Former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov did not communicate with one of the organisers of protests in his support, Dmytro Koziatynskyi, about the statement on the need to define the parameters for holding elections during the war. The veteran and activist said this at an event organised by LB and EFI Group as part of the “New Country” project.
He believes that people took to the streets for Fedorov not as an individual, but as an embodiment of reforms and the fight against corruption. After Fedorov’s video statement was released, it became too difficult to separate the individual from what he represented.
“But by then the protests had essentially already ended. I do not believe this was a betrayal of the protest movement. I have repeatedly said that I am against elections during the war, but at the same time the very fact of legitimising a discussion about elections in society is, in my view, a good thing,” he said.
Koziatynskyi added that if a discussion exists, this mechanism may emerge.
“Perhaps one day there will come a moment when not holding elections becomes more dangerous than holding them. Right now, in my view, that is not the case,” he said.
Context
After the president’s decision to reshuffle the government and reports that Mykhailo Fedorov would lose his post as defence minister, protests began in Kyiv and many other cities. One of the organisers was veteran Dmytro Koziatynskyi, who a year ago also organised rallies against stripping NABU and SAPO of their independence.
The protests lasted a month—until the president nominated Yevhenii Khmara for the post. On the day the nomination was submitted, Fedorov published a video in which he urged people to decide how elections could be held during the war. After that, Koziatynskyi announced the end of the protests.
Commenting on the reasons for the protest movement, Koziatynskyi said that above all it was the lack of communication from the president about the reasons for the government reshuffle and dismissals.