Original article in Ukrainian by Oleh Bazar, for UP
Translated by Eugene Ivantsov
Two events will stick to people’s memory in the year 2007. This is winning the contest of hosting Euro-2012 and the political crisis with assaulting the Prosecutor General’s Office which ended in the early parliamentary election.
The president has every reason to consider the year 2007 successful for himself. Viktor Yushchenko demonstrated unusual resolution and firmness. His team defeated both the Party of Regions which paid for its greed with the new opposition status and Yulia Tymoshenko who although became the PM but is dependant on the NU-NS which can anytime kill the instable coalition.
Even modest election result of the presidential bloc does not seem to upset the president. He managed to convert 14% of votes into 50% of the governmental positions and the position of the Verkhovna Rada Speaker for Arseniy Yatsenyuk.
However, the country never benefited from the president’s triumph. This is personal success of President Yushchenko and his staff.
All the rest will have to look at his failed attempts to solve problems of ordinary Ukrainians and change the country for the better.
Well, maybe the author does not know about some secret strategic presidential initiatives designed by the President’s Secretariat.
Just a year ago absence of such initiatives could be accounted for paralyzed parliament, destructive politicians like Viktor Yanukovych and Oleksandr Moroz who prevented Mr. Yushchenko from making the country happy. But now there is no one to blame. The president has his coalition, loyal PM and the Verkhovna Rada Speaker. Let’s wait, shall we?
Yulia Tymoshenko. It is difficult to say for sure whether or not the newly appointed PM is happy with her success. On the one hand, her election result surpassed all expectations. In fact, she implemented everything she planned, from the early election to return to the PM’s office.
On the other hand, was it reasonable to return now and more importantly in such a way?
It is obvious now that Yulia Tymoshenko’s election the President of Ukraine is inevitable.
In future, the situation may change. A couple of energy crises, price increase, scandals in authority (they are inevitable since the president nominated reliable people to the Cabinet who hate Yulia Tymoshenko) can make people forget about the idol of the public, the Orange Princess Mrs. Tymoshenko.
In addition she formed a very unstable coalition that may fail to adopt necessary decisions in parliament.
In such a situation, one has to compromise with the most radical part of NU-NS, as well as Lytvyn Bloc and the communists.
It is obvious that people’s problems are not as important as Yulia Tymoshenko’s personal worries. On the other hand, it is even better since Yulia Tymoshenko is sometimes destructive. Some of her promises would better remain mere promises.
Viktor Yanukovych is the loser of the year. There is no doubt about it.
Ex-PM was fooled. He consented to the early parliamentary election and then had to stoop to demonstrating loyalty to the president hoping to form a broad coalition.
After that he had to go to the opposition. What could be worse for a person for whom even a word “opposition” was abusive? Moreover, many people in the Party of Regions need Mr. Yanukovych as an influential politician.
Can an opposition leader be possibly interesting if the president and the PM are open for a dialogue?
Besides, presidential election comes soon. Not all members of the Party of Regions believe that Yanukovych can defeat Tymoshenko.
It seems ridiculous now but soon we can see Viktor Yushchenko as a candidate for the president from the Donetsk political clan. Rayisa Bohatyryova’s appointment the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council is a vivid example.
Can we expect any fresh ideas and alternate decisions from the new opposition leader? Can we possibly call the Party of Regions an opposition party if one of its leaders occupies a key post in the president’s structure?
But let’s get back to events of 2007. From a springboard to the economic breakthrough and profits Euro-2012 turns into the potential source of world shame. Political intrigues leave no space for football.
Maybe Yehven Chevonennko’s appointment the Vice PM for Euro-2012 can change the situation. Ex-governor of Zaporizhya region is famous for his love for big projects.
But he needs to form a team which takes time. In half a year he may be sacked.
Current political system implies no continuity of policy. In this sense, a new broom does not sweep clean. It begins scattering the dirt cleaned by the previous broom.
Taking into account frequent changes of governments, another two or three Vice PMs will prepare the country for Euro-2012. Of course, a new minister will start from point zero, criticizing his predecessor.
The country failed to leans a lesson from the political crisis. None of the politicians participating in those events suffered a just punishment. There was no even public condemnation.
All those who violated the Constitution, issued criminal orders and executed them have a clean record now.
Thus, it turns out that assault of the Prosecutor General’s Office, conflicts of security agencies and pressurizing the legal system may repeat.
Political interests were superior of the Law in 2007.
But there were pleasant and happy events in 2007. These events concerned both the country and individuals. This is our joy and our merit. Politicians cannot lay any claims for it.
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Oleh Bazar, First Deputy Chief Editor of Profil Magazine