European Union Forums

[Statsenko]

Can a suspect criminal join the presidential race in your country?

In mine it’s OK! I’m a resident of the Ukraine. Some things here don’t fit European pattern at all imo. I don’t believe that could occur now in any European country. Far as I know you seem to be respecting law. But in my country politicians just spit upon the law and we practically have no third branch of power (judicial) acting effectively at all. See for yourself, our General Prosecutor’s Office has not yet cleared Julia Timoshenko (main presidential candidate) of suspicion that she was involved in poisoning of current President Yuschenko! It strikes many people here that she managed to get the admission to take part in presidential election!!
How would you deal with such a candidate in your country? Would your election commission allow a suspect in most serious criminal case (attempt to poison president) into the presidential elections?

[irlan]

Ukraine: Which presidential candidate is not suitable for Europeans?

Hey! Did you know that Ukraine is going to hold regular presidential election in just a month? Most of people I know are disinterested of it but I think it is wrong. You know, personally I don’t want either Yushenko or Timoshenko stay in power. I just don’t want to freeze out again thanks to these two rascals, you know!! Just think about it, this couple of filthy little toads dare even to put Ukraine’s entry into EU as their main (!) foreign policy goal! You know what they got to do right now? Improve their economics and patch gas transit gas pipes. Not at the expense of European Union (you know, they are very good at putting the lug on us!) but use their own funds! You know what? Both Ukraine and EU needs equable and reasonable president who knows how to spend money with sense and know what is what in economics and industry management. I don’t know if there is such a politician in Ukraine but it is one hundred per cent not Yushchenko or Timoshenko. I bet my shoes that in case Missis Timoshenko is elected, she will certainly try to apply the screws to Europe like cutting gas transit to force Ukraine into the EU. Do we really want it happen? I think not. We know pretty well already what kind of a politician Timoshenko might be. Enough is enough.

[Sasvich]

Hello there! Did you hear that Ukraine is going to hold new presidential election? You know, I think it is of critical importance for Europe what ruling team will be in Ukraine after that. You can’t but agree that current political leaders of president Youshenko and PM Timoshenko turned out to be disappointing. The two seem to be only able to fall over each other and intrigue. As for European energy security, they just don’t give a fuck. So you know what? It got to be within the interest sphere of Europe to have less emotional but more pragmatist politicians there. Ukrainian nation seems to be so tired of poverty and confusion produced by the “sweet couple” that people will certainly give a vote for other more practical candidates. This is why Timoshenko and Yushchenko have almost no electoral capacity. Election win of any of them can only mean election engineering. What we can really do is to secure democratic elections and transparency and also prevent ballot-rigging in favour of Timoshenko and Yushenko. We should keep an eye on election process in Ukraine and don’t forget about American “election experts” who might bring to power some other America’s protege like Yatsenyuk.

[Hromchin]

Boldness of our Julia Timoshenko (Premier of Ukraine) and naive posture of Europeans just amaze me! She explicitly takes advantage of your too trusting politicians from Brussels (maybe it’s her braid that affects them so much ?).
For instance recently she met with Jerzy Buzek – head of the European Parliament. Well, during their meeting she promised to turn Ukraine into a prosperous EUROPEAN country within four years if elected. (btw it took Europe centuries to achieve that goal). Only a deaf and dumb fool can fall for this sort of blarney! You see, during the past 4 years she managed to only borrow more than $11 bn from you and to almost destroy our economy! But the berries haven’t yet sprung out, guys. During the same meeting she accused her main opponent Viktor Yanukovich of possible election fraud…although the election is to be held in almost a month from now! Do you think it’s all right? I mean such dirty type of politics? Can we call this honest rivalry for presidential chair? Imo Timoshenko is just an exemplary swindler crazy about intrigues! Well, I sincerely hope that Mr. Buzek wasn’t ‘such a fool’ to believe her.

