The current president of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, arrived at the Olympic Stadium on April 14 to take part in the debate, and urged his opponent to do the same.
“Vladimir Alexandrovich, I am firmly convinced that you are now watching us. I hope that you have already returned from Paris, rested, and with new forces are ready to proceed to the key element of democracy - the debate. We are waiting for you here before 3:00 pm, ”Poroshenko said during the live broadcast.
At the same time, Zelensky had previously stated that he intended to hold a debate on another day - April 19.
Zelensky, as promised earlier, did not come to the debate. When it became clear that he would not come, the audience headed for the exit. However, the organizers of the event did not provide for a special exit and suggested that people leave the territory near the stage through the framework of a metal detector through which late arrivals entered. According to RIA Novosti, the crush began as a result.
In the meantime, the current president went to the press center, where he gave a speech, after which he began to answer questions from journalists. The second tribune, intended for Zelensky, remained empty.
Poroshenko promised that he would “do everything”, except for “breaking the law”, for holding a debate with Zelensky. The head of state also urged his opponent to come to the program “Freedom of Speech” on the evening of April 15.
At the end of the failed debate, Poroshenko stepped on the stage and danced, and also sang the song “You cheated on me” with the Kozak System musical group. Prior to this, during the “debates”, he quoted the lines of a song from the Soviet film “Tractor Drivers”: “I came to you, and you were confused.”
Then Poroshenko went to be photographed with his supporters.
Other debates
Earlier it became known that Petro Poroshenko does not intend to return on April 19 to the Olympic Stadium to participate in debates with showman Vladimir Zelensky.
As explained by the representative of the election headquarters Poroshenko Oleg Medvedev, the debate at the stadium is scheduled for a time when it is required by law to be on the air of Public Television.
“As they are scheduled for the time when Poroshenko is legally required to be on Public Television, law-abiding citizen Poroshenko will go on public TV,” Medvedev said.
In turn, Zelensky noted that on April 14 a provocation was being prepared at the stadium against him.
“Someday, after all these elections, information will be shed as if someone was preparing a provocation at the NSC Olimpiyskiy. I will not go there. Got such secret information. Now I'm not ready to talk about it. When you find out this information, you will understand me, ”said Zelensky during a conversation with journalists in Paris after meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.
It is possible that in this way both Zelensky and Poroshenko decided to outsmart their voters and actually thwart the debate, believes economist Alexander Okhrimenko, head of the Ukrainian analytical center.
“Poroshenko, most likely, really wanted a debate in the studio, knowing that there he could somehow play against Zelensky. And when the latter offered the stadium, Petr Alekseevich could not refuse, ”said the expert in an interview with RT.
According to Okhrimenko, later a scheme could appear according to which Poroshenko’s headquarters decided to act in order to avoid debates.
“Yes, there were many beautiful statements, but the stadium is exactly for Zelensky. But for Poroshenko was a big risk to be booed. And it would be a huge blow for the current president. And he decided to avoid shame in such a beautiful way, ”the expert concluded.
- © Yuri Biryukov
Invitation to the stadium
Recall, on April 3, Zelensky urged Poroshenko to appear at the stadium debate. He announced this a few days after the first round of presidential elections, which took place on March 31.
According to their results, none of the candidates gained the necessary number of votes to win, but Zelensky received the most support (30.24%). The second place was taken by Poroshenko (15.95%).
Zelensky called to arrange a meeting of candidates at the Olympic Stadium on the air, having passed a preliminary test for alcohol and drugs.
On April 5, the candidates went to take tests. Poroshenko chose the medical center at the NSC "Olympic", and Zelensky visited the private clinic "EuroLab". The results of the test indicated the absence of alcohol or drug candidates in the blood.
Political analyst and economist Alexander Dudchak believes that in this situation Zelensky did the right thing.
“Poroshenko can not be trusted, it has been proved by five years of his rule. The words of Peter Alekseevich are worth nothing. Zelensky’s position is more advantageous, he is doing the right thing, protecting his interests, ”said the expert in an interview with RT.
According to him, this situation will not affect the number of votes cast for one candidate or another.