Pro-Western opposition holds latest protest in central Kyiv

Thousands of pro-Western Ukrainians and Saakashvii
supporters marched in central Kyiv on Feb. 18 under the slogan “March for the
Future” and assembled at St. Sofia’s Square to call for early elections and the
impeachment of President Poroshenko. Their resolution declared the creation of
an anti-crisis government and civil resistance committees. From the Netherlands
where he currently resides, Saakashvili said he would soon reveal his party’s
endorsements for the presidency, Cabinet and parliament in next year’s
elections. Saakashvili was deported from Ukraine on Feb. 12,
alleged by his supporters to have been an illegal act.

Zenon Zawada: The
pro-Western opposition to Poroshenko better be careful for what it asks for. Poroshenko
may very well decide to call early elections to catch his opponents off guard.
That way, he could snatch re-election by activating his massive national
network of administrative bureaucracy and law enforcement to skew the
conditions of the elections in his favor, as has been tradition in Ukraine. He
could also resort to fraudulent tactics, given that he is behind Yulia
Tymoshenko in the polls and fears her victory. The president also has a
powerful mass media machine in place, including control of at least two
television networks (but likely more).

Two other marches were organized in central Kyiv
the same afternoon, including the veterans of the Donbas war and activists
demanding higher social standards. These are standard tactics used by Ukraine’s
post-Soviet leaders to distract the public and divide the opposition. We expect
similar tactics for the election campaign, with the Poroshenko administration
fielding technical candidates and parties to split the opposition vote.