By the end of the month the Dictatorship Resistance Committee promises to decide on the candidates

“She will be the last thing we need.” This is how Prime Minister Mykola Azarov described government’s attitude towards Yulia Tymoshenko, as he was trying to persuade Europe that there are no political repressions in Ukraine. Well, as far as repressions go, the prime minister’s statement is at least doubtful. But there are no reasons to question his sincerity, since he is very unlikely to be fond of making excuses. Indeed, government needs nothing of that – but it is too late now.

The matters get more complicated when it comes to the opposition. Before Tymoshenko’s imprisonment, there were mixed feelings about her (or Yurii Lutsenko, for that matter) in what is now the opposition camp. And it was a logical consequence of her biography, which was not always impeccable. Instead, anyone who openly disagrees with some or other steps of the regime today is immediately automatically ranked with Tymoshenko’s political supporters. However, it is not always the case, for one thing. And secondly, this radically reduces chances for an alternative force, because this scenario hardly leaves a niche for it. It is a clear dichotomy, without any alternative options.

A question also suggests itself: has the opposition learned any lessons from the recent year’s dramatic events? This is what will largely determine the ability to make up lists in a democratic manner, involving the best local forces – instead of relying on moneybags.

There has always existed a temptation to use elections to earn money. Does the opposition intend to overcome this temptation? Unfortunately, we cannot be certain of this. How is the opposition going to monitor the campaign, how is it going to prepare the citizens to a fair election, how is it going to fight voter bribery? How can the results of elections be protected? Certainly, the assurances to the effect that all the documents will be preserved for five years will hardly help.

And last, but not least, how can they release Tymoshenko? All the impeachment threats are nothing but populist rhetoric (or else, how are they going to get 300 votes in the Verkhovna Rada?). Moreover, this is dangerous rhetoric: just across the border, in Russia, Putin is working hard to consolidate his third presidential victory, and this augurs nothing good to Ukraine. The more so, to a beheaded Ukraine, whatever this head be today.

At the moment, the candidate lists are closed. However, the other day the ice was broken, and Arsenii Yatseniuk, leader of the united opposition, introduced first-past-the-post in Zhytomyr oblast. This is what our conversation with Serhii SOBOLIEV, MP for BYuT-Fatherland, started.

Is Yatseniuk’s statement a kind of trial balloon?

“It just happened that we had clearly agreed on the candidates in Zhytomyr oblast, despite there being only six constituencies. The candidates even include a person, who formally does not belong to the Dictatorship Resistance Committee (DRC). This is a respectable man, who has always had a principled stand against Yanukovych’s regime, and he has every chance to win. I mean Mr. Zhebrivsky.”

Does it mean that other parties within the DRC will not offer candidates?

“This is a condition, signed by all 11 parties comprising the DRC. Moreover, if some party proposes a candidate contrary to the agreement, it will be expelled from the DRC, and stripped of the right to nominate its candidates in any of the constituencies.”

Mykola Onishchuk (Our Ukraine) has already said he would run for an MP in any case.

“I have no idea about who is going to nominate Mr. Onishchuk. Maybe, he will be a candidate for the Party of Regions, or for Mr. Yushchenko.”

Have you decided on the candidates in other oblasts?

“After the ruling of the Constitutional Court [the CC voided the possibility for candidates to be simultaneously nominated under simple-majority constituencies and under party lists. – Ed.] we had to completely revise the lists of our candidates. At the moment, this is a matter under negotiation. I believe, this month will suffice to arrive at a consensus, and approve the final candidate lists.”

Will they include representatives of Vitali Klitschko’s UDAR and Anatolii Hrytsenko’s Civic Stand?

“We have made them an offer on the same principles as other opposition parties. So far these parties have only declared they had 70, 80, or 100 candidates, but they have not proposed a single name yet. We are waiting till they give us persons instead of numbers. The later they do it, the worse for all.”

Tymoshenko urges to publish the candidates’ names. When will they be known?

“As soon as the list of candidates under simple-majority constituencies is ready, comes the turn of party lists. Recently the United Opposition Forum adopted its program, rather than candidates and lists. It is a right thing to do, to approve the program two months ahead of the launch of the election campaign.”

How are you going to win in the election?

“The only thing I can say is that the brand ‘united opposition’ does not in the least guarantee victory. It takes a personality with a good supporter base, a good person who has been through the trial of Kuchmism and of the incumbent regime of Yanukovych.”

Does Yatseniuk’s statement mean that from now on it is his prerogative to introduce opposition candidates?

“It is a matter of presentation of candidates. And it does not mean that only Yatseniuk is going to do it. So far, he has held the first presentations in Zhytomyr, and Mykolaiv is to follow. I am convinced that the presentation of opposition candidates has to be held at the top executive level. You must be well aware that these are only preliminary candidates, and the ultimate approval of the lists will be given at the congress. But why is it important to do it now? In order to get feedback from people.”

Is it true that off the record the oppositionists now dub Yatseniuk leader?

“There is no doubt that the opposition has a lot of leaders, but unfortunately it happened so that the leader of the opposition is behind bars. This is an unquestionable leader, acknowledged by everyone, including Yatseniuk. Today the opposition has enough leaders. Therefore, when the regime hoped that it could intimidate the opposition by jailing its leaders, they miscalculated.”

Many believe the Forum to be the launching point of Yatseniuk’s presidential campaign.

“I would not run ahead that far. First of all, we need to restore constitutional order in this country, as well as the powers of the Verkhovna Rada, the president, and the Cabinet of Ministers. After the parliamentary election and the first steps of the united opposition (which I am convinced will win), we will outline the next step.”