Ukraine's Prospects

[Gotno Gizmo]

Radek Sikorski, foreign minister of Poland, urges the West to look east :-

As 2011 begins, we also find ourselves more firmly anchored in the European Union than ever before. Along with the Swedes and the Czechs, we have sponsored our first EU initiative: the Eastern Partnership, which aims to expand links between the European Union and Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Promoting and discussing that programme will be one of our priorities when, in the second half of 2011, we also take over the presidency of the EU for the first time.
From our point of view, this is a perfect moment for Europe to focus attention on its eastern neighbours. In 2011 a wave of Western funds and goodwill will be flooding into Moldova, and we will see whether the new government can take advantage of them. The political turmoil which is sure to follow the presidential elections in Belarus might also give the EU the opportunity in 2011 to play a bigger role in reforming Europe’s last dictatorship. Ukraine will also have the opportunity in 2011 to achieve real economic integration with Europe: we are now negotiating the creation of a deep and comprehensive free-trade area with Ukraine. If the Ukrainians can swallow hard and accept the terms, Ukraine could wind up with the status of a Norway or Switzerland, deeply linked to the EU though not part of it.

[Lvivske]

Originally Posted by Slawko

I just shake my head in disbelief at this idiot and how was he ever elected

Whats up with his weird slouched over bow?

[Gotno Gizmo]

Those interested in Ukraine's politics and business matters should visit this site and register to receive their regular news updates. They come in the form of PDF files as email attachments. The latest, no. 17 (not yet shown on the website) is an interesting read, but cannot be easily cut and pasted into this site without time consuming format editing.

People First Foundation Ukraine

[Gotno Gizmo]

Feedom House has downrated Ukraine from it's assessment of "free" to "partly free".
See Radio Free Europe's take on this situation:-

How To Turn A 'Partly Free' Ukraine Into A 'Not Free' Ukraine - Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty ╘ 2011

[НазарМ]

The presidents come and go, the governments rise and fall - it is important for each one of us, Ukrainian or not, to learn to be yourself and make the choices after carefully waying the consequences for us and the future generations. If you are 35 and "Undecided" for whom to vote, that means that either you are a moron and cannot think, or you prefer to be a serf and let others to decide your fate. Ukraine has great prospects. One of the important steps in that direction is to vote with brain and be "Decided".

[Gotno Gizmo]

Originally Posted by НазарМ

The presidents come and go, the governments rise and fall - it is important for each one of us, Ukrainian or not, to learn to be yourself and make the choices after carefully waying the consequences for us and the future generations. If you are 35 and "Undecided" for whom to vote, that means that either you are a moron and cannot think, or you prefer to be a serf and let others to decide your fate. Ukraine has great prospects. One of the important steps in that direction is to vote with brain and be "Decided".

Yes my friend sounds good but hardly realistic!

In my country of birth (Britain) the politicans woo the electorate with promises but never deliver, or even do the opposite to their stated manifesto, and in many other countries, no matter who for who you vote, the current government manipulate the results to ensure that will stay in power. Much of the world's populace is learning that the answer is to find alternative measures to bring about new and better leadership, having seen the failure of the ballot box.

[НазарМ]

Originally Posted by Gotno Gizmo

Yes my friend sounds good but hardly realistic!

In my country of birth (Britain) the politicans woo the electorate with promises but never deliver, or even do the opposite to their stated manifesto, and in many other countries, no matter who for who you vote, the current government manipulate the results to ensure that will stay in power. Much of the world's populace is learning that the answer is to find alternative measures to bring about new and better leadership, having seen the failure of the ballot box.

There are a few solutions as of now that can bring change: vote, criticize publicly or revolt. In Ukraine there is a huge chunk of population (6% last election) which doesn't do any of these, because they consider it pointless. Staying at home and "protesting" the elections in the kitchen while eating soup is not going solve a single problem. Throwing "Undecided" ballot is identical to saying: "I am brainless, decide for me". No politician ever came to the power and did everything what he/she promised. But there are bad and worse politicians or good and better ones, depending from what point you are looking. There will never be a perfect politician, but there will always be one who is better than the other for those who elect. The world might be looking for alternatives, but as of today we have only a few ways to make ourselves heard and this is by saying something, not letting others to decide for us.