I am a Drop in the Ocean … that will change Ukraine
I am a drop in the ocean ...... that will change Ukraine
Kostyantin Reutsky whose Postup Human Rights Centre has joined the EuroMaidan Public Council on the reforms Ukraine desperately needs
The country needs change. Not merely the substituting of one lot of unpleasant faces with others that are more pleasing, but deep structural reform.
Reform of the power structure, moving towards a parliamentary-presidential republic which will protect us from the dangers of excessive concentration of power in the hands of one person.
There is an urgent need for reform of the system of local self-government so that it provides real self-government, rather than the present inadequate appendage to the administrative vertical of power. We need self-government which will really control the resources of local communities in the interests of members of those communities, and not just wait for hand-outs from the central authorities.
We need to modernize the economy and tax reform which can give impetus for the development of small and medium-size business enterprise. Without this, there can be no development of civil society.
We need a just court system and police whom we’re not frightened to meet at night on the street.
Such reforms need considerable effort and time. However without them we will not achieve our aim – to become stronger and independent of the whims of those in authority, whoever they are.
Yet it is precisely such reforms that those in power, as well as the current parliamentary opposition are afraid of. The events of the last few weeks have shown this clearly. We can rely only upon ourselves and hold on the solidarity which Maidan has taught us. Years of hard work await us, however this should not daunt us. It is much more frightening to return for decades to a past where we are totally dependent on those in power and where there is almost no chance of self-expression and personal development. We must therefore continue and not stop the dialogue. Dialogue about our shared values, aims and strategies for achieving them.
Kostyantin Reutsky, Postup Human Rights Centre, Luhansk