Stanislav Rechinskiy
11.02.2014 UAINFO

Translated by Elena Tsymbalyuk
Edited by Maria Stanislav
Source: http://uainfo.org/yandex/273931-golodnye-bunty-okazhutsya-kuda-strashnee-evromaydana.html

Viche Number 10. Constitutional reform. Technocratic government. “And meanwhile, in the dusky caves, the curly-headed chthonic bull gnawed on men’s bones and ate them whole, and the air was thick with heavy menace.” – V. Khlebnikov. For many people, the Maidan is the only safehouse in the country. For many people, this tiny patch of land – without corrupt prosecutors and judges, without lawless police – is the only Ukraine fit for living.

They won’t leave, not anymore. Maybe Viche Number 11 can simply expand the Maidan, as far as the borders of Kyiv? Chase the riot police and interior forces out of the city, put up the roadblocks? Maybe then the constitutional reform will come sooner, and the rest of the problems will be solved faster? Maybe then we’ll have a safe city – the only one in the country?

Are we dreamers to imagine this? But do we have many alternatives to these dreams? Let’s say Yanukovych succumbs to the pressure of the West, agrees to the constitutional reform and to the technocratic government. Yeah, okay. But he will keep control of all the defense ministries. Then, after rounding up all the active members of society, he will call on his administrative resources and win the elections easily. He can’t round up everyone, is that what you’re saying? It’s a matter of time. Eventually, he really can. Starting from the loudest voices.

But what if Yanukovych agrees to let go of the defense forces? The truth is, he won’t. No matter what guarantees he gets. Being a scammer and a cheat himself, he will always believe that, guarantee or no guarantee, the other side will cheat him as well. What will he do? Play for more time? That’s what he’s doing right now. While the repressions go on. But he can’t play for time forever, because the economic crisis is snowballing into an avalanche. And nobody is willing to give him more money – not even Russia.

And then the “food riots” will be worse than EuroMaidan could ever get. The foulest option would be a compromise between the opposition and ruling party, where a technocratic government would be created, and the Maidan told to disperse. They would offer people guarantees, immunities, whatever else. But on these terms, most of the Maidan people have nowhere to go. That’s not what they fought for, not what they risked their lives and freedom for. These “guarantees” won’t be worth more than the current “truce”. So they won’t leave. But those who stay will be simply annihilated. Thus will be written the most shameful page in Ukraine’s modern history.