An open letter to Poroshenko
Mr. President!
Events of the last few days have forced me to write an open letter to you. Our relations were initially friendly. But today they have reached the point where we are on opposite sides of the barricades, not only politically, but I would even say in terms of our world views. And I understand that this letter is unlikely to change anything in our relations.
Last week, after consulting with ambassadors of countries friendly to Ukraine, I sent you a personal letter in which I proposed to enter a negotiating process. I confirmed that I am ready to talk to you or your representative in order to agree on the future of Ukraine and not allowing the destabilization of the situation in Ukraine. Only this can be the subject of our agreements. Only the future of Ukraine is really important. Not mine or yours. Believe me, as an experienced politician who participated in more than one revolution, including the Rose Revolution in Georgia, the Orange Revolution and the Revolution of Dignity in Ukraine. Both of us clearly see that a political crisis has led Ukraine to the edge of very serious, dramatic events which I would sincerely wish to avoid.
That is why in my last letter I proposed that together we seek a path to resolve the conflict. But, instead, you published this personal letter to you. I don’t mind. It contains nothing which I would wish to conceal. But at the same time you revealed that you have no honor.
You did not respond to my letter. Still, your administration organized a provocation near the “October palace.” I recognize that I fell for this provocation. I have already apologized for this to my supporters and to all who became unwitting participants in this provocation, visitors to the “October palace” and servicemen of the National Guard of Ukraine who were ordered to remain there. And I will carry political responsibility for this.
Your provocation was very simple. Someone from among your associates misinformed my colleagues that the “October palace” provided several rooms for the creation of a coordination center for the freeing of volunteer participants in the Anti-Terrorist Operation detained during protests near parliament. I called on people to go to this center. Not to assault, not to break and not to allow any confrontations. But you expected that they would take place, as it turns out the National Guard was by the palace already an hour before the start of our demonstration.
You published my letter, accusing me of lying. As though Saakashvili spoke of peaceful negotiations, but instead went to assault the “October palace,” when a concert was taking place there.
That is why this letter is public. Let all those who read it judge us.
I am firmly convinced that Ukraine is in a difficult situation.
It took me some time in order to fully come to understand what is going on. It is already evident to everyone that as President you have no intention whatsoever of entering the history books as the founder of a new Ukraine. More likely you will become the biggest disappointment and anti-hero for Ukrainians.
You do not wish to conduct reforms which are desperately needed by Ukraine. You do not believe in them, in principle. For you Singapore, Georgia, Israel, Romania, South Korea, Poland are not examples of success. Where at other times other politicians conducted the necessary reforms. They showed that any country can find its way out of the worst situations. Make a break out of poverty to wealth even during times of war, thanks to the efforts of politicians and the steely political will of wise state actors. To become strong instead of weak, able to withstand any aggressor. To become a country which can top the leader board of world ratings for fighting corruption, for the level of freedom of the press, for the simplicity of conducting business, to be in the forefront of civilized progress.
It turns out that you are concerned with something completely different. I was very much mistaken when I believed that you invited me to Ukraine to help you to build such a country. In reality you are concerned with only one thing, your billions. Because of them you are ready to go to any sacrifices, manipulations or lies.
But this is not what I want to write about in this letter. You are very much mistaken when you consider me your principal threat and already for a year you are expending energy in fighting me. You thought that after I left the post of head of the Odesa oblast state administration I would be quickly forgotten. You even took care of this in advance, forbidding the large TV stations from communicating with me. But I began to host a program on the ZiK channel, the only one which agreed to work with me. This program was watched by millions.
After this you decided to solve the problem with me another way, by depriving me of my Ukrainian citizenship. But I found the courage to return to this country and to fight for my rights in court. It is strange to me that, conducting such actions against me personally and others from among your political opponents, you do not realize how much of your reputation you have lost in the eyes of the world community. Or do you believe that they see nothing?
As a former president I firmly know that without the support of society within one’s country and without the support of our Western partners you will not be able not only to conduct reforms, but even to run the country. It is another matter that for you reforms are not needed.
