17th of January - ukrainian elections
Bogumił Kolmasiak, translation: AG Wednesday, 13 January 2010 22:53
On 17th of January Ukrainians will choose their next president. Julia Tymoszenko and Wiktor Janukowycz will enter the second round for sure. Tymoszenko, who's going to be supported by current president - Wiktor Juszczenko - and also the rest of candidates associated with national-democratic stream, is supposed to win. Janukowicz will probably be supported by Serhij Tihipko, being associated with Wladimir Lytvin - main ukrainian politic of Kuczma formation.
This is a strange campaign, full of accusations. Jaceniuk has been destroyed by anti-Semitic campaign with the usage of false acts of circumcision and public discussion on his origin. Similar accusations against Tadeusz Mazowiecki in 1990. In young, polish democracy the then prime minister has lost. As we can see, in the Ukrain, after 20 years such an acts still can successfully discourage voters.
One of the main favorites is pro-Russian Wiktor Janukowycz, who has already been a prime minister few times. This Politician is strongly supported by oligarchs, especially from East. He promises Ukrain with social support guaranteed, decentralization of the country and guarantees rights for russian language. He's opposed to combatant rights for UIA veterans. Janukowycz announces hawkishly, that "Ukraine will never be orange again". Janukowycz, now ukrainian professor of technical science, as youth - ordinary criminal, has a storng protector - Wladimir Putin. Russian media, popular in Ukraine, know who to backup.
Despite the fact, that Boriz Bierezowski, a russian oligarch, a refugee, has called his colleagues-oligarchs to backing up Juszczenko (as classical, pro-western liberal), his appeal remained without response. Money won't help Juszczenko anyway. Even though he calls other pro-western candidates to back up him, they do not even think about withdrawal. Even though Juszczenko is judged positively in the west and he guarantees independence of Ukraine, nothing can persuade Ukrainians to vote on him. Juszceznko is associated with weakening of hryvna, economical crisis, rows in parliament and basing on people, who had nothing to do with orange revolution. Balance of orange revolution goes quite plain anyway and ukrainian politics less and less eagerly refer to it.
It seems, that the most probable winner is "Beautiful Julia", who leads her campaign with unusual breadth, sometimes using machinery of state and prime minister office. Tymoszenko has prepared populistic posters, creating herself as a "lady" do ukrainian politics. "She" - is her main slogan joined with good-sounding verb "work". Tymoszenko creates herself for "Mother Ukraine". Fashionable and extravagant, referring to folk elements hairstyle shows, that she identifies with ordinary people and she's a patriot devoted to her land. From her official website you can download her photos with ear of cereal or with tiger (associated with dynamism and agility). We would deal with western-style campaign if there were no screw-ups like e.g. non-working website for donations.
Boris Bierezowski, in his famous letter to oligarchs, described Tymoszenko as a woman who cares only for power.
In the Ukraine fear of forgery is still alive. Janukowycz claims, that this time he's going to defend the results of elections (and, in concealed meaning, he won't let bilk himself like in 2004). Tymoszenko answers, that over a half of Central Electoral Commission members is bribed by Region Party. Members of commission have ignored those accusations.
How will Ukraine be like in proximate months? Weakened by economy crisis, epidemic of pig's flu, with weak currency and divided into no less than two parts after exhaustive campaign. Whoever wins this elections, we hope that ordinary people won't be the ones, who will lose.
