Dr. Taras Kuzio gave a lecture Thursday at the Elliott School’s IERES on the 2010 election in Ukraine. Toward the end of the question segment, debate arose over whether Ukraine was headed toward a Putin-style consolidation of presidential power. Kuzio disagreed, suggesting that while Ukrainians admire the effectiveness of Russian leadership, (polls show a 65% Ukrainian “approval” of Russia) this doesn’t necessarily translate into a desire for more autocratic rule in the Ukraine.
It was a timely question. The very same day Yulia Tymoshenko – the current PM and a leading contender in the election – disagreed with Kuzio. During a live-TV discussion of laws suppressing black PR against the government, Tymoshenko, a champion of the democratic Orange Revolution, called for dictatorship, to applause from the studio audience.
Tymoshenko: “The people are tired of chaos … Sometimes I really think that Ukraine needs dictatorship and rule of law. Only a dictator can maintain the rule of law in Ukraine.” She later said she would change the constitution to consolidate presidential power if public opinion was in favor of it.
It was a calculated move. It was a bold move. And it was a distinctly inspired move. After all, Tymoshenko is only echoing what Biden told Ukrainians in July (no, not the bit about the hot women) when he urged them to abandon their “political posturing.”
Biden: “Heed the lessons of history – effective, accountable government is the only way to provide a stable, predictable, and transparent environment that attracts investment, which is the economic engine of development.”
The Ukrainian economy is plummeting and corruption is skyrocketing. Approval of the government hovers around an astonishing 4%. To most Ukrainians, democracy is no longer synonymous with either efficiency or accountability. Russia just might be.
Update: On the 2010 election.
I can’t help but wonder if a dictatorship was really what Biden had in mind when he said “accountable government.” Tymoshenko would, however, be the most terrifyingly attractive dictator on record. If she and Princess Rania went into philanthropy, they could capture the male 18-25 demographic in a heartbeat.
Yea, Ukraine…that’s a tough one. Ukrainians I know also complain about what a mess the country is. And from their point of view, I can see how Russia would seem like an appealing friend. To the west you have the EU which doesn’t have any kind of a clear policy toward Ukraine. It’s too busy navel gazing and in-fighting to actually step up to the place. When Russia shut off the gas to the Ukraine, the EU didn’t exactly spring to action to help.
Russia may have lots of problems, but compared to the EU, it does seem stable.
Very astute of you to write:
“To most Ukrainians, democracy is no longer synonymous with either efficiency or accountability. Russia just might be.”
Let’s hope the EU finds a way to show the Ukraine the benefits of democracy.
But knowing Brussels, I’m not gonna hold my breath.
[...] needs dictatorship and rule of law. Only a dictator can maintain the rule of law in Ukraine,” she said not long ago. Bush said the same when he was the [...]
[...] y el imperio de la ley. Sólo un dictador puede mantener el imperio de la ley en Ucrania”, dijo no hace mucho tiempo. Bush dijo lo mismo cuando era quien tomaba decisiones. El virus, sin embargo, [...]
[...] needs dictatorship and rule of law. Only a dictator can maintain the rule of law in Ukraine,” she said not long ago. Bush said the same when he was the [...]
[...] Dijo que cambiaría la constitución para consolidar el poder presidencial si la opinión pública e…. Problema-reacción-solución. Buscan desesperadamente que el pueblo acepte los recortes de libertades, de lo contrario, están perdidos y serán acorralados en breve. [...]
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