7 REASONS WHY RADA SHOULD BE BLOCKED. OTHERWISE TYMOSHENKO CANNOT BE SAVED

Is a touch button necessary or not? Will it or will it not be implemented? Do you think anybody cares about these issues in politics? Not at all. It is just that in each bout you need to shout something when you attack - sometimes even "Give us the button!" Well, it looks stupid, but in accordance with the procedure - like anyone in this country still cares about the procedure. The main thing is this - blocking the Parliament is, in fact, the only active action, which it can and actually must do in protest at any cost.

There is no authority and faith to raise new Maidan - so go to demonstrations yourselves. And if this is the only center unruled by the authorities under some pretext, will resort to even a compelling compromise, it will be a beginning of the end for the opposition. This means that not only a chance for a release, but also the tolerable conditions of detention for convicted Tymoshenko will be lost forever.

It's funny to read the blog of Kost Bondarenko, where he scares the opposition, that, oh, do not tease the authorities, or they will just up and agree to re-elections. Sure - they will just unblock the presidium. It will not happen. It is the regime that is voicing their concerns through Kost. To show that if you are going to block the Rada, all the media will start showing daily how you stop passing of the laws that benefit the public and then the opposition's rating will drop. In reality, there are seven reasons why the current Rada must be blocked and should not commence work.

First, based on the results of elections by party lists, the government is not trusted by the majority of citizens. And if a blocked Parliament cannot pass a law on 10% currency sale tax, after adoption of the 2013 budget, pension reform and other decisions "popular" with society, hardly anyone will be sad, even supporters of the Party of Regions. So the public opinion will not be hurt by blocked Rada.

Second, the current Parliament has completely lost its meaning as a legislative body. Because the laws in Ukraine do not work, and have no significance because the executive and the judiciary branches are not going to abide by those laws. The best example is the budget 2013 which the Cabinet did not bother to agree even with the specialized budget committee, headed by a Party of Regions deputy.

Third, the opposition factions have no influence on any important decision-making in the state - parliamentary majority ignores them, no negotiations or consultations are taking place. Therefore, there is no practical need to work for the parliamentary opposition. Upon the declaration of early parliamentary elections non-participation in the work of this regime will only be a plus.

Fourth, in terms of information nobody needs the parliamentary tribune: the status of the MP and parliamentary inquiries are frankly not respected by the executive branch. Every week we see how the police beats up deputies, does not to fulfill their legal demands, ignores their rights and powers. And of course there is no punishment for the perpetrators. Best insignificance of the Parliament was shown by the Supreme Administrative Court which decided to withdraw parliamentary powers of two active deputies Baloha and Dombrovskyy. Parliamentary immunity is no longer a safe-conduct. So why take part in this comedy?

Fifth, perhaps, some fear that the parliamentary majority and the Party of Regions will work independently? Or resort to the seizure of the tribune by force? All this is empty threats and imitation of struggle. 99% of members of the Party of Regions and the Communist Party do not receive any dividends of their parliamentary activities and their demands and requirements are ignored by the authorities as well as the opposition's. Moreover, the assaults on their business continue, and their deputy status does not protect them, as shown by the example of Shufrych and Rudkovskyy a 30% stake of their oil and gas company being taken away by Energy Minister Stavitskyy. So, in fact, Party of Regions deputies themselves are vitally interested and morally support the opposition in blocking the Rada as the only way to attract the attention of President Viktor Yanukovych to its existence and to address their interests.

Sixth, de facto the presidential campaign began, and against this background it is strategically important for the opposition to show that the current government is illegitimate. That it cannot establish a normal work of the only body of representative democracy - the Parliament. Non-working parliament is the best demonstration that Yanukovych's team does not control the situation in the country.

Seventh, against the farcical process against Tymoshenko, when MPs are thrown out of the courtroom, any agreement with the government will look like a failure and opportunism of the opposition. Touch button therefore is crucial, because the opposition forces the authorities to fulfill their demands, and thus recognize the influence and importance of the opposition. This means that after one concession Yanukovych will have to go to the other. And the main one among them is the release from prison of Batkivschyna leader. So far the Rada is blocked under various pretexts the authorities would not dare intensify the pressure on Tymoshenko. If the opposition will show that it is ready to turn a blind eye on violations of Tymoshenko's rights in exchange for useless meetings of the Rada sessions it will mean that its value as an independent force is close to zero. Hence, the treatment of imprisoned leader of the opposition will be corresponding.

Therefore, it does not matter for the opposition why the current Parliament will not work. Inaction of the Parliament today is the best action of the Ukrainian opposition.

Yurii Butusov, Censor.NET