Editor's Note: The following is an unofficial and hasty translation of imprisoned ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko's address to EuroMaidan protesters on Dec. 8. We apologize for errors.
Petition of Yulia Tymoshenko to EuroMaidan demonstrators on Dec. 8
Glory to Ukraine!
Dear Ukrainians!
These days Euromaidans of Ukraine and the world have gathered the best sons and daughters of our country. I am proud and happy to be a part of our great nation, who has many accomplishments ahead of it which will positively change our country as well as the world.
I have faith in it and live this faith.
But today we are going through the most difficult period of the history over 22 years of Independence. We are on a razor blade between the final collapse of a brutal dictatorship and return home – to the European community. And we have incomparably better chance to appear in a medieval dictatorship
Fateful choice between dictatorship and Europe, which is being realized on all the maidans, is in your hands. Only the entire Ukrainian community together with the opposition has a chance to change the course of incorrect Ukrainian history, which Yanukovych laid.
And so the first thing I want to ask you to – do not give up! Do not make a step back! Do not sit at the negotiating table with the gang, whose hands to the elbows are in the blood of our children, and whose offshore accounts are full of your funds. The country can have almost no chance to throw off this horde, while virtually there is no hope for fair elections in 2015. The Presidential elections will be as rudely bought and falsified as the last parliamentary ones.
In my opinion there are three axioms with which we should take to account, when we endorse our plans.
The first axiom. Yanukovych will never sign the Association Agreement with the European Union. He believes that the access to the European democratic community is incompatible with his lifelong power. It has nothing to do with economic problems which he refers to. He just decided to join the club of dictators where he will not be interfered to build his corrupt clan, to appropriate the last resources of the country , to use butchery against free and rebellious Ukrainians , to fill all the country’s prisons with political prisoners and to build a lifelong power based on the dictatorship with descending legacy to his sons-billionaires .
Yanukovych will daily proclaim pro-European rhetoric , negotiate with European leaders to sign an agreement only in order t to neutralize and disarm the democratic world and leave yourself time to complete the establishment of the dictatorship.
The conclusion is simple – do not believe a word of Yanukovych about his Europeanness and convince the world democratic community not to believe in it as well.
The second axiom. All four years of his presidency, Yanukovych was has been holding “reforms”
(so-called ) that are clearly designed to usurp power and economic resources. He was bearing and strengthening his clan Family , eliminating fair elections , justice and fairness. He was giving state awards and promotions to those who performed the most immoral his orders, the dirtiest missions, to those who enriched his family and was ready for any iniquity for the place closure to the dictator. Yanukovych will not change this policy, he will be pursuing it hard to hold it at all lawless methods.
Therefore, the second conclusion : Yanukovych can be stoped obly with the irresistible power of the Ukrainian people. He understands only one language – the language of peace and confident power, and it is the only way you need to speak with him ! Right now he must be peacefully and lawfully removed from power.
The third axiom. To maintain his power and corrupt gainings, Yanukovych will not stop at violence. Bloody beating our children on Euromaidan , mass arrests of innocent spanked people, preparing the army of titushky, creation of a punitive treatment units, which are already several times bigger than the force level and are ready to kill Ukrainians to protect the dictatorship – all these personal decisions and groundworks of Yanukovych. He decided to defend its lifetime power by forst at cost of living patriots of Ukraine.
Conclusion. He is not going to give the power away, even if Ukraine will not remain with a single person supporting him. So the only chance to eliminate him once and for all is now, when the maidans are full with millions of people.
This is not an easy task. It cannot be executed quickly. This requires our joint actions agreed by a clear plan ,which all the society knows and understands. That’s why stick ! Do not retreat a step! Do not give up ! Today the fate of Ukraine is in your hands!
Now the main part. Today, everyone is coming to the streets with one question: what is our aim and our plan of joint actions?
Our goal – early immediate removal of Yanukovych as president of Ukraine . All the other representatives of both central and local governments – parliaments, berkuts, zacharchenkos , pshonkas, kliuevs and everything else – are his metastasis that will be finished as soon as their inspirer will disappear from the political map.
Now concentrate all your plans, all your actions, all the power onit. Now – later we simply will not be able cope with this.
Here’s an action plan that I can offer you. Some of important steps have already been taken ! Of course , while in jail , I cannot take responsibility for the quality and effectiveness of the plan implementation. That’s wy it is only a piece of advice and whether to implement it not – it certainly will be your joint decision !
