Ukraine’s future seemed bright after last year’s “Orange Revolution.” The peaceful protests against a fixed election captured the attention of the world and led the Ukrainian Supreme Court to call for a second round at the polls. The final results saw Western-leaning challenger Victor Yushchenko earn a slim majority over the pro-Russian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych. Western governments hailed the win as a victory for democracy and a blow to the corruption that has plagued many former Soviet states. Yet the political environment in Ukraine is having trouble ridding itself of old habits.
In many ways Yushchenko has done a lot for Ukraine since he gained power. The president claims to have enacted many of his promised economic reforms and has made an attempt at combating the widespread corruption in the Ukrainian government. Yushchenko loves to brag about the new social services made available to Ukrainians, and recently announced that over 500,000 jobs were created during his first seven months in office.
Since his inauguration, he has helped to stabilize the economy and begun to reform the archaic, Soviet-style bureaucracy. Perhaps most importantly, Yushchenko has brought an air of legitimacy to a country that had lost its faith in government. However, not everything has changed and again there is a risk of the population becoming alienated from the political process.
Lately, Yushchenko’s actions smack of damage control and political rivalry more than steady leadership. Earlier this month, he dismissed Prime Minister Tymoshenko and her cabinet from parliament. They were former allies during the elections last year, but as of late there has been much controversy surrounding Tymoshenko’s political dealings and management of the economy.
Opposition parties–and Yushchenko himself–have accused Tymoshenko of siphoning off $1.6 billion US worth of government money for private endeavours. These accusations have provoked a media battle, with Tymoshenko and her supporters accusing Yushchenko’s aides of receiving bribes in return for granting access to the president.
While the sacking of the prime minister was supported by some, the charismatic Tymoshenko still enjoys a loyal following, so much so that it looks like the next parliamentary elections may see her party gain a majority. The breakup of the Orange Coalition may divide the nation once more.
As if the political bickering were not enough, the Ukrainian people may also have to deal with a weak economy that was just recently showing signs of life. Growth has slowed while inflation has risen. Along with Tymoshenko’s price controls, unorthodox re-nationalization projects have the potential of setting back Ukraine’s macroeconomic gains.
What began as a noble attempt to review former corrupt privatizations has turned into a scandal of its own. In a case earlier this month, an American firm had its office repossessed and licence revoked after an unannounced military raid. The order was signed by a member of the parliamentary cabinet. The company was then sold to individuals associated with Tymoshenko’s party. Further governmental incursion into private business is sure to discourage precious foreign investment in Ukraine.
The next few months will be a test for Yushchenko and the Orange Revolution team. He must avoid falling into the same trap as past governments. If Ukraine is to modernize, the government will need to demonstrate strong leadership that can counter a tradition of corrupt public office and political incompetence. It is also necessary for Ukrainians to hold their government accountable by maintaining their political activism.
There is a new-found opportunity for the media, now less regulated under Yushchenko, to keep the population aware of the actions of public officials. Hopefully this monitoring will ensure that civil servants act in the interest of Ukrainians and not their own wallets.
