The Day asked people from different regions: “What is going on in the country?”

Some people think that Ukraine is going through a new powerful revolution; others believe that the system will be changed. For some people the Maidan has become a new Zaporizhian Sich, and for others – a new model of the country. Some are waiting for a new political force, whereas others urge to build civil society on horizontal level. For some people the Maidan is an opportunity to defend their rights, whereas others consider it a division of the country and an attempt to make use of the situation. However, everyone agrees: the country is going through a significant moment in its history. So, The Day asked one question to people of different ages and social statuses from different corners of Ukraine: “What is going on in the country?”

REFORMATTING OF THE POPULACE INTO CITIZENS

Ivan KHMIL, priest, UGCC, Rivne:

“People have understood that our today and future depend on each of us. And we need to fight for this and not to be afraid to reason our beliefs. Not parties or politicians, but Ukrainian citizens today decide the future of Ukraine. Establishment of a civil society is the main achievement of the Euromaidan.”

“A THING WHICH WE HAVE LACKED FOR A LONG TIME HAS EMERGED – THE NATIONAL IDEA”

Taras BILKA, musician, Zaporizhia:

“The national awareness has woken up in youth, and a thing which we have lacked for a long time emerged – the national idea. People have become more united, they are protesting together in their desire of freedom. It seems to me that this Maidan, not only in Kyiv, but in regions as well, has shown that mentally we are Europe, not Asia. I have seen an information graphic which depicted the oblasts of Ukraine where the citizens are actively supporting the Maidan. They were marked with yellow, the rest are blue. So, south and east turned out to be blue, and among them only Zaporizhia is in yellow. This is very symbolical, because we have Khortytsia which we won’t surrender for sure. Young people have become more decisive and brave, even in spite of the bans in universities. Students were being suppressed, authorities forced them to clear their profiles in social media, remove posts and photos dedicated to the Euromaidan. These bans have had no effect, and a lot of young people went out for the student protest. They are not romantic dreamers of 2004. That was in a sense a big ‘get-together,’ and now people came out to defend their rights. The most important thing is that people have shown how much they love freedom and that they won’t agree to be slaves.”

“A COUNTRY WITHIN ONE SQUARE”

Kateryna SERHATSKOVA, journalist, Simferopol:

“Current events are a mass protest against ignorance, empty promises, short-sightedness, and laziness, the qualities which unfortunately make the image of Ukrainian power, and it does not refer only to Yanukovych and Azarov. On the plaque of shame there are petty officials, who apathetically fulfill the orders of their bosses without questions, and the police who think that bribes are a norm, and ‘griffin’ concierges, and dishonest doctors, and other characters of this kind. The Maidan is now possibly representing the model of the country we want to live in: the country where it is clean, where no one speaks rudely, where mutual help is well-developed, where business is an important part of society’s development, where the rights of people are respected and where you can stop worrying about your safety. If people have managed to build such a country within one square, maybe we will succeed in realizing this model in our interrelationships?”

“THE PURPOSE IS NATIONALIZATION OF STATE POWER”

Zaven BABLOYAN, translator and publishing manager, Kharkiv:

“Now the aware citizens of Ukraine are protesting to the state apparatus (and all those whom it managed to recruit), which is excessive, absolutely parasite, and extremely bold. The main purpose of protesters is nationalization of the state power (at the moment it has been privatized and passed over vertically for ‘renting’) and made the state apparatus go back to solely fulfillment of its functions. Apparently, we won’t be able to continue to live in neo-feudalism.”

“KYIV MADIAN IS A MODERN ZAPORIZHIAN SICH”

Taras, football fan, Khmelnytsky:

“In a word, in my opinion a popular rebellion is taking place in Ukraine against what is called the authoritarian power, and it is fuelled and used by different forces for their purposes. But without doubt, in this big game we, the people, have interests of our own. Therefore for me the most important thing in these events is the fact that people are ready to defend their rights, their dignity, they are able to organize themselves and help each other. Those who have visited the Zaporizhian Sich of today – Kyiv Maidan – at least once have changed his opinion about their fellow countrymen for ever. And this is the most important lesson, at least for me. It will be continued. Glory to Ukraine!”

“REVOLUTION AGAINST BOORISHNESS”

Illia STRONGOVSKY, book designer, Zhytomyr:

“The most important thing that is going on now is that we have never had anything of this kind: a revolution not in support of some concrete force or leader, but against boorishness. We have been witness to the fact that the nation has gotten tired of living according to the rules imposed by Soviet mentality. When a certain stage of the Maidan comes to its logical end, a lot of people will see how much they have changed internally. Nobody stepped on my toes over 24 hours of duty in the Maidan. In Zhytomyr, for example, I cannot enter any public transport without someone stepping on my toe. This is such a dramatic contrast, when this mass of people goes towards you and smiles. However, the Zhytomyr Euromaidan surprised me. We have always been an inert city, but recent events have shown that changes have reached even us. Another important thing is that self-identification of youth is taking place and it passes this identification to elder generation. This process can never end on its own – either the government will change, or a political force will emerge that will be able to win legitimately in the election. Maidan has shown that not only the power must be changed, but the opposition as well. It seems to me the shoots of the new opposition are breaking through and make themselves known. Even under worst possible scenarios, we cannot be deprived of this.”

“FIGHTING TILL THE INCUMBENT GOVERNMENT RESIGNS AND A NEW POWER IS ELECTED ON ALL LEVELS”

Oleksii RUDYCH, software specialist, Kyiv:

“I would say that the patience of Ukrainian people has exhausted. Lawlessness, which has been reigning in our country for many years, and which the current system of power is not going to fight (because it takes care only about its own interests) made people rise from their knees to show protest in a peaceful and civilized way. As we can see, it will be very hard to uproot this system. But gradually more and more true Ukrainians come to understanding that you cannot stay indifferent in this situation. Therefore a considerable part of them is ready to fight till the end, till the incumbent government resigns and new power is elected on all levels.”

“AN ATTEMPT TO LIVE NORMALLY”

Tetiana SAMCHYNSKA, publisher, Kyiv:

“At the moment people are trying to jointly realize their right for normal, worthy life – without feeling fear for their future. But this attempt is being arrogantly and boldly ignored by the state authorities who actually must ensure this right.”