Thousands of entrepreneurs continue to protest against the Tax Code. This is the second, unprecedented action after the Maidan, when the people also opposed the government’s actions. They all have their own stories, often involving a business that may go bankrupt due to the new Tax Code.
The entrepreneurs’ protests have been going on for about two weeks already, but in spite of this yesterday the Verkhovna Rada adopted the new Tax Code, making people even more indignant. Yesterday about 5,000 entrepreneurs once more gathered on the Independence Square in Kyiv. As organizers of the protests stated, the police prevented 140 buses from different regions of Ukraine from coming to Kyiv. It should be noted that this is not the first time that the police hindered the free movement of people. Unsurprisingly, every time it was connected with protests against the actions of the government or, for example, the visit of the Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus’ Kirill to Ukraine. By the way, Patriarch Kirill arrived in Ukraine again yesterday, this time to participate in celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Metropolitan of Kyiv and all Ukraine Volodymyr.
The protests show that there is a middle class in Ukraine which can organize itself to protect its rights to earn its money without the interference of the government. To some extent, one can draw a parallel to the processes that happened in Poland 20 years ago. Today there are leaders in Ukraine who can create their own movement, and an apolitical one at that. Yesterday in the Maidan, the activists stated: “Our action is apolitical. Everyone struggles for themselves. We will not allow anyone to claim us as their own. […] Different political forces offered their protection. But it will not happen. We get support from political forces, but we will not be subordinated to anyone.” At the same time, entrepreneurs already stated that if their economic rights were further violated, they would initiate a referendum on the premature termination of the Verkhovna Rada’s authorities. And if Viktor Yanukovych does not veto the Tax Code, they will initiate the president’s impeachment.
COMMENTARY
Ihor PYLYPCHUK, head of media projects at the All-Ukrainian Center for Assisting Entrepreneurship:
“Our organization deals with supporting entrepreneurship. We participated in elaborating a number of regulatory acts, cooperated with the State Committee for Entrepreneurship, etc. Our director, Oleksandr Danyliuk, is a member of the Council of Entrepreneurs at the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
“What has been happening for the past nine months, since the moment Yanukovych and his team, in particular, Brodsky as the head of the State Committee for Entrepreneurship, came to power, is beyond one’s wildest dreams. The Tax Code became a peak of impudence regarding the people who really pay taxes. Entrepreneurs do not deny their obligations, they just want the taxes to be transparent, and they do not want to be attacked from all sides.
“The fact that the government acts against its voters surprises not only us but also those six million people who are directly involved in small and medium businesses.
“These six million people provide jobs for at least 10-12 million more people. That is we can say that this Tax Code ne-gatively affects 16-17 million of our compatriots. At the same time, it provides considerable preferences for big business. The government acts very impudently. They do not understand any other language except that of legal pressure and force. We saw it already.
“Personally, I do not believe the president can veto this law. Because all previous steps of this government demonstrate the opposite. They absolutely do not listen to any demands of small and medium businesses. There is an immense psychological pressure on people. We even feared the camp of tents would be demolished. The car of the special detachment Berkut is on duty here all the time. Recently it was moved close to the camp, all fighters went out and started demonstratively practicing operational drills. At the same time, the police encircled the camp closely. We had very bad feelings. We asked journalists, trade unions, taxi drivers, all Kyiv residents not indifferent to the cause for help. All of them responded.
“If our requirements are not fulfilled, we have a plan. Since people’s deputies have already adopted this code, and hence they acted against the people, they do not deserve to represent the people’s interests in parliament. According to the law on referenda, we will prepare documents that we will submit to the Central Election Commission, which, in its turn, must give us signature lists for gathering signatures to hold a referendum on the early termination of the authority of the Ukrainian parliament. This law presupposes gathering three million signatures. If there are six million entrepreneurs, I think this task will not be difficult.”
Mykhailo, private entrepreneur, the town of Khmilnyk, Vinnytsia region:
“I’ve been here for the seventeenth day already. This code cannot be approved as it is. They say we do not want to pay taxes, moving to the shadows. This is not true. It seems politicians do not understand what happens on the ground, they are far from people. We, entrepreneurs, want to pay taxes. What is happening now is inconceivable. The government messes with a very organized structure — small and medium businesses. We all know each other. Unfortunately, there is no constructive communication with entrepreneurs. Look at the marble houses tax officers build for themselves, and their offices. Where did they take the money from? This is a kind of terror. We are employers, after all, we are voters, why did they undertake this? I do not know. This is a senseless step. It looks that someone pressures these people (the government’s representatives – Author).”
