Crushing Report: EU Plans to Stop Aid for Ukraine
A leading think tank in Brussels prepared an analytical report concerning the situation in Ukraine and advised the EU Council to stop assistance to the country if the situation does not improve drastically.
The Center for European Policy Studies (CEPS) evaluated the position of the Ukrainian economy over last three years after the so-called revolution in Maidan, and has published a grim description of the situation in the country.
The Center wrote: “Nearly three years since the euromaidan revolution, the Ukrainian government, to our deep regret, has failed to fulfill its promises about fighting against corruption in the justice system, restoring order in the financing of political parties, and decentralizing the government. Customs reforms have not been finalized, property rights are completely disrespected, and state-owned enterprises have not been privatized. Major reforms to combat corruption constantly meet resistance and delays; the reforms are carried out only on paper. The elite of the country should show more tangible results to win the trust of citizens and alleviate the growing frustration of international partners of Ukraine“.
Initially, euromaidan was a revolt against oligarchs and corruption, and led to the coup d'état on February 22, 2014. But the oligarchs continue to maintain their position and refer to the country as their property.
Mikheil Saakashvili, who for some time was the governor of the Odessa region, said in an interview with the newspaper Kyiv Post: "We face a form of parallel shadow government. Ukraine can be described as a company which is owned by oligarchs. Each oligarch has its judges, prosecutors and paramilitary unit”.
Former parliamentarian Oleksandr Onishchenko, who himself is under investigation for criminal offenses, has sent various documents to Kyiv Post to expose Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in a very unfavorable situation.
The documents published by Onishchenko state that Poroshenko gained personal profit from the so-called "anti-terrorist operation" - or war against their fellow citizens in the east of Ukraine – and that companies owned by the president allegedly received military contracts. This means that the loans from the IMF, in practice, went through Kiev to the war in eastern Ukraine.
Onishchenko also said that he personally helped Poroshenko to bribe members of Parliament. According to him, the vote of one MP costs from $20 to 100 thousand. Onishchenko also says that he gave his papers to the United States FBI. It is unclear what happened in this case, but the CEPS has come to the following conclusion:
“The EU should firmly insist that the Ukrainian elite really get involved in the construction of the State, speaking out against the corruption which systematically undermines the foundations of the country. And if the authorities do not respond appropriately, the EU must be prepared to stop supporting Ukraine at an earlier stage than was done in the case of Moldova.”
So, if Kiev authorities do not make a noticeable improvement to the situation, the EU must be prepared to ensure the end of support for Ukraine.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brende, on the other hand, advocates for continued unequivocal support for the Kiev regime, this despite the fact that large-scale corruption exists and it is said that he and Prime Minister Erna Solberg gave the Ukrainian government hundreds of millions Norwegian Krones from Norwegian taxpayers’ pockets.
An Audit Chamber must examine whether Brende’s position was a clear misunderstanding in the discharge of his official duties.
Dimitri Dolaberidze
Illustration by: Ganna Naronina, Euromaidan Press