Tents, tires a few dozen of man in a camouflage – it is the view of the square in front of Starobelsk District State Administration… Everything has begun from the request to refute the publication in the local newspaper and has ended with demand to dismiss current head of the district… We decided to understand the reasons and objectives of Starobelsk Maidan too.

Thirty tires for twenty words

The article of Aleksander Kalinin, first deputy of the chairman of Starobelsk District State Administration (DSA) and at the same time the head of Luhansk City Organization of the party “Batkivschyna”, became the cause for the perpetual action of the protest.

Kalinin defended the current chairman of Starobelsk DSA Anatoliy Garkavy in the material named “Cats in the bag”, which was published in #95 of district edition “Visnyk Starobilschyny”. The reputation of the last, according to the author’s opinion, is tried to blacken  by the representatives of the political forces, come into the current District Council. According to Kalinin’s approval, the representatives of “UKROP” (Ukrainian Association of Patriots) , “Ob’yednannia Samopomich” (Association Self-Help) and “Radical party of Oleg Lyashko” parties raised the regular informational wave around the events of two years ago: “Like, Garkavy has initiated and barely made by himself that damned May referendum”.

Aleksander Kalinin considers that representative of the District State Administration behaved himself decently and adequately in that situation, moreover, “he tried to curb the explosive situation and turn it even in the compromise, but still peaceful course”. Wherein, author has more questions to pro-Ukrainian dwellers of Starobelsk who were on the square and silently watch happened around: “Why this, so to speak, “chroniclers” didn’t even try to intervene? No one from Starobelsk activists come out, even cried anything about Ukraine or fallibility of holding the referendum? They simply stayed among the pro-Russian minded protesters and shot on video happening around”.  

Concrete phrase from the article made the disturbance of some readers: “I consider personally that everyone who was in the crowd (on the square in time of capture of DSA – ed.) are collaborators and opportunists, who quickly took off the quilted jackets and put on Ukrainian clothes”.

Despite to the claims of the protesters in the article “Cats in the bag” author didn’t name “collaborators”, “opportunists” and “vatniks” (a radical pro-Russian uneducated aggressive person) volunteers from “Aydar” or soldiers from other units of AFU. But those activists and patriots, who were standing in the crowd in time of the capturing of DSA and “indifferently watched and recorded what they saw there”, Kalinin positioned in this negative way.

According to words of the press-secretary of Starobelsk Maidan Vladimir Kozachok exactly because of these words people went out on the indefinite action.

“The reason is directly article in the newspaper “Vestnik Starobelschiny”. Although a lot of things brought to it. Early or late the patience of people could explode, – tells activist, – Two years came from the times of Kyiv Maidan, but nothing changed… Starobelsk DSA is still headed by Anatoliy Garkavy, who made referendum here…”.

Three political forces has supported this action – district organizations of “Ob’yednannia Samopomich”, “Radical party of Oleg Lyashko” and “Svoboda” (Freedom). The representatives of “UKROP” also joined protesters on Friday. Vladimir Kozachok doesn’t hide that Starobelsk Maidan has come in the political plane from the action to defend the honour and dignity.

“Our demand is unconditional dismissal of Anatoly Garkavy and his first deputy Aleksander Kalinin. It is deciding on the level of Luhansk Regional Military-Civilian Administration. And we will go out from here only if new managerial personnel will be appointed with considering the opinion of the activists of Starobelsk Maidan”.

Moreover, according to the words of Kozachok, protesters are ready now to take the responsibility to rule the district.”We have staff, specialists. We are ready in two-three days to form such group and managerial personnel of DSA consists from 6 people. Our command can work on the for the benefit of mass”.

Separatists or patriots?

Accusations from the side of Starobelsk public activists against Anatoliy Garkavy are really serious. The main guilty of the chairman of DSA, according to the opinion of Vladimir Kozachok, is the aiding in the realization of “referendum”: “There are a lot of videos where Garkavy together with Mozgovoy on the steps of captured DSA  were promising to contribute in the holding of the so-called referendum”.  

There are a lot of clips in the web, shot in Starobelsk on May 7, 2014. The episodes of the communication of the head of DSA with people, demanding the holding of the referendum, next hanging out of the Ukrainian flag, arriving Mozgovoy in the city and rising the flag of “LPR”, are recorded on them.

“A lot of them are simply torn out from the context, cut and shown only facts that are needed to be shown, – considers Aleksander Kalinin, – But, I watched full record of those events… It’s hard to assess the actions of Garkavy in that situation… It’s very hard to say something, when armed people stand near you… If you attentively watch the video, you will hear that Garkavy is saying to them: “Yes, we will hold the elections”. Not “referendum”, but elections… The elections of the President really took place in Starobelsk”.

According to words of Kalinin, at that moment, when Garkavy was standing on the steps with Mozgovoy, voter registers were carried from the building of Starobelsk DSA for pro-Russian activists not to seize them.

Really, Anatoliy Garkavy, appointed on the post of the chairman of Starobelsk District State Administration promised four days before the described events to gathered on May 7 on the square to contribute to holding of the separatist “referendum”. But it’s very important to remember what circumstances made him to do this promise.

Video Starobelsk 07.05.14 (without cuts)

Aleksei Mozgovoy: “I was authorized to bring to you the application from the People’s Council of Luhansk region… It’s first. The statement of the presidium of Luhansk Regional Council. That’s second. Considering that you are district head, you must obey Regional Council. Right?”

Garkavy: “No.”

Shout from the crowd: “How is it not?! How is it not?!”

Mozgovoy: “You must!”

Garkavy: “We submit to Regional Administration”.

