Ukraine’s Constitution: The Main Meme of the Year

Every year on June 28, we witness a unique ritual of Ukrainian political mythology: the very people who violate the Constitution from morning till night appear in front of cameras to congratulate us on its birthday. And it would all be fine — cakes, candles, confetti — if not for one thing:
The Constitution, dear friends, has long been in a coma. No signs of consciousness. On a drip. Sometimes Article 64 blinks — and then it’s back to oblivion.

Yermak Preaches from Olympus

Andriy Yermak, a man with the face of unshakable stability and the functions of a screen, announced:

“29 years of the democratic and human-centered Constitution of Ukraine”

If you don’t feel yourself at the center of something very “human-centered” — you’re just standing in the wrong place. Or with the wrong people.

In the same speech, Yermak mentioned Pylyp Orlyk.
Rightly so. After all, without a reference to a 1710 document, it’s awkward to explain why the 1996 Constitution hasn’t worked for years.

The Constitution — For the Rich in Spirit (and Wallet)

Let’s be honest: rights and freedoms remained in the preamble. The rest is all obligations. Obliged to go to the draft office, obliged to pay taxes, obliged to keep silent if, God forbid, you mix up “AFU” and “Bankova” in one sentence.

Want medical care? Pay. Don’t want to fight? Pay. Want to avoid prison? Pick the right lawyer. Want to live? Well, that’s already a privilege, not a right.

In this country, the Constitution is observed only on posters. In real life, abiding by it is a luxury only a few can afford. Especially if you’re not on Yermak’s list.

Who Gets Respect Here?

• A citizen caught on the street without a draft notice — a suspicious element.

• A member of parliament with two passports and offshore accounts — bearer of European values.

• A journalist asking inconvenient questions — Kremlin agent.

• A car dealership owner making money on armored vehicles for the front — patriot of the year.

Values have swapped places. The Constitution remains on paper. The people — under it.

Democracy™: License Expired

Today’s Ukraine is a democracy, if you believe TV. Everything looks great: presidents quote documents, speakers hand out medals, the flag waves.

But if you turn off the sound — it’s a classic painting:

• independent courts with manual control,

• elections that can be postponed “for later,”

• an army where you’re a resource if you’re poor, and an observer if you’re rich.

Freedom of speech? Sure. As long as it’s their freedom and their words.

Result: A Day to Mourn, Not Celebrate

Congratulating someone on Constitution Day is like celebrating a wedding anniversary when your partner has long since moved in with the neighbor, taking the documents, money, and the cat.

If you’re still reading the Constitution — you might be the only one.
If you believe it guarantees anything — you have a vivid imagination.
If you’re trying to live by it — hang in there. We’re with you. Underground.

Happy holiday that doesn’t exist.
With rights that are gone.
With a state that survives at the expense of those it doesn’t value.