Ulad Vialichka: Viktor Yanukovich has to announce preterm elections and resign

Resolving crisis in Kiev with such a high death toll is absolutely unacceptable for the legitimate authorities. Ukraine needs to start the political situation all anew.

Ulad Vialichka, the member of the Coordination Committee of the National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, commented on the current situation in Ukraine in the interview with the “EuroBelarus” Information Service.

- Yanukovich has launched a war against his own citizens. Over the last few days 60 people have already died (at the time of the interview delivery – EuroBelarus), and Ukrainian regime is not going to stop the bloodshed, continuing its “anti-terroristic operation”. Are these assessments of the Kiev events correct or am I wrong?

- Nobody knows exactly what is going on in Kiev now; the situation is changing too fast. The events are developing at a high rate, so it looks like nobody is controlling the situation anymore.

Ukraine is experiencing hard times. Such high death toll in a European country in the 21^st century is absolutely unacceptable.

- Why did lax protests suddenly developed into a bloodshed on February 18? It seems that nobody gets surprised about the Putin-Yanukovich phone conversation after the storm of Maidan yesterday. What role does Kremlin play in the escalation of confrontation?

- I have no concrete information concerning the role of Kremlin in the escalation of violence in Ukraine.

Situation suggests that healthy democratic forces which aimed at the peaceful settlement of the political conflict had no interest in escalation of crisis. Indeed, over the last week political crisis passed on to Parliament, Mass Media and TV screens. Maidan was a symbolic embodiment of the ongoing negotiations and the start of dialog.

We can assume that certain groups inside Ukraine are interested in the escalation of violence. They see no interest in peaceful settlement of the political crisis; so they have tried to hit the jackpot by aggravating the conflict.

Perhaps, Ukrainian authorities got tired of “democracy rise”, lost their temper and tried to forcefully suppress the peaceful protest once and forever.

We can also talk about the Russian scenario. However, all these versions are only speculations, as we don’t have any documentary confirmation.

- A lot of experts tend to think that on February 18 Yanukovich buried any chance for peaceful settlement of the political crisis and said goodbye of his status as a “legitimate president”. Do you support this point of view?

- I do. So many deaths and such scenario of conflict are absolutely unacceptable for the legitimate authorities. After such events Viktor Yanukovich has to announce preterm elections and resign. I can’t see how he can continue to occupy presidential post after such bloodshed.

 Ukraine needs to start the political situation all anew. The incumbent president is one of the defeated sides in this scenario.

- Civil society makes a considerable part of Maidan. Will the Belarusan National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum somehow react at the bloodshed in Ukraine?

- Belarusan National Platform has always taken the events in Ukraine close to heart. Over the last three months of confrontation we have not once reacted to the outbursts of violence and use of force.

However, now the situation has dramatically changed: it is too serious to make yet another standard statement. We are trying to find other ways to show our solidarity with the Ukrainian colleagues, who were actively fighting for European way of Ukraine. How long it will take to find and introduce them is hard to say.

We share the pain and problems of Ukrainian people; we have repeatedly collected money and medicines for Maidan; it is our regular action.

- On February 21 European Union is holding an extraordinary meeting concerning the introduction of sanctions against Ukrainian authorities. Did EU miss the time to respond to the bloodshed?

- All the months of confrontation EU was communicating both with the Ukrainian authorities as well as with the opposition and the civil society. High-ranking European Commissioners have more than once visited Kiev and were trying to help as mediators in the political crisis.

The events of February 18 came as a surprise for the EU, as over the last week political crisis in Ukraine returned to its peaceful direction.

I don’t think that EU missed the time to respond to the Ukrainian tragic events. Whatever decisions the EU makes, the fate of Ukraine is in the hands of Ukrainian people. The decisions made by the European Union demonstrate its attitude and assessment of the events in Ukraine; it is neither punishment nor encouragement.

EU is shocked by February 18, and the level of brutality in Ukraine will, of course, be reflected in the decisions made by the EU.