Mozgovoy: “You need to choose just one thing: or you’re continuing to support Kyiv authority or you stand on the side of people and really work off your money as it should be, i.e. expressing the opinion of the people, who gathered here. If you are not agree, you must to resign… As the head of the administration you must to contribute to holding of the referendum”.

Shout from the crowd: “He won’t. he told it yesterday. He said that we are winos from the morning”.

Mozgovoy: “So, now for excesses not to happen it’s better to claim to people: “Yes, I will help to hold the referendum”…”

Garkavy: “I have already claimed… To that… people…”

Shout from the crowd: “Not “that”, but to people! Not “that”, but to people! There were no appeal! He’s lying, lying! We’re asking him for three days!”

Mozgovoy: “Now in our presence mister the head of administration will make clear statement, if he supports referendum or not… A little bit attention please… Now your head of administration will make the affirmation that he will support and will help to hold it. Am I right?”

Woman’s voice from the crowd: “Hit or miss… The choice must be done now”.

Garkavy: “Then, I repeat once again. We made a deal with you 10 minutes ago… We have ballot boxes. You are applying in all the authorities and I am contributing to the referendum. What else do you need from me?”

Mozgovoy: “So, you’re saying popularly that commissions will be organized?..”

Garkavy: “We contribute to holding of the elections…”

Mozgovoy: “Absolutely right!”

Shout from the crowd: “There won’t be elections! What elections?”

Mozgovoy: “There won’t be elections!”

Crowd: “Hooray!”

“I want you to understand… I stood on the steps under the barrels of guns…, – comments the events of those days Anatoliy Garkavy.- I’m telling openly: I’m not Zoya Kosmodemianskaya (the hero of WWII from the “Young Guard” – ed.)… And when SSU interviewed me, I told them: “Guys, I’m respecting you, but where you were, when SSU was surrendered in Luhansk?”… What depends ballot boxes, nobody asked my permission. When here was the crowd of armed people, including Mozgovoy… And the situation that I “contributed” is investigated by SSU today… If top brassers structures decide that I’m guilty, the court will sort this out and make a decision”. The commencement of proceedings is really opened on the events in Starobelsk. The investigation has been continuing more than a year.

“More than 80 witnesses were questioned. As I was told, there are no criminal actions in the activity of the head of the district”, claimed on the “round table”, dedicated to Starobelsk Maidan the head of Luhansk Regional Military-Civilian Administration Georgiy Tuka.

Nevertheless, opponents consider that even if the head of DSA didn’t take part in the organization of the referendum, anyway he is guilty: “If he didn’t help, so he didn’t interfere”, they consider.  

“After demands to hold the so-called “referendum” spreaded around, more that 40 application were submitted to the police from every polling station, where they (insurgents – ed.) has come: schools, clubs, etc., – remembers Anatoliy Garkavy. The applications were about unknown people, who came and demanded to open lodgements to hold the referendum, please take action… I was waiting that something would happen, but it happened like it was”.

Deeds and misdeeds

The shepherd of the Christian Church Sergei Lyubchenko became the witness of the capturing of the building of Starobelsk DSA.

“Year ago, when Mozgovoy has come, you’d have seen, when he set his conditions in the cabinet of Garkavy, under the barrels of guns. – tells now military chaplain Lyubchenko – you’d have seen this man at that times. I came into his cabinet and said: “Is that a trouble, Anatoliy Ivanovich?” – “Yees, trouble, – he answers – I have one aim – not allow bloodshed in the city…” He was only one and nobody was near him to support and help. And now it was forgotten and people begin to wave fists”.

Sure! It’s hard to evaluate impartially the events of those days. Indecision is perceived like betrayal in that situation and inaction like a criminal act. The position of current chairman of Starobelsk DSA is characterized in many ways by his further actions on the post now.

“When terrorists were dislodged from Lisichansk, I invited the battalion of Jokhar Dudaev, we fight together… Or I tell you who helped us… Garkavy and Kalinin helped us at that times, – remembers the head of Lisichansk Military-Civilian Administration Vitaly Shvedov. – Starobelsk was the main supplier of the humanitarian aid. Mattresses were brought from Starobelsk, potato from Starobelsk too”. However, the chairman of Starobelsk DSA is blamed not only in separatism by activists.

“The shocking fact is that the chairman of Starobelsk DSA in Luhansk region A.I. Garkavy had the previous conviction on the article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – fraudulence”, tells the application to the President of Ukraine Peter Poroshenko.

9 public organizations has signed this petition…

We notice, that Unified State Register of judgments didn’t have sentences of Anatoliy Garkavy.

The head of Starobelsk DSA comments the rumors of his previous conviction in a this way: “By the law, before my appointment on this post, specific services has made a check. That’s why if something were there I’d not appointed on this post. I calmly go to bed…”.

But it looks like that opponents of the chairman of DSA are not going to stop on this: they have not only one accusation in reserve, as for him and also for the first deputy: from illegal cutting of forest to the “supplies” of “titushki” on Kyiv anti-Maidan. Honestly speaking, the evidences about it weren’t presented by anyone.

And at last, one more quote from Anatoliy Garkavy:

“It’s not a secret for anybody that the subject of the dispute is somebody who wants to sit in a ruling chair. But I don’t define this, it’s a president’s prerogative. If he decide to appoint somebody except me, let it be… The frontline is on 70 kilometers from us. It’s a question for whose profit we’re playing here with such cases… So, I’m calling to unite and do our best”.

Anton Bukhalo

The investigation was prepared with the financial support of Czech Non-Governmental Organization “People in Need” in the ranks of the program “Transitions” of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Czech Republic.