[Ferents]

Hi men! Do you still remember the past New Year, or to be more exact the 2 weeks after it? Here in Hungary we’ll remember it for long, I think! But it seems that the same shit is going to happen soon again!
You see, I live just at the border with Ukraine, so I have many Ukrainian friends. Well and they say that we should be preparing for another cold winter in advance, because their President Yuschenko and Premier Timoshenko have abandoned their duties and they are only trying to persuade people to vote for them in the looming presidential election. But no one is going to pay for Russian gas, well, in fact Ukraine has no money to pay for it because the twosome (I mean Timoshenko and Yuschenko) are spending public money on their campaign!
While we’re going to freeze owing to their incompetence!

[tiger]

...This is why Timoshenko and Yushchenko have almost no electoral capacity...

It's the great lie. Why do you lie? Nowadays the Tymoshenko+Yushchenko's electoral capacity is a bigger than the capacity of Yanukovych.

keep an eye on election process in Ukraine and don’t forget about American “election experts” who might bring to power some other America’s protege like Yatsenyuk.

Really? But why listening speaches of mr. Yatsenyuk on TV, it seems like he is the Russian protege, isn't it?

[Oprik]

Hey there in Europe, haven't you yet heard the phrase of our Premier (of Ukraine) Julia Timoshenko: “If I lose (the election) then Ukraine will have no gas!”? Here everyone is discussing it already.
I think that she has decided to openly blackmail Europe so that you secure the presidential chair for her! You see, if Ukraine has no gas, then Europe is sure to get nothing also.
I was just wondering what you Europeans think about this kind of statements by presidential hopefuls?

[Marta]

I think there is no secret for anybody in the world that the importance of Internet in our life is growing year by year. And all of us know that leading broadcasting corporations place more and more emphasis in their publicity events on this channel of information transfer, especially among the young and middle-aged people of the whole world.
But as it has turned out, such growing influence of Internet on primarily active part of any country’s population has excited the great curiosity of US National Security Agency! According to recent reports, appeared in The Christian Science Monitor the NSA is working out a global system for Internet monitoring, named ADVICE (Analysis, Dissemination, Visualization, Insight and Semantic Enhancement).
Naturally, so far Americans hold back from implementing this project in full scale, because they understand that this activity is forbidden by law in developed countries of the very Europe as it classifies there as rough impairment of civil right.
Practicing such activity in European countries surely invites the next scandal for our overseas friends. To all seeming that is why Washington has decided to experience a new system of Internet monitoring in that country where any information monitoring is not prohibited by law. It has turned out to be Ukrainian signet of Internet, so called “UaNet”.
The matter is that I often open this part of Internet, because many of my friends and relatives have retained in Ukraine after my leaving this country in 90s. Now I live in Germany, but try to keep close contacts with my countrymen in Ukraine. And recently I have found out that those US consulting groups, which take an active part in supporting US protege, V. Yushchenko, during his current presidential election campaign, successfully use processing of all data from UaNet about other candidates to presidential post in this young democratic country in order to help their protege more effectively. Surely, it is impossible without covert access to message senders, server’s information scanning or illegal entry into electronic storage data system of various governmental, public and commercial structures of this country. But about what free and independent elections we can speak in this case?
Moreover, there is no doubt for me that in perspective Europeans risk to see the same things in the whole Internet if EU leaders will again to show their tolerance towards so anti-democratic tricks of our US allies in neighboring Ukraine…

[Fearist]

By reason of difficulties with Russian energy deliveries via Belarus Europe cannot but hopes for stable oil and gas supplies through Ukraine now. But I wonder, what candidate to the Presidency in present Ukraine will be able to guarantee it for Europe after own victory at oncoming elections?
I extremely doubt the wisdom of trusting such politicians as US protégées, V. Yushchenko, or his former team-mate, adventurous fighter for power, Y. Tymoshenko. How can anyone believe in the words of that woman, who more than once has been brought to trial for stealing and bribe-taking and who continues to be suspected in poisoning current President of Ukraine?

