V. Bobyrenko in an interview with Gazeta.ua

11 April 2020
V. Bobyrenko in an interview with Gazeta.ua

Political and economic events in Ukraine in March-April 2020 were crucial for the continuation of positive and mutual trust with the IMF. However, this situation put V. Zelensky on the path of choosing between the interests of the state and the interests of friendly oligarchs. This topic, along with the disclosure of other important issues, is covered by V. Bobyrenko in an interview with Gazeta.ua. The head of the Bureau for Policy Analysis emphasized the following:

  • The President covers the decisions taken. Instead, he is not their source.
  • There’s a format of multi-leaders in Ukraine now. Previously, there was a triumvirate of Zelensky, Kolomoiskyi and Pinchuk. Now the circle of decision-makers has expanded. Ivan Bakanov, the current head of the Security Service of Ukraine, and Andrii Yermak, the head of the Presidential Office, have been influencing state decisions. Besides them, such oligarchs as Kolomoiskyi, Pinchuk, Akhmetov and Eternal Minister Avakov sit at the negotiating table.
  • The worst thing is that V. Zelensky did not dare to leave Kolomoiskyi immediately after the election. He had a chance to do it, appealing to the whole healthy Ukrainian society.
  • V. Zelensky was able to renew the old political system. Servants of the People Party thus multiplied to zero many oligarchs on the ground. They proved that it is possible to come to power without huge financial resources behind them.
  • When Zelensky speaks, he should think that not only Ukrainians will hear him. Our international partners are shocked by the division of oligarchs as curators of the regions.
  • The Anti-Kolomoiskyi law must be passed, despite the huge number of amendments that are currently being proposed to it. This is a mandatory condition of the IMF. We will not get money without it. However, it is unlikely that the authorities will offend Kolomoiskyi so much. Most likely, he will receive compensation in the form of some other asset.
  • People pinned different hopes on the President. He came to power with theses about peace at any cost, imprisoning of hucksters, high wages and pensions, low tariffs. None of the above has been implemented. The level of support for Zelensky will continue to fall, but it will be slow.
  • Zelensky wanted to remain friends with Kolomoiskyi and other oligarchs. After all, they own the media that form such an important rating for Zelensky. With all this, the President really wanted to make changes in the state. Only now he begins to realize that he will have to choose one thing.
  • V. Zelensky will not dissolve the parliament, because he knows that only Opposition Platform - For Life and Batkivshchyna (Батьківщина) will benefit from the new parliamentary elections.
  • Zelensky showed himself as he could. He became a good reciter of texts written for him by other people. Now he plays the role of just a talkative head and demonstratively chairs the meeting.
  • The President can leave without even completing the first term. He is an artist, a vulnerable soul.

Link: https://gazeta.ua/articles/life/_koli-zelenskij-vidmovitsya-vid-prezidentskogo-krisla/959879