The Opposition Leaders:
Where are they going and are the
protestors with them?

Vitaliy Klychko: UDAR
Arseniy Yatsenyuk: Fatherland
Oleh Tyahnybok: Liberty

Why are people protesting?

How it began
 Anger at gov.
cancellation of AA with
EU
 Economic impetus to
promote
democratization and
good governance
What it has become
 Anger at police
violence and
authoritarianism
 Rule of Law
 Dignity
Is it about the EU anymore?

 Shift in attitude after violence and authoritarian
measures
 BUT: the initial impetus for protest remains
Political Change
Economic
Integration with
Europe
Democratization
& Long-Term
Economic
Competitiveness
What are the opposition leaders
saying and doing?

 5 general demands:





Amnesty for all protestors arrested
Prosecution of officials who ordered violent force
Dissolution of the government
Special parliamentary and presidential elections
Resignation of the president
 But what is their long-term plan? Do they have one?
 Potential for continued turmoil and repeat of 2004
failure
What should they be saying while
united and enjoying exposure?

 The initial impetus for the protests in Nov. 2013
 Yanukovych’s record as president
 The “Family’s” embezzlement of $8-10 billion/year
 State Tax Admin.
 Closed bidding for infrastructure projects
 Artificial low gas prices, reselling at market rates
 So what should be done?
 Audit of gov.
 Guilty parties forced to repay, lose their positions, and be
prosecuted
 Role of IMF, EU, and US
What should they be doing while
united and enjoying exposure?

 Highlight specific causes of Ukraine’s weakened
democracy and economy








Russian debt
Long-term benefits of AA for industrialists and workers
Courts as rubber stamp & politically charged prosecution
Controversial passages of laws in Verkhovna Rada
Political control over big business
Forceful coercion against civil society
Reversal to pre-2004 Constitution
Practice of centrally appointing oblast governors

Source:
http://texty.org.ua/pg/article/editorial/read/48584/Ugoda_pro_As
ociaciju_z_JeS_Shho_zminytsa
What not to do: Embitter
Eastern/Southern Ukrainians

 Tymoshenko case
 “On Principles of the State Language Policy” Law
 The Kharkiv Accords
Works Cited

 Kuzio, Taras and Daniel Hamilton, eds. Open
Ukraine: Changing Course Towards a European Future.
Washington D.C.: Center for Transatlantic Relations,
2011. Print.
 Anders, Aslund. Payback Time for the Yanukovych
‘Family,’ Kyiv Post. Dec. 13, 2013.
<http://www.kyivpost.com/opinion/oped/anders-aslund-payback-time-for-theyanukovych-family-333567.html>