Coordinator of the Right Sector in Chernihiv oblast Maksym Konashevych – is a busy person. During our conversation, he answered the phone at least six times. Young entrepreneur, whose business is connected to housing services, had left for evening patrolling after an hour-long meaningful conversation. This is how Civil Network OPORA managed to get behind the scenes of the most interesting political association in Chernihiv oblast.
According to our information, the Right Sector in Chernihiv oblast is involved in electoral matters only during the last week. Can you confirm or refute this information?
We have started campaigning activities nearly three weeks ago, right after the party congress of the Right Sector. During the congress, we took a decision to nominate Dmytro Yarosh as a candidate for the President of Ukraine, and create offices in all oblasts. Chernihiv oblast wasn't an exception. This structure includes the TRYZUB association, the Partiots of Ukraine, and other nationalistic organizations. Today, we create election headquarters, and delegate our representatives to district and precinct election commissions.
Does the Right Sector in Chernihiv oblast actively participates in electoral activities? Or your activities are more focused on military problems?
We are quite active.
How do the organization conduct its election campaign?
There is a person, responsible for campaigning. However, we are more focused on demands of citizens now. We are trying to be responsible, and prove our words by deeds. After all, a lot of people set their hope on the Right Sector. Many citizens come to us with complaints and documents. We are trying to help people who were illegally deprived of their homes or convicted.
The primordial issue of money. Which funding sources does your campaign have?
We use our own funds for campaigning. There are also entrepreneurs who support us. There are a lot of them, believe me. Besides that, the money from Dmytrii's monetary pledge has left.
Do you receive aid from local businessmen only?
Yes, from representatives of business in Chernihiv oblast. We don't gather money in a centralized way. Our organization is self-sufficient. Some people give us their time, some people give money, some help with advertising products.
A great financial support from the citizens was provided to participants of the Maidan, including the Right Sector. Do people provide financial support to your activities with the same enthusiasm as during Euromaidan boom?
Of course, people actively help each other in hard times. Today, the army is in the greatest need. For our part, we control the usage of military funds, so that they we adequately purposely used. The Right Sector receives the same financial support as during the Euromaidan. I think it's civic solidarity.
Does the Right Sector in Chernihiv oblast have a large membership?
I cannot tell you how many fighters we have, but I can assure you that we have from 5o to 100 active men in every region center of Chernihiv oblast.
Are there people experienced in electoral matters?
The reality of life has made a lot of these people earn on electoral processes. A lot of people of different age participated in electoral projects on paid basis.
Does the Right Sector have any territory in Oblast State Administration?
Yes. We have a small office.
What do activists of your organization do there?
It's a reception for citizens who search for help in different matters. Today, we actively communicate with the prosecutor's office regarding opening of cases which were closed for unknown reasons. It's impossible to bring a person to the responsibility on the basis of words only during the lustration. We all know what is going on, but we cannot withdraw a person without proofs. There are cases when the government lustrates officials, but later takes them back for money.
Who is staying in this reception?
Two girls who take decisions. Sometimes there are jurists for consultations. A lot of them are students in law schools and work as volunteers to gain experience.
On which basis do they stay there? In fact, it's the use of administrative resource.
Oblast State Administration gave us premises for reception of the non-governmental organization. Such issues are regulated by the Law of Ukraine on the Rent of State and Communal Property. It's not the office of party. However, we're still settling legal relations.
So, any non-governmental organization can appeal to the Oblast State Administration and vindicate the premises?
At least, they can provide premises on the appeal of a non-governmental organization.
Is it free for the Right Sector? Or do you pay some rent?
Yes, of course.
Does the organization plan its future activities? What the Right Sector will do, if parliamentary elections will be announced? Will you participate in them?
The party was created not long time ago, and all decisions are taken on the congress. If we will decide to participate in any other elections, than we will participate. I cannot answer your question for now.
There are talks that most of the candidates are technical. What is about Yarosh?
We don't have technical candidates. We want to build a new country. In fact, it's interesting to see how the people will vote.
Will Yarosh be supported in Chernihiv oblast, how do you think?
I cannot forecast such things in this situation. Nobody knows how the situation in eastern Ukraine will be settled.
How do you think, will the Presidential elections be held?
