Yesterday, on May 24, since 9 am at the main Kyiv’s square the action “For beautiful Ukraine” started, organized by the All-Ukrainian political party “Bratstvo”. By the monument to Kyi, Shchek, Khoryv and their sister Lybid a few tents were pitched, according to “Bratstvo” 40 persons live in the tents’ town. Mainly, these are members of “Bratstvo” and the Opposition bloc.  

On the sidewalk there is a big bus with equipment for playing music, loudspeakers, microphones and flags of “Bratstvo”. Music is constantly playing, but the repertoire is rather strange. From aside one can understand that the youth gathered there to declare eternal values – “Drugs, sex and rock-n-roll”, but then it makes one sick to hear Russian pop-music and songs now popular on the “Shanson” radio. In the evening a small group of people gathered around the camp, but for the most part for want of anything better to do or because of interest. A bit further, by the entrance to the Khreshchatyk metro station sport dancers attracted more people.  

In the organization tent members of the party distribute for free the newspaper “Opposition”. On the first page one can read a poem of Rudyard Kipling “Father’s letter”, and below on the same page there is a hymn to the small country Monaco, which members of “Bratstvo” suggest to follow, since local princes cancelled taxes and the country flourished. In the newspaper nothing said about how to make Ukraine beautiful, nor can participants of the action say anything about it. Instead participants of the action are holding posters “Against repressions and repressive taxes!” and “Revolution is over? It is just beginning!”. As it turns out, Ukraine will become beautiful, when taxes are cancelled.   

Through the loudspeakers one can hear requirements of “Bratstvo”. One of the requirements is complete canceling of taxes in Ukraine and introducing a single 10% tax. Interesting is their argument regarding this requirement – all Christians must pay taxes according to the Bible – tithe. But they didn’t explain how to persuade to pay this tax people of other religions. Probably, they will pay the same amount as they do now as a punishment for believing a wrong god, or will not pay it at all. If no, from the economic point of view it’s very inconvenient to be a Christian, and the Christian church is the first to suffer from this decision. Since its congregation will gradually go to other religions. It’s quite illogical, in view of the image of Jesus Christ by Olexandr Roytburd on red-black flag of “Bratstvo”. Participants of the action sell the same image on black and red t-shirts for 100 hryvnias. 

It’s also interesting, after the dispersal of a tents’ town by the city hall, whether this action doesn’t hamper the mayor. It seems that no, since, as the website of “Bratstvo” informed, in the morning on May 25, militiamen felt bored and they asked to switch on music. Participants of the action don’t know how long the action will last, and they also refuse to answer the question of “Rupor” who decides how long the action will last.

More close to realization of the slogan “For beautiful Ukraine” was the action of protest “Dirty city” conducted on May 20, 2005 in Kharkiv and aiming at paying attention of the community to the problem of not taking wastes out of the city because of the district government.

In the nomination “The dirtiest district” the Chervonozavodsky district took the first place, by the district court of which the action under the motto “Functionary, tidy Kharkiv or get out!” was held.

The “Bratstvo” activists, in chemical protection costumes demanded from the government to immediately take measures regarding saving the environment, since currently in the district there is a dangerous ecological situation. Unfortunately, this time chiefs of the district didn’t show any wish to communicate with participants of the action. Contrary to militiamen. They were trying to hinder in conducting the action by all means, demanded to stop it and even tried to take away a megaphone.  

At the end, by the stairs of the district court a red symbol of toxic danger was painted for functionaries to remember every day: it is dangerous for health to walk down the streets of untidy Kharkiv.  

Vira Zasulych

RUPOR