|
|
Yulia Tymoshenko’s address to the people of Ukraine
Good evening!
The presidential elections are over. They were our only chance to
once and for all consolidate our country’s independence and strength.
This was a chance to become a worthy member of the European family, and
implement deep social and economic reforms. These elections were the
first real chance to put an end to the rule of the oligarchy and return
the country and its wealth to you.
The oligarchy would not like such a choice. They need cheap labor,
poor and disenfranchised people who can be forced to work at their
factories for peanuts. And they also need Ukraine’s riches, which they
have been ruthlessly stealing for the past 18 years. They’re not
interested in your fate or the future of your children. They haven’t
lived in Ukraine for a long time, they just exploit it.
Their protege, Yanukovych, couldn’t win fairly.
You recall that to open up a way for fraud they introduced changes
to the law two days before the elections. And Yushchenko signed this
law immediately. Afterwards, the election fraud became massive and
flagrant. The falsifications decided the elections, not you.
Our observers and commission members have documented thousands of
cases of fraud. This is why I decided to file a lawsuit in the court,
as the last resort to establish justice. I went to the court to defend
Ukraine and to defend you!
And I know that for these two days we had hope and prayed for a
fair trial, and I fought and prayed with you too. But the trial became
a farce that was directed by Yanukovych’s headquarters. The court
refused to even consider documented, proven evidence.
The height of injustice was the ban to call witnesses, including
international observers. They, despite pressure and intimidation, were
ready to provide the court with legally registered evidence of
systematic fraud during the election. The court cynically refused to
establish the truth. Then it became clear to us why they had forbidden
the court proceedings from being broadcast live on television. They
needed to hide the real picture of fraud from you.
I then understood that this judicial farce must be stopped and
publicly withdrew my lawsuit. As a presidential candidate, I felt what
you face every day – the inability to defend the truth in court.
Like millions of Ukrainians, I assert that Yanukovych is not our president.
A president who comes to power through deceit won’t last long, and
in this short time we must protect what is important and valuable to us
and our country.
Just a few weeks have passed since the elections and Yanukovych’s
team has already begun to betray Ukraine’s national interests on all
fronts. Their vision is to destroy Ukraine, and defame our language and
culture. And they’re not even hiding this.
Yanukovych’s team has already begun privatizing the gas transport
system. By the way, they filed a suit against Ukraine in the Stockholm
court seeking to take away strategic reserves of natural gas. This
lawsuit is in my hands. It’s a glaring fact that the new president’s
team is against Ukraine. And this is only the beginning. Today
Ukraine’s independence is at risk.
What should be done in this difficult situation?
There is only one way out, in my opinion – to unite in the
Verkhovna Rada the democratic and pro-Ukrainian forces, all rational
deputies of Our Ukraine – People’s Self-Defense, the Lytvyn Bloc and
BYuT. We need to finally put aside all our differences and create a
strong team in the Verkhovna Rada that won’t allow an anti-Ukrainian
dictatorship to be established. I am publicly proposing this effective
method and have already begun the negotiation process.
This will be a test of patriots and democrats for their allegiance
to Ukraine and incorruptibility. I also want to state that under no
circumstances will I form a coalition with Yanukovych. I won’t be
signing universals and memorandums with him because I do not recognize
him as the president of Ukraine and do not accept his anti-Ukrainian
and anti-European policies. If the patriotic and democratic political
parties in parliament give in to becoming political migrant workers, I
will go into opposition and will work to speed up our country’s return
to civilized development.
And I will fight for principles and values that you share. I will
fight regardless of whether I am in power or opposition. And I will
never let them take away the Ukraine that you all deserve – a free,
strong, fair, prosperous and beautiful Ukraine. I am with you!
Tymoshenko's official website
|
ForUm
 |
|
9 February 2012
6 February 2012
1 February 2012
24 January 2012
18 January 2012
10 January 2012
5 January 2012
All analytics
|
