On June 1, Ukrainian pilot and MP Nadia Savchenko attended the Verkhovna Rada’s meeting for the second time after her release. While discussing the creation of a provisional investigative commission (PIC) to deal with the offshore scandal, she said: “People make perfectly right noises from this rostrum, and then go on to commit terribly wrong actions. All Ukrainian governments scream about corruption of the previous government on coming to power... but no government has ever spoken about its own corruption. By entering this parliament, we all booked a cruise on the Titanic. And none of us will make it to safety. You will not make it to safety if you vote against the creation of this commission today. If you do not create the commission, people will understand who you really are, and if you create it only for it to do nothing, people will also understand who you really are. In any case, no one, not even rats, will succeed in fleeing this ship. Therefore, I advise you not to try to get out of the trouble. Atone for your sins against the people. Start with yourself, give up your excessive wealth and then the people will lend their hands to bring your Titanic to safety. Otherwise, the people will drown you.”
However, we know from practice that most MPs do not care about the popular opinion. They confirmed it on this occasion as well. The MPs failed to create the PIC, as the motion received only 108 votes with the threshold set at 150.
In the Rada’s lobby, The Day’s reporter met Savchenko and raised several important questions with her (the conversation took place before the vote on the offshore scandal PIC).
Have you been able to make some steps towards the release of other prisoners held in Russia?
“I have been working in this direction for this entire week, so let us see what the results of this work will be. So far, I cannot join work in any other direction, though I understand that we must work on all issues at once. The most important thing now is to get all our people home alive. Yes, we have learned to live with corruption, although we have had enough, but they, our people in captivity, may well be unable to survive it. Thus, this is the most important issue so far, and everything else takes second place to it.”
How do you perceive Petro Poroshenko’s statement that two more political prisoners may be released in a few weeks? Do you believe him?
“We are all only humans, and no one can be trusted. Poroshenko said what he did, but the end result depends on two people. For his part, he made known his opinion, but we do not know the other side’s opinion. When I was told that I would be freed, I knew that one part of this condition depended on Putin, and I did not fully believe this, since I could have been sent to Siberia next day.”
Have you been told the details of your release?
“I have been released, and thank God for it. I want to get everyone released in this manner. Besides, if I tell you about the details of my release, would others be released? I will write Memoirs of Old Izergil someday, where I will describe all my life, and your children and grandchildren will read it and laugh. But it is not necessary to know today. Journalists should work to help people, not harm them. There are many people in danger, after all.”
What position do you think should Ukrainian journalists take? What is their role in this process?
“Do not pit the sides against each other. It is unadvisable to talk about the release’s benefits for any particular side, we must seek peace, for war is the easiest path.
“We must always say that a compromise is possible and make compromises. Of course, there is a limit beyond which a compromise is impossible.
“Journalists should not criticize and make wild guesses that ‘Savchenko will go somewhere and brandish her sword’ or ‘Savchenko will become a sellout.’ I will not do either.
“I have also seen messages stating for some unknown reason that I will go to Minsk. However, the Minsk Agreements’ implementation is negotiated by staffs of the leaders of the four countries. I have not joined the staff of the president of Ukraine so far. Should I get an offer, I am ready to go there to see how the talks are held, to effectively influence something if possible. But there has been no formal offer, so I do not want to inflate these fake reports and spend any time on it.”
