If All-Ukrainian Union “Svoboda” comes to the power in Ukraine, liberals and sponsors become its first victims

The director of the Ukrainian branch of Institute of CIS countries Vladimir Vladimirovich Kornilov answers the questions of the Internet portal “The world and we”.

- What are your forecasts about situation development in the Verkhovna Rada of new convocation taking into account the emergence of a significant amount of radicals from Svoboda party in it? How it will affect the parliament work?

It is quite difficult to speak about its working capacity with the existence of “brown” in parliament. We have to understand that the presence of so considerable fraction of the ultraradicals, ready to rush to fight in an occasion and without, and, actually, not knowing other methods of fight, will predetermine a tonality of work of this Rada. Most likely, now any important bill will be consolidated to that we saw in the first days of work of the Ukrainian parliament.

- What do you think of opinion that All-Ukrainian Union “Svoboda” becomes the central force of the Ukrainian opposition?

I hope that our society isn't so sick to prefer “brown”. Possibly, the result on last elections was the biggest success of ultraradicals, social nationalists from “Svoboda” and they shouldn't count on something greater. I hope very much that after all seeing what methods they are able to fight, even more moderate Ukrainian nationalists will think next time for whom they voted. And that liberal democrats became the first victims of Nazis whom they often brought to power is a historic fact. It is clear, if suddenly to assume that once “brown will come in Ukraine to the power, their first victims become the members of Yatsenyuk and those liberal journalists who here, in Kiev urged to vote for this “Svoboda”.

- Are any mutually advantageous arrangements between the members of the Party of Regions and All-Ukrainian Union “Svoboda”? Don’t become this party of the Ukrainian right radicals like certain “gin which has been let out from a bottle” whom the party in power intended to use in the purposes, but now lost control over this political force?

It is necessary to understand that the members of the Party of Regions will press through the laws all the same. We see that the strong pro-presidential majority is created in Rada and most likely it will increase. Misters Tabalovs are the first signs. Further others will go also. I think, by summer we will already speak about the developed majority of fraction of Party of Regions and adjoined them even without communists. But that “gin” is let out from a bottle, it is valid so. He is let out for a long time.

Not for the first year I call those who sponsored the Ukrainian neo-Nazis, those who provided them air to think of that besides the first victims of any “brown” when they come to the power, besides liberal democrats become also the first sponsors of these most “brown” because they know too much. Hitler's first sponsors finished very deplorable. Those who managed to escape - escaped and those who didn’t manage – those sank into oblivion. So, of course, the history lessons not for our members of the Party of Regions, not for the present party in power. Unfortunately, if they learned the history, so persistently don't want to apply it to the political activity for some reason.

- Concerning Svoboda party the European Parliament adopted the resolution in which its activity is condemned and the appeal to other opposition forces contains not to cooperate with nationalists. But what is the real relation of the West to this party? Is its support possible as the factor strengthening contradictions between Ukraine and Russia?

- The West, of course, always applied double standards in upholding of the geopolitical interests. It is not a secret that Pinochet was supported not because he fought for democracy. And Hosni Mubarak supported in Egypt till a certain moment, and Musharraf in Pakistan, and other most thorough dictators not because thereby the West fought for democracy in these states. It was done to build geostrategic poles not to allow the main rivals to develop. And in this respect we see that reaction to relative success of “Svoboda” is much softer than on success of the Austrian right radicals several years ago. But thus the West always, even supporting thorough dictators like Musharraf, Saakashvili and Pinochet, treated them fastidiously.

And at the right time, when considered that mission is executed by them, handed over stock and barrel. Certainly, “brown” values aren't welcomed in the West. And, of course, there is the corresponding relation to “Svoboda”. Not only the European Parliament made such statement - it is possible to quote the mass of others, including, the American sources where they are directly named as xenophobes, anti-Semites and neo-Nazis. Certainly, there is a sneering attitude to them there and any respecting western figure of democratic sense, the ambassador of the USA or the European Union won't sit down with them at one table. But if suddenly it is required to use them here for weakening of the pro-Russian moods, for control of growth of the Russian influence, the West, of course, will do it with pleasure.

- Can “Svoboda” activity in the Ukrainian information space to emergence of large-scale protest actions, for example, against the possible entry of Ukraine in the Customs union?

I think that now many in the same Kiev, much more liberal than Lviv, to start back from these “brown” moods. In principle, “Svoboda” couldn't organize anything something mass in Kiev. And if they something organized, they always brought people from the Western Ukraine as they don’t rely on the inhabitants of Kiev. I don't think that “Svoboda” is now ready to any mass protest actions and the organization of similar actions. But it is clear that they will “behave like a hooligan” in the Verkhovna Rada constantly as the majority of their representatives aren't able to do something except a fight and shouts.

- From opposition the statements sounded that, allegedly, Russia somehow influences the appointments in Ministry and because in this question there were disagreements. In your opinion such statement is the populism, provocation or it is really possible reason of failure of Yanukovych in Moscow?

- It is nonsense from some representatives of opposition. Russia sincerely wants to see Ukraine in the Customs Union. In what condition there has to be a sane Russian politician to put the entry of Ukraine in the Customs union in dependence on destiny of two-three people who, allegedly, have to become the ministers here? I think the answer is clear. Yes, it is possible that someone once states wishes, lobbies someone's interests, but we know that the West states some wishes sometimes. Certainly, nobody in Moscow didn't begin to do it as a stumbling block, an indispensable condition for the conclusion of the mutually advantageous agreement.

- Do you agree with opinion that the introduction in the Customs Union is strategically important for the Party of Regions and the President? That the positive result depend on it for the party in power on the upcoming presidential election in many respects – and in respect to political support and in respect to receiving additional resources for this purpose?

The Party of Regions and Yanukovych have a lot of chances, they still are in the lead in all ratings. As a matter of fact, Yanukovych while has no competitors and if is, Yulia Tymoshenko is in jail. But the matter is that the Ukrainian economy is in that place which decent people try not to call aloud. And here the matter is not how to win to Yanukovych in 2015, but how the Ukrainian economy to survive in coming year. And here no Barroso, any “Svoboda” can give the answer to this question. The answer to this question was given for a long time by Putin and Medvedev when were the president. They already made economic calculations and gave them both to public and journalists on the fact that can Ukraine expect in case of accession to the Customs Union. No Europe, any Washington can give it.