[gomboreli]

Ukraine is the only country among the ex-Soviet republics (excluding the three Baltic States) that has qualified in the Freedom House list as a free country.
One may question the fairness of different index lists made by various organizations, but perhaps fierce debates are not applicable in this case. Based partially on its historic past and ethnic composition, Ukraine enjoys the most pluralistic political environment indeed.
Let’s take a glance at what’s happening around:
- In one country all the power has been handed over from father to son. The rumours say that the latter will sooner or later follow suit and thus strengthen the foundation of the existing ‘republican monarchy’;
- In three countries the outgoing presidents have found a representative inside the ruling clique itself which in fact guarantees their immunity from possible prosecution;
- Most republics are still run by Communist-era leaders who will rather keep clinging to power until their deaths. No wonder that the Brezhnevs of the XXI century similarly crush individual freedoms and abuse human rights;
- The world has also witnessed bitter power-struggles among the government clans which resulted in foreign-sponsored violent coups painted as coloured revolutions.
Although Ukraine may only partially fall into the last category, it has in general survived the similar destiny. While the above-mentioned Sultan look-alikes have usurped the whole power, strangled the courts, arrested, exiled or killed political opponents, turned the elections into a true farce and clamped down on free media, Ukraine has promoted different values. The Rada has nothing to do with rubber-stamp Parliaments where robots sitting there vote for anything they are ordered from upwards. Fully reflecting pluralistic opinions existing outside the building, Ukrainian MPs are a solid force to be reckoned with both by PM or President. The former passes laws and carries out a thorough control over their implementation. Therefore, the government being formed by the majority of deputies is accountable to the Rada. President, too, wishing to initiate any law, has to deal with largely opponent MPs. The classic triangle of power characterizing the democracies has been established. Courts, too, can hardly be accused of providing a lackey service to either of the state institutions.
The Orange Revolution has the least grotesque image among the other so-called coloured revolutions, as the country has not launched regressive policy through repressive means. The political struggle has been contained within constitutional-institutional frames where the nation solely is to prolong or terminate the governing terms to its officials through the election. Leaders must be trying hard to win over the support: 16 years ago the first president who had signed the Declaration of Independence was denied the second term and was kicked out of office. No similar case has happened in any post-Soviet country where the outcome of elections is always well-known long before the actual voting day.
Despite some acid reality - the corruption is still widespread, the living standards are low - overall Ukraine has to be commended for her peaceful progress towards the liberal society. Whoever is elected, President is certainly going to have a tough job. And if he/she doesn't serve his people well enough, hopefully the nation will prevail again to throw him into the limbo of history.

[Kiks]

Timoshenko won’t get this job!
Obviously, Yulia Timoshenko (who is currently a candidate for President of Ukraine) doesn’t understand that the presidential election is the same competitive examination when you’re getting a job. Why not? Considering the principals of democracy (government of the people, by the people, for the people) here we have the board of examiners and employer – the people (the Ukrainian people). The candidates for a job (for president of Ukraine) send their profiles, take proficiency test, present their program and finally wait for the results, being easy in their minds. BUT! Instead of these, candidate Timoshenko traduces one part of the board of examiners, intimidates another and adulates to the third. She ignores the rules of competition, demonstrates the Georgian muscles to the employer ( http://www.kievpost.com/news/city/detail/57185 ), calumniates the other candidates and discredits the employer’s company (the State). That’s how candidate Timoshenko’s tries to get this job (to become a president). The findings of the commission seem to be quite clear to me – REJECT!

[manro1]

Hey there in Europe, haven't you yet heard the phrase of our Premier (of Ukraine) Julia Timoshenko: “If I lose (the election) then Ukraine will have no gas!”? Here everyone is discussing it already.
I think that she has decided to openly blackmail Europe so that you secure the presidential chair for her! You see, if Ukraine has no gas, then Europe is sure to get nothing also.
I was just wondering what you Europeans think about this kind of statements by presidential hopefuls?

I think what that means , that She (timoshenko) is heavely supported by Russia.
So if Russian candidate is not elected Russia will cut gas ----> simlpe

[Rosa]

I have been extremely amazed at knowing that current Ukrainian Prime Minister, Y. Tymoshenko, is running in presidential elections in her country! Moreover, the candidacy of this shady politician, who, as I hear, is suspected in money laundering through some mysterious offshore companies, has even jumped into the second round of elections!
It is really fantastical thing for our Europe! In such circumstances here Mrs. Tymoshenko would count only on immediate stepping down without any hope on continuation of her political carrier.
To all seeming Ukrainians cannot understand yet what the real democracy imports for their country… Such dark persons as their premier, Y. Tymoshenko, should be held in prison instead of fighting for the presidential chair!