Ukraine’s elite is going neither West nor East. It is entrenching itself

Stepan Bandera and his supporters found themselves between two poles, Germany and Russia, due to historical and geographical circumstances. Present-day Ukrainian elite seems to be consciously confining itself to “Bandera’s niche.” Engaged in their short-sighted flirtations with Europe and Russia at the same time, they fail to realize that both powers are now busy with securing their own interests, where Ukraine is nothing more than a pawn in the big geopolitical game. The launching of Nord Stream and the peculiar friendship existing between Russia and Germany create a specific context, by the way. History shows that such friendship entails radical and dramatic changes on the continent. So today, on the one hand, Germany launches Nord Stream jointly with Russia, which is plagued by human rights pro-blems, suffice it to name Mikhail Khodorkovsky alone; and on the other, it virtually blocks the signing of the

Association Agreement with Ukraine, citing political persecutions in this country as a pretext.

What does Ukraine need, as it once again finds itself hostage of Europe and Russia’s mercenary interests? What trump do we have up the sleeve, given that we have neither finance nor energy resources? Ukraine, just like a poor portionless bride, must have spotless reputation. The implementation of reforms, respect for citizens’ rights and liberties, and, after all, the passionary people – this is what shapes a nation’s repute in the modern world. However, here we run into a problem.

Recently Serhii Leshchenko published his second blog on Ukrainska Pravda’s website under the heading The Secrets of Mezhyhiria [Mezhyhiria is the residence of President Viktor Yanukovych. – Ed.].

In the first portion he published unbelievable shots, photos from Google Maps, which graphically show how the presidential estate in Mezhyhiria has grown over this year. The next publication deals with the security on the estate on dry land, water, and air. The world moves on. This material by Leshchenko is another broad hint to those who will not see and hear: what could be hidden behind a fence before will out today: the world becomes transparent, in particular, due to high technologies.

Of course, domestic “elite” can console itself with the thought that when Russian journalists discovered Putin’s palaces, the story was quickly hushed. However, ladies and gentlemen, do not forget the words of the classic: Ukraine is not Russia [the famous title of a book by ex-president Leonid Kuchma. – Ed.]. Russia abounds in resources. Its resources are so abundant that they will be enough to buy an indulgence for doing away with Khodorkovsky, Politkovskaya, and many more. They are so plentiful that even the most influential European policymakers work as Russia’s lobby hirelings. But you, what do you have to cover yourself with?

“Can Ukraine rely on its reputation? I think it must survive economically in this complicated world, therefore extraordinary decisions should be taken,” believes Aleksandr RAHR, director, Russia-Eurasia program, German Council on Foreign Relations. “Indeed, Ukraine lacks such resources as Russia has, and it cannot trade in them as Russia does. I do not know today’s Ukrainian elite, but I think that it is not incorporated in the national decision-making processes, or, if it is, the involvement is insufficient. Only when it feels that the fate of the nation depends on it, it will be able to fully give itself to the nation. But it seems to me that at present decisions in Ukraine, just like in Russia, are made by a very narrow circle of individuals guided by their own interests.”

“We should not be surprised at such primitive accumulation of wealth,” comments Yurii SHCHERBAK, author, political essayist, and career diplomat. “These people belong to a world dominated by absolutely different values. Their childhood passed in abject misery, they lived in depressive neighborhoods and did not know anything worthy or sublime. Their craving for wealth is quite understandable. And it is clearly not spiritual wealth that they crave for, nor a reasonable degree of material comfort – instead, it’s ultimate luxury. We saw this in Saddam Hussein and in other dictators, who were overthrown. Here we can see the same. You can only sympathize with such people like a true Christian should do.

“Of course, this is inadmissible in a country which lacks money for social benefits. I believe that Ukrainians are disgusted to see all these stories. But it is too early to expect a direct response. This is the stage of accumulating negative information, which will eventually transform into a social outburst.