First and foremost – Yanukovych as president has lost his legitimacy at the time when plucked signing of the Agreement , drowned in Family’s corruption, made the carnage on our children, caused political, economic and social crisis , he moved to live in Sochi and does not rely on Ukrainian citizens support . He is no longer the president of our country , he is a tyrant who must answer for every drop of blood spilled by him , for each dishonestly taken coin , for every destroyed human life , for the last four years of his willfulness.
But for the last four years he changed the law in such a way, that people has no right to remove him. The National Referendum law is a fraud, impeachment is not possible in his usurped parliament. And he never would resign at the request of the people, because for this you should have a conscience and responsibility. But even he could not yet cancel the fifth article of the Constitution , which states that all , without exception , power belongs to you and only you. When one corrupted person unconstitutionally doesn’t give you an opportunity to use your power , you ‘re all , I repeat, all constitutional grounds to move peacefully and legally to direct democracy. Begin to act strictly on the basis of the articles of the Constitution that defines people as a source of power.
You must create a new system of government, including the Central Executive Committee, to form this power on a parity basis between civil society and the opposition of the people who flawless in terms of morality and professionalism..
To do this, you must have the strength and will. Negotiations with the Yanukovych regime is possible only on the conditions of early presidential elections and parliament. Elections must be prepared carefully, lawfully, transparently and carried out according to the people’s will and under the supervision of international observers.
The second point of the plan that I propose, is to approve military competent unit of civil society and the opposition on Maidan, who will immediately begin negotiations with the leaders of the army and security agencies of all levels for their decision to side with the people, for their refusal to serve dictatorship. We must prevent any power option that can be used against the people.
The third point. We need to immediately approve a group of highly qualified personnel diplomats on Maidan , who will immediately begin negotiations with the leaders of all democratic world about the help forUkrainian people toeliminate authoritarian regime through sanctions and about the conduction of international anti-corruption investigations personally against Yanukovych. If we are not able to bring him to justice in Ukraine , it is necessary to do it internationally.
The main thing we need fo our diplomats to bring to the world leaders – is that it is futile to expect from Yanukovych’s signing of the agreement with the EU. He has finally chosen the opposite direction, and return to the European perspective, which he talks about, is a cynical deception, which makes him gain time to implement dictatorial plans.
The fourth point of my plan. Immediately approve a group anti-corruption group on Maidan, that will operate internationally. This group should include diplomats , professional investigators and journalists who carried a strong anti-corruption investigation documented .
We must choose up to three impressive facts of Family Yanukovych Foreign Corruption and immediately send that delegation on people’s account to the countries , which went through orrupt dealings of Ukrainian officials. It is necessary to achieve the opening of international criminal investigations and prosecution of those responsible.
Finally, the fifth. The whole plan is possible only in one case the streets of Ukraine will be full with millions of Ukrainians , who will strengthen pressure on Yanukovych in all Christian, peaceful manifestations every day. Start intensifying pressure on Yanukovych and his den of corruption – “Mezhyhirya.”
Raise your country, don’t return home defeated. Our matter is honest and moral, God on the side of those who live under His laws.
I know that after the declaration of this speech propagandistic dogs of Yanukovych will discredit every word I said . They mix with new dirt my life, but once back in the year 2000 I decided that I will fight to the last with the clan-oligarchic system and I will stick .
If I were among you, I would act exactly as you declared.
Remember, there is no one except you to defend the country, if you retreat, it will remain vulnerable, on the edge of losing independence. And you will either have to flee the country with your children, or to swear allegiance to the dictatorship.
I believe that you are strong, inspired and will not retreat. Be prepared for the struggle to be long and difficult, instant victory is impossible. But professional and your well-planned joint struggle has a chance to finish with victory.
I ask for maximum mobilization of people. I ask the people of Kiev to be the main support of the Maidan for a long time, I’m struck by how the people of Kiev and all the country organized the lives of those who came to open battle.
The main value of our country – it is you – unbroken fighters , fearless warriors!
I believe in you and I am always with you.
Glory to Ukraine!
Yulia Tymoshenko is the former prime minister of Ukraine, imprisoned since 2011 on what the West and Russia regard as politically motivated criminal charges to remove her as political threat to President Viktor Yanukovych’s reelection bid in 2015.
