideas “will be stopped,
and those who used violence and will try to use it in the future to
realize neo-Nazi plans will be punished under Ukrainian law.”

As reported, on January 1, 2014, Ukrainian nationalists held a torch
procession in the center of Kyiv marking the 103rd birth anniversary of
Stepan Bandera.