Another scandal is making headlines in Kyiv. The allegations against former head of government Tymoshenko are not good news for Zelenskyj either.
A If the people of Ukraine hadn’t had to look into enough abysses every day after almost four years of a grueling Russian war of aggression. But now trouble is also looming on the domestic political front. The accusation is corruption – again. This time it’s about the former head of government Yulia Tymoshenko. The party and parliamentary group leader of Batkiwschtschyna (Fatherland) is said to have offered other MPs money in order to influence their voting behavior in their favor. Two anti-corruption authorities want solid evidence of this.
Apparently some of the recipients were and are receptive to this offer. What is particularly piquant is that representatives of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s “Servant of the People” party are also suspected of having engaged in this horse-trading. The most recent example: the candidates for the two ministerial positions of defense and digital transformation, Denys Schmyhal and Mykhailo Fedorov, were only waved through by parliament on the second attempt this Wednesday.
It is known that some of Zelenskyj’s followers still have a score to settle with him. But the bottom line is that his position weakened becomes. Apart from that, there is also a positive aspect of the recent developments, which could turn into another scandal. In a country struggling for its very existence under ongoing Russian attacks, political life exists.
Last summer, Zelensky wanted to sideline the anti-corruption authorities, but backed out after protests from civil society. Said authorities are determined to do their job. Although the outcome is open-ended, this alone deserves recognition, respect and support from Kyiv’s partners.
The judiciary will have to clarify what the allegations against Tymoshenko actually are. Until then, the presumption of innocence also applies to them. But that doesn’t change the conclusion: With people like her, a politician from yesterday, no state can be built in Ukraine – neither in wartime nor in peacetime.
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