"If there were no BPF, there would be no session. The communists wouldn't have gathered for it." Navumchyk sharply responded to Tsygankov, the "denier."

Vital Tsygankov has joined the deniers of the role of the BPF and its deputies in gaining Independence (over decades we have seen dozens of such people), writing that communists would have voted for Independence on August 25, 1991, even without the BPF and Pazniak — because they were afraid of being left alone with Yeltsin, and a day earlier, Ukraine had declared independence.

The truth, however, is that if it weren't for the BPF, the Oval Hall would have been empty on August 25, 1991. Everything would have ended on August 24, and it would have ended — with nothing.

I wrote a response on his page, which I include below.

"Vital, you apparently read the transcript, but you either forgot or consciously don't recall two crucial points.

First. The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet intended to hold a one-day session on August 24, and consider only two issues: "On the current moment" and "On the Union Treaty." It was Shushkevich who announced this proposal on behalf of the Presidium. They did not put forward the question of Independence. And if it weren't for the actions of the BPF deputies (who were supported by people on the Square), they would have finished on the same day (and there would have been no influence of Ukraine's declaration of Independence on the evening of August 24 on the deputies of the Supreme Soviet of the BSSR; more precisely, they would have already been on their way home, as the session would have ended).

And second — and in principle, most importantly: the Session was convened precisely at the demand of the BPF deputies. We had been pushing for this since August 19, collecting deputies' signatures (we collected 80), pressing Dzyamentsiej, Shushkevich, and other members of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet. All of this is documented (the Presidium's transcripts have been preserved). On August 22, they finally decided to convene the Session.

If there were no BPF, there would be no session. The communists, who, as you believe, were burning with desire to declare Independence without any influence from Pazniak and the BPF, would not have gathered for it.

Even Shushkevich did not dispute the impact of Pazniak's speech before the vote, and he (and it is in the transcript) openly expressed doubt that a constitutional majority would be achieved. Other deputies who are still alive can confirm this (I imagine how many theories will appear when we all pass away).

He might as well have written it more simply: there were only 30 BPF members, there were over 200 communists, and the credit for gaining Independence belongs to them."

• 11
• 0
• 2
• 1
• 1
• 0
• 0
• 2