For you what is important is the process of robbing state resources and the population and your personal aggrandizement together with your entourage. This is what is called corruption around the world. That is why you are losing this support so easily.
But the main point is that you sincerely do not understand one thing. It is not I, but you, who is in danger. Unlike you I am ready to give up my freedom and life for Ukraine’s victory. Are you?
The main threat to you and your closest associates lies in your own actions. Today most of those 54% of Ukrainians who made you president are very disappointed by your rule.
You thought that in the modern world you can hide sensitive information from people? For instance, your business ties to Akhmetov. Or ties with Russia, which, after four years of war, remains a market for “Roshen.” Or the 120 enterprises in your declaration, that you avoid paying taxes by using off-shores.
This cannot go on indefinitely. Those plans for my extradition, which you are hatching, will change nothing. Even if you deport me there will remain in Ukraine many people ready to oppose you and struggle against you.
Can it be that history has taught you nothing?
Ukrainians opposed Kuchma, not allowing him to rule indefinitely. They opposed Yanukovych, not allowing him to falsify the results of the presidential elections in 2004. They opposed the regime of a bandit government put in place by Yanukovych, forcing him, frightened, to flee together with his closest associates, the remainder of which you embraced. Today the protest against you is rising. Even getting rid of me will not remove the main threat to you.
The main threat and danger to you is your own endless greed, which the Ukrainian people will not accept. If you make it to the end of your presidential term you will make even more mistakes and commit more crimes. Do not forget that this is far from 19989, when you entered politics together with Medvedchuk and Kuchma. Then few were concerned with where you made your wealth and what you did back then.
After you became president and began to crudely violate the law, any government which comes in your place will not be able to close its eyes on your affairs. Naturally, in order to avoid punishment you will try for a second term. But you have no chance of victory. In order to remain in power you will behave just as Yanukovych and the regionals behaved. You will start to destroy political opponents who are ready to challenge you, you will try to falsify elections, when this does not work you will call on the police forces to crush protests.
But this will all be in vain. Firstly, Ukrainians have changed. They have progressed and are really ready to fight for their freedom. Secondly, the police forces have changed their attitude to the government. They are not ready to die for you. Lately I have felt this very clearly. After all, they let me pass through the border. They let me go when arrested by the Security Service of Ukraine. No one was ready to fight with my supporters, who were trying to protect me.
I understand that you may not value your own life, the lives of those close to you or your associates, who today you place in danger. But I am most outraged by your not caring about he lives of ordinary Ukrainians.
The first Maidan was peaceful. Then the government felt enough fear, or wisdom, not to allow blood to be spilled. The second Maidan ended after the death of many people. Ukraine does not need a third Maidan. Today this would be very dangerous. At issue is not your life, but the lives of millions of Ukrainians. People are determined in a very radical way. People are prepared to take up arms and go against you in an assault. As they were against Yanukovych. But Yanukovych had a place to run to and hide. Perhaps this saved him and many more lives. You have nowhere to run to.
Why am I writing you this letter? Without regard to what you have done to try and liquidate me and to insult me I still believe in your intellect. You may think that it is not necessary to risk neither your life nor the lives of millions of Ukrainians whom you have made hostages of this political crisis. Today I tell you this in an open and public way, in order to exclude any manipulation.
Admit to yourself and the nation that you and your associates are not capable and you do not want to change Ukraine for the better. Your voluntary resignation this is almost the last chance to overcome the political crisis which otherwise will only deepen. A president who voluntarily resigns, bowing his head before the will of the people, can count on a lesser punishment and on mercy.
Some of your dedicated associates say in informal conversations that you have long since lost touch with reality. Now they wait for the moment when they will start to save themselves, many of them are looking for refuge. I expect that if not political wisdom then at least a human sense of self-preservation will push you to the right decision. This decision will save not only you, but many more people whose fate is inextricably tied to Ukraine.
Mykhailo Saakashvili, the third President of Georgia, leader of the Movement of New Forces, politician.
Тема: 
Саакашвили. Новое лицо в украинской политике.
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