We should not rely om USA, Ukraine has great investment potential.
Civil society should encourage technocrats to take decisive, sometimes unpopular but vital actions. Ukraine has a lot to offer but the world has to learn about these opportunities. “A lot of people who believe in the ideals of democracy and work for them, have appreciated the changes that had occurred during the Maidan. […] We should not rely on the United States, they have a lot of problems of their own,” noted Michael Meyer-Resende, executive director of Democracy Reporting International, at a discussion held at Ukraine Crisis Media Center. He believes that the law on local elections in Ukraine proved to be flawed and ineffective in practice. “It is time to talk about changing the electoral system,” stressed Meyer-Resende.
James Brooke, editor in chief of Ukraine Business Journal, pointed out that Ukraine is a huge country in central Europe, and we cannot be ignored. “Ukraine has great investment potential, and the situation at 3% of the country should not influence these processes,” says Mr Brooke. Vira Nanivska, chairman of the “College of Anna Yaroslavna,” added that the role of donors is crucial, “We need to develop programs and fill them with money.”
Mustafa Nayem, MP, member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on European Integration, noted that the reforms are not only a daily work, but also the fight against self and against existing system. “External benchmarks resulted in the inferiority feeling. Ukraine is carrying out the reforms only at the request of international institutions. The emergence of a successful person in politics is usually a threat to others, and they are trying to get him out of the way, stated Mustafa Nayem. If you stay in politics, then you will become a cog in the political game. […] The level of romanticism about the desire to do something in politics is very low.” Corruption and the external enemy – Russia are the threats which should consolidate Ukrainian society.
“This year we have mentioned our achievements and good legislation. Our civil society has matured in recent years. In my opinion, it even exceeds our political elite,” noted Alyona Shkrum, MP, head of the subcommittee on civil service and service in local government, member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on State Building, Regional Policy and Local Self-Government. According to her, the law on civil service is very progressive, but there is no political will to implement it. The same is true of public institutions. The Accounting Chamber and Anti-Monopoly Committee actually do not work.
Andriy Kulikov, chairman of the “Public Radio,” believes that personalities are very important in global processes. A man who takes unpopular measures should convince politicians that they are feasible. “It’s good that we lay the responsibility on certain people, and also take it. […] We need an integrated approach and determination, in words and in deeds,” added Mr. Kulikov.