“We can cite a long list of leaders who lead quite modest lifestyles. Of course they do not live in slums, but on the other hand, they are not building fitness centers for themselves.

“The world public has seen even worse monsters. We should not think that these statesmen are an exception from common worldwide practices. Sure thing, these stories have already been brought before the Western leaders. Moreover, their intelligence and satellites took pictures of this luxurious property long ago. And of course they watch it all with disdain. Yet as long as it is necessary to negotiate and do all the handshaking, no one is going to say a word to Ukraine’s leaders, like no one would reproach Nicolae Ceau-sescu with his incredible riches. But as soon as the foundations under these people shake, they will immediately fall under personae non gratae, while their property and luxury will become yet another criterion to judge them. We still can assume that the politicians of the 1920s could lie to their nations and to the world, because back then information was hard to come by. But today, in The Days of the Internet, under Ukraine’s relatively democratic conditions, this is stark indecency.

“At a certain point in time Russian journalists also discovered Putin’s luxurious estate near Sochi. But somehow this story wasn’t widely publicized. I think that Russian leaders are more discreet. Today, such glamor and luxury, and such bad taste point out to an ignorant provincial with a load of complexes.

“By the way, I believe that the question of the president’s residence should be solved by law. For example, the president of Ukraine could be given Mariinsky Palace as his residence, and maintenance costs should be found out.”

“Today, Ukraine is not considered as a subject of global politics,” joins in political scientist Viktor NEBOZHENKO. “Only a country with real elite can have a good reputation. Even if Russia can do without elite, thanks to natural resources and imperial historical memory, we lack all of that. Therefore, we must rely on our society’s diversity, and take a good care of our repute.”

So far, European policy-makers have been emphasizing the importance of solving the problem with political persecutions in Ukraine, while shyly evading the question of Ukrai-nian elite’s qua-lity. However, Ukrainian bureaucracy has obviously made an impression on the West. One can only imagine what kind of figure our bureaucrats cut in front of the international community when they come to ask for another tranche to close gaping gaps in the budget.

The realization of the impossibility of living in today’s world as under Kuchma’s presidency is critical for the survival of Ukraine’s elites. Apparently, as they amass their fortunes, they think they have come to stay for decades or maybe that they will pass the power down to their descendants. It obviously contradicts the intentions of Ukraine’s society and the whole European community in principle: authoritarian rule in the heart of Europe, unsupported with a certain amount of resources, has no right to exist. What are the Ukrainian leaders’ values, and who do they look up to, East or West? At the moment one gets an impression that they are simply entrenching themselves.

SOCIETY IS TOO DEBILITATED BY POST-TRAUMATIC SYNDROME

Andrii PAVLYSHYN, editor, Western Analytical Group, Lviv:

“Ukraine is a state gone barbarous, where the budget constitutes a very insignificant proportion. Of course, all those foreign loans are pumped in by semi-criminal elements who have worked their way into power to divide the money. The origin of this money doesn’t matter anymore. It can be foreign loans, domestic taxes, rent on natural resources, etc. The problem is how this money is later redistributed. Personally I consider it a catastrophe for Ukraine to resort to foreign loans under such system. The money is getting embezzled today, while Ukraine will still have to pay back. If it is not for us to do, then it is for our children or grandchildren to pay back, it is for all of our society, all of our state. But the thieves won’t even be able to make a good use of it, as they are used to non-competitive economy based on kickbacks and all manner of fraudulent schemes. Economy takes a lot of thinking, implementation of innovations, competition, etc. But this is something quite foreign to this team of barbarians.