We all worried about things that happen these days. For example, I'm going to leave for patrolling after our conversation. It's impossible to tell what happens next.
Is there a real military threat to citizens of Chernihiv? Or, perhaps, some people use this situation for their purposes?
I think that our country fellows suffered from every war, in which Ukraine was dragged. Just remembers 1914, 1917, and armies of Muraviov. All the troops went through Chernihiv. Those men who died near Kruty were in somehow similar situation to ours. I'd like to remind that nearly 3000 people gather after the call to stop pro-Russian activists in a city with three hundred thousand citizens. It's approximately 1% of responsible. What more to talk about? But if the police surrender, we'll have to stand to the end.
Don't you think that it's quite a large number for our a bit passive city?
More people come to watch concerts and salutes. They are interested only in shows!
Concerning the event you've mentioned. There are talks that the Right Sector and police worked together that day to see whether people are ready to come out to streets.
There is a story that a boy screamed "wolves", and people cane to help but there were no wolves. But when there was a real threat, nobody came to help. We are trying to pay attention to real issues, not provocations. We have things to tell about, but we are silent for now. We cannot promulgate everything, because this will cause political split. Besides that, people won't understand us.
The Right Sector has announced about the possibility of separatist meeting on the basis of its own sources in the SBU. Does your organization have such sources?
It's quite a secret place to have own sources there. There are some acquaintances, but they never tell about such things. Perhaps, it was a meeting of force structures, where the Self-Defense and the Right Sector are usually invited.
Why didn't representatives of your organization took the floor during the Viche, held after the people's assembly? Such number of people came there thanks to the Right Sector, who widely informed people about separatists.
The situation with a microphone is quite delicate. Sometimes, we are not allowed to speak at all. People wouldn't understand if we tried to seizure it. If some guys come and block the microphone, how this will look like? We just don't want to create conflicts. Just look at how the Maidan's Rada holds its meetings. Are there any videos, meeting minutes? Which issues do they discuss, what do they decide? Where this information can be found? Why this body is non-public? Why journalists can't attend it?
But the Right Sector participates in the Maidan's Rada.
Well, only when they ask for our help, in fact. As for me personally, they ejected me from meetings four times already.
Why weren't you allowed to participate?
For personal reasons. Somebody must have not liked me.
It's not the reason.
Participants voted for the closed meeting. Everybody who were not included in the Maidan's Rada had to leave.
Did representatives of the Right Sector wanted to take a floor on the Krasna Ploshcha?
Yes. We had things to say.
What exactly?
We wanted to draw people's attention to what's going on in the country. We wake them up. To say that they shouldn't repeat their mistakes.
Do you blame those people who were speaking on the stage? What do you mean under "repeat their mistakes"?
There are a lot of things we could tell about. However, we'll not speak about these issues until the martial law is over, not to split our country. Today, we are gathering documents about the certain officials.
Does your organization collect documents?
Yes.
Have I understood correctly that your organization, which office is in the premises of Oblast State Administration, collects discrediting information about officials of this very Oblast State Administration?
Yes. But not only about them, about judges and representatives of law-enforcement bodies too.
When do you think the military threat will disappear? That is, when these documents can be presented to the public?
You know, we are trying to provide some information from time to time. Perhaps, after the elections. We'll see.
But if the military threat will remain after the elections?
I cannot give you the certain answer. Let's not play suggestions. There are more urgent issues today.
Do you expect that people, who don't want this information to become public, will create artificial military threat?
There are two ways. To live in fear, or win.
Good. But if there's information about the certain officials, which is very important for the public. However, there are instruments of influence on the group of people who gather it. Threats, bribery, or imitation of military threat, for example. Could you please comment on this?
Look, as for issues we can talk about. We'll make them public after the prosecutor's agency considers them in accordance with the legislative procedure. Yes, we are trying to bring all the cases to logical ending. So that people who committed crimes were brought to responsibility. It's not time for empty words. We'll show everything when we have the certain results. The military threat doesn't matter. Those people, about whom we collect information, – are enemies of our people. They should be dismissed. As for bribery, everything depends on those who want to buy this information. If it's prosecutor's agency, we'll sell to them.
But if it's the interested party?
No. It's impossible.