The Verkhovna Rada, even if it existed in my mind earlier, it was only like a building – a rather ordinary-looking one. It was just a three-story building, a stocky sample of the provincial architecture’s classics. Inside of that sample, the same ordinary-looking state’s people were sitting in the rows and wearing suits-ties and red-and-blue badges on lapels. They, with the unanimous raising of their hands, were creating the same ordinary and uninteresting “politics”. Not a significant place, one of the many.
There was much more fun on the edge of the 80’s and 90’s of the last century. At first, it was under the very building, where mass meetings were held, enveloped in yellow-blue banners and slogans about independence. Very soon in the session hall, the new people, whom you couldn’t even imagine yesterday, appeared. They had introduced a nerve, a meaning, and even certain acuity into the work of the legislative body. All these fun and romantic times ended up with the Declaration of Independence of Ukraine on August 24, 1991. They faded away with the moustache of Levko Lukyanenko, who was tossed up by happy colleagues-deputies. The yellow-and-blue flag, from the banners, shifted to a mast over the dome of Verkhovna Rada. Also, it sifted to the badges on every MP’s chests – regardless of his or her political confessions and orientations.
Since then, there was a lot of water under the bridge. Recently, I had an opportunity to get directly to the parliament’s building, to observe its work from the press lodge. The nature of the work itself, for some reason, for me was associated with a ride on a bumpy road – you’ve just speeded up a little bit, and you have to slow down, there is no beginning no an end. Like a heel in a torn sock, the main radical’s bald plate was somewhere below, rushing around the hall. There were the other recognizable faces, spoiled media faces, but in general, everyone merged into a one business-suit background: “I put to the vote…”, “Our faction demands…” The work of the session was moving sluggishly, stagnantly, reminding something of speeches of the main lustator – also the MP, and very soon the sense line of all this action was irretrievably lost.
But there must be some sense there. Well, that one, except paragraphs, points, blockade of the rostrum and work in the committees. That’s not “within the framework of the policy of budget economy and the optimization of the executive branch of power…” Four hundred plus souls should be able to generate it, right? Among them, there are many normal and really new faces. In camouflages, unshaved, with exotic oseledets on the ministerial and other heads. I had time to see this before the beginning of the session. There are those, who still have the offshore zone or corruption schemes behind the slogan “Glory to Ukraine!” However, it’s the yesterday’s question. Or maybe it is today’s one. I want to feel future Ukraine, even more – overtime Ukraine, to see its outlines at least.
The one that very reminiscent of yesterday’s army. Its weapons and equipment. As if it existed, how it was assured by the numerous simulators. It stood, preserved in reliable warehouses and storages. But at some point, it quickly became clear that in that equipment all the pipes had been rotten for a long time, and everything that could be removed and what wasn’t destroyed by the supreme commander had been stolen by some warrant officer. So, MPs are right – a hard work is ahead. Tightening of the belts is waiting for us, the prime minister is saying it, enlarged by the screen, he’s nervously playing with his fingers. But why this will be done at the expense of those who’ve been robbed, but not those who rob. It’s not explained. There are many other questions without the answer. For example, what vision of a social future our current government has? Is it national? In the end, what is the project for the future? I understand that defeated Mr Lenin won’t be back again, well, perhaps, he may reincarnate into the same radical MP that’s touching a gut of another deputy: “What a big ol’ gut you have …” Just wondering, whether the bronze grumpy moustached man will jump from the pedestals and verses’ lines and compare Ukraine of reality with Ukraine of a higher purpose. He’s already in the air…
And what is it, that purpose, that sense? You can try to formulate at least for yourself, but the voting system beeps and my journalist colleagues shout at their phones, informing the editors about the next news, and interrupt your train of thought. And, in the end, am I an MP? It’s them – the confident people, they know everything, as well as numerous media-experts and Facebook philosophers. And I just feel it, although firmly: without it, without that phantom meaning, they turn into a meaningless set of words all these “help of the world community”, “IMF loans”, “EU assistance” etc. Even the dollar for eight hryvnias, or one for one. We may argue if you want, but not now, because it’s a break time.
The atmosphere in the parliamentary lobby and buffet is much more alive. Nothing special. A perfect spot. If they don’t crack me, I have to look closer at the inhabitants of the Verkhovna Rada. There are many storylines of nowadays and their characters. This is my personal higher purpose. And apparently, it is one of the senses.
Text by Pavlo Volvach