“Now, how can Ukrainian bureaucracy’s excessive greed be overcome? I’m afraid that their greed will result in an outburst of social hate, blood, and riots, which will prove disastrous for the whole nation. I am well aware that revolutions like that in Libya, or pictures of Gaddafi’s mutilated corpse won’t teach them anything. Only intelligent people can learn from the others’ mistakes. Yet those who vote in parliament for dozens of their absent colleagues and think it normal, who don’t care for law, and build their lives on this attitude – they are incapable of learning. Our society is too weak, too exhausted, and deeply shocked. It has experienced several post-traumatic syndromes – first from various 20th century disasters, then from the Soviet Union’s collapse, the deprivation of entire country, all sorts of large-scale scandals and, eventually, Yushchenko’s epic betrayal… Thus, so far it’s incapable of organizing itself and taking real action. Those who were chosen by God, history, or lucky chance to become elite turned out to be too small-minded to cope with the mission. Thus we have an extremely dramatic situation, and I can’t see any good coming.”

TO BUILD CIVIC SOCIETY IS THE ONLY WAY TO COMBAT BUREAUCRATS’ GREED

Mykhailo NAKHOD, director, Center for Political Analysis and Polling Consulting, Lutsk:

“It is quite obvious that European or American policymakers and economists, responsible for loans for countries like ours, do not need Ukrainska Pravda and the Internet to complement their own sources of information which show the Ukrainian officialdom, which shamelessly boasts of its wealth, as a commonplace gang of marauders pillaging their own nation. But we are also aware that money is given to states rather than to politicians. This is a sort of business for international organizations interested in the existence of such loans, so they will keep giving. They profit from turning a weaker country into an eternal debtor to those who have power and money.

“Ukrainian society should protest against the demonstration (and basically existence) of such wealth. But the officials, who build such palaces and who (which is more important!) have seized the plants and factories, also have possibilities to avoid popular resentment. However, it is quite probable that the situation in Ukraine will reach a certain boiling point, like it happened in North Africa when parasitic regimes were overthrown. Therefore the opposition’s call to arms, to which Ukrainian mentality is very susceptible, can be heard and followed. Now we can see how active Afghanistan veterans and Chornobyl disaster fighters have become when government infringed on their modest benefits.

“It is clear that there are two ways to combat such greed. First, via passing and implementing relevant legislation. This is a civilized method, but it is not applicable in case of Ukraine’s reality, since legislators are busy building their own wealth.

“The second way is educating the population to create civic society and ensure its influence on government. We can look up to Georgia’s example where this has been achieved, but Ukraine’s ruling class has its own views and ideas about the development of state. That is why successful international pro-ject, which have worked for other countries, will never be applied here.”

“BEING A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL IN UKRAINE MEANS HAVING MOST PRIVILEGES AND PREFERENCES IN BUSINESS”

Illia KONONOV, Ph.D., D.Sc., professor, chair of philosophy and sociology, Taras Shevchenko Luhansk National University:

“By building castles and living in luxury, our government officials look like typical representatives of a ‘third world’ country. As far as I know, there have been instances when 40 to 70 percent of foreign loan mo-ney was redistributed between bureaucrats. Sadly, this is also typical of Ukraine, because over the recent years it has worked its way into the periphery of the world’s capitalist system and joined the countries formerly labeled ‘the third world.’ And it is our bureaucrats that are pushing Ukraine in that direction. The major political and economic process, inherent for our country just as for most other post-Soviet countries, is the merging of capital and government. Our government officials are something more than mere bureaucrats: being a government official in Ukraine means having most privileges and preferences in business.

“The recipes to do away with this phenomenon have long been known. First of all, it is publicity. And this is where independent mass media play a role. If we had had civic mass media, they might have become one of the levers to push the government. That is why I think it is critically important for the elements of civic society (which in this country still exist, despite all pessimism) to interact with mass media, moreover, this should be a common practice. This connection between independent representatives of civic society and independent mass media is absolutely necessary.

“Both the regime and the opposition are the carriers of the same patterns of behavior. Thus, the problem is that Ukraine has ripened to replace the ‘elite group’ in power. But this is a very complicated task, since old elites were not completely removed even by revolutions. An evolutionary process is necessary, but so far we cannot see even the beginnings of this process: the ‘old guards’ tend to seek leadership of even a slightest new movement, arising in Ukraine’s civic society.”