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Artiklid
22.11.2004
Member of Estonian Parliament joined the tent camp of PORA
PORA press
This night another resident join the community of PORA's tent camp. 26 year old member of Estonian parliament Silver Meikar, who came to Ukraine as international observer, visited the PORA's tents at the Independence Square.
Two days ago Silver met the activists of PORA, who put the tent camp near the university. He was impressed by the energy of Ukrainian youth, which reminded him about events in Estonia at the beginning of the independence. The visit to the camp resulted into desire to stay in the camp till the end of his trip to Ukraine.
Silver gave an interview to our journalist.
Please introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Silver Meikar. I came to Ukraine as an election observer. 10 per cent of Estonian government, which include 101 MPs, came to Ukraine to observe whether the elections are democratic
So what do you think about Ukrainian elections? What is your impressions? Were they democratic?
During the first round I was in Donetsk and we observed only minor violations. During the second round I stayed in Kyiv oblast and in one of the polling stations in Kyiv. Here at the polling station number 103 in Kharkivskiy district we saw a bus with a big group of people, who wanted to vote with absentee ballot. They did not show their documents. But we talked to the group of volunteers, which was following the bus on its trip and filmed their action. This group showed us the video and pictures, which demonstrated how the bus was traveling through Kyiv and how the people were voting on different polling stations.
Can you call these elections democratic?
Almost democratic. I think it is very important that people in Ukraine understand what their vote means. I saw motivated people. It was almost like in Estonia. There were incidents and violations. But it is important that people want to be in committees, they want to do their job the best. In the first round the procedures were fine. But I was very interested to observe the results on TV this time. Today I saw that in Donetsk more than 95 percent voted. I wander how it is possible that 96 percent of people voted I cannot say that that there were violations, but it is a big difference comparing to the first round. In Kyiv region there was only a small change in participation rate. But in Donetsk the change was 20 %. And now it is almost like in Soviet time.
How many people came for the referendum about EU accession?
Approximately 25 per cent, but when we voted for independence, more than 70 percent came
I think it is first time when people feel that they have chance. I was an observer in Kyiv and I saw old people coming and asking, if everything is ok, whether elections are democratic, whether everything is in order.
Tell how did learn about PORA.
I was told that there are tents in the park. I met with some youth and we talked for a long time in the bar. I asked them why you are doing this, why this is important for you, why you are taking risk for this. And they told me that they cannot be silent anymore. When I was in Horlovka 2 weeks ago, people were interested where I am from, what I am doing here. I told them that I am from Estonia and I came here because I think it is important It is important that elections in Ukraine were democratic. And people were impressed that in Estonia Estonian people think about elections in Ukraine and for Horlovka it is not that important.
I think that young people in Ukraine know what kind of Ukraine they want These people I met, they want to have Ukraine in European Union and maybe in NATO. I feel that culturally we are similar, we are European.
These elections are very important, because if you have a target, like entering EU, you can achieve it in 10 years. 10 years ago only some people in Estonia believed that some day we will be in EU an in NATO. Most people did not. We had a president who believed. His name is Lennard Meri. He was a minister of foreign affairs.
And we achieve the target. It is possible. But you should think and work.
You think it is possible in Ukraine? Ukraine is larger than Estonia.
But look at the example of Poland. They are in EU. I think one day Ukraine will be in EU. You have big possibilities: sea, natural resources and human potential. If you want, you can reach the target.
Silver gave an interview to our journalist.
Please introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Silver Meikar. I came to Ukraine as an election observer. 10 per cent of Estonian government, which include 101 MPs, came to Ukraine to observe whether the elections are democratic
So what do you think about Ukrainian elections? What is your impressions? Were they democratic?
During the first round I was in Donetsk and we observed only minor violations. During the second round I stayed in Kyiv oblast and in one of the polling stations in Kyiv. Here at the polling station number 103 in Kharkivskiy district we saw a bus with a big group of people, who wanted to vote with absentee ballot. They did not show their documents. But we talked to the group of volunteers, which was following the bus on its trip and filmed their action. This group showed us the video and pictures, which demonstrated how the bus was traveling through Kyiv and how the people were voting on different polling stations.
Can you call these elections democratic?
Almost democratic. I think it is very important that people in Ukraine understand what their vote means. I saw motivated people. It was almost like in Estonia. There were incidents and violations. But it is important that people want to be in committees, they want to do their job the best. In the first round the procedures were fine. But I was very interested to observe the results on TV this time. Today I saw that in Donetsk more than 95 percent voted. I wander how it is possible that 96 percent of people voted I cannot say that that there were violations, but it is a big difference comparing to the first round. In Kyiv region there was only a small change in participation rate. But in Donetsk the change was 20 %. And now it is almost like in Soviet time.
How many people came for the referendum about EU accession?
Approximately 25 per cent, but when we voted for independence, more than 70 percent came
I think it is first time when people feel that they have chance. I was an observer in Kyiv and I saw old people coming and asking, if everything is ok, whether elections are democratic, whether everything is in order.
Tell how did learn about PORA.
I was told that there are tents in the park. I met with some youth and we talked for a long time in the bar. I asked them why you are doing this, why this is important for you, why you are taking risk for this. And they told me that they cannot be silent anymore. When I was in Horlovka 2 weeks ago, people were interested where I am from, what I am doing here. I told them that I am from Estonia and I came here because I think it is important It is important that elections in Ukraine were democratic. And people were impressed that in Estonia Estonian people think about elections in Ukraine and for Horlovka it is not that important.
I think that young people in Ukraine know what kind of Ukraine they want These people I met, they want to have Ukraine in European Union and maybe in NATO. I feel that culturally we are similar, we are European.
These elections are very important, because if you have a target, like entering EU, you can achieve it in 10 years. 10 years ago only some people in Estonia believed that some day we will be in EU an in NATO. Most people did not. We had a president who believed. His name is Lennard Meri. He was a minister of foreign affairs.
And we achieve the target. It is possible. But you should think and work.
You think it is possible in Ukraine? Ukraine is larger than Estonia.
But look at the example of Poland. They are in EU. I think one day Ukraine will be in EU. You have big possibilities: sea, natural resources and human potential. If you want, you can reach the target.
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