New parliament but all the parties are tainted by corrupt members

rada fellons

The Ukrainian NGO  Чесно or “Chesno” which has made a pretty good attempt at identifying each RADA MP in the previous parliament with their numerous personal integrity failings in the past, be they issues of swapping political parties, corruption, illegal voting, being oligarchy puppets etc., etc, and has arrived at a similar graphic display for […]

A best guess or pie in the sky? Ukrainian budget 2013

budget

Although I studied economics as part of a degree in Business Management and Finance many moons ago, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that it was not exactly the most interesting of subjects, and one in which I had to motivate myself to maintain a respectable overall end grade. The fact it […]

Ukrainian OSCE Chairmanship

osce

Ukraine officially takes over the chairmanship of OSCE on 6/7th December 2012 at the OSCE ministerial council meeting in Dublin, when Ireland hands over, and will thus chair OSCE through 2013. That on the back of some robust criticism by OSCE of the recent Ukrainian parliamentary elections - their final and authoritative report on said […]

The Opposition - Looking forward

crystal ball

So the opposition parties in Ukraine have accepted the election results as called by the CEC, with the exception of 5 seats that are to be re-run.  One presumes that having done so, the call for the elections to “represent the genuine will of the Ukrainian voters” as per the EU press statement of two […]

Ukrainian elections the best of the post-Soviet nations? Setting low standards and failing to achieve them

powal kowel

According to MEP Pawel Kowal, head of the European Parliament’s Observer Mission for the Ukrainian elections when speaking at the European Parliament Committee for Foreign Affairs  a few days ago, the Ukrainian elections were the best of those held by post-Soviet nations. For a man who should be used to being very careful with his […]

Disunited we stand - currently at least!

pushme

Uggggghhhhhhhh! In the first real test of cohesiveness after the voting on 28th October, the opposition parties are doing their very best within a week of proving my previous statements about their (in)ability to work together correct - in the fastest time possible. Sometimes I write something in the hope of being proved absolutely and […]

Kolomoisky elected president of United Jewish Community of Ukraine

Ihor Kolom

A very brief post today as my itinerary prevents having time to write anything lengthy. Coinciding with the first ever occurrence of the far-right, openly anti- Russia, anti-EU, pro NATO and anti-Semitic Svoboda party winning seats in the RADA, the Jews of Ukraine have voted Ihor Kolomoisky as President of the United Jewish Community of […]

Answering some readers question from the “So now what?” post - Elections and ECfHR

ignorance

If I needed proof that people (bless you all) actually read what I write occasionally , aside from the website statistics and comments made, questions sent by readers is indeed such proof. Relating to this post written a few days ago, I have been sent several questions, and most aimed at these two paragraphs: “The […]

OSCE statement on the Ukrainian elections - and what now?

odhir logo

Of all the election reports and statements made by the numerous monitoring groups, as I have written before, the statements and reports of ODIHR/OSCE are those that count, historically at least, in the forming of the EU mindset towards recognition - or not. Here is the “morning after” statement. Nothing surprising in there to be […]

Election Day Ukraine (How did the auction for votes go on VK?)

VK logo

Well today is election day in Ukraine (and also my mother-in law’s birthday) - thus a short post as I am expected elsewhere. However I will leave you to ponder just how much these people advertising their votes for sale on VK (a social forum similar to facebook) will have actually been paid for their votes. $20, […]