I just finished my latest interview with English-language media (CTV this time). I swear: the next time I hear a western journalist call Ukraines President the chocolate king I will turn on my most profane vocabulary! So Canadian journalists beware: if you want to hear an unstoppable barrage of swearing from your authoritative professor in Kyiv during your next live broadcast, just try me! President Poroshenko happens to have made his money in the chocolate business (incidentally he owns bakeries and car assembly plants too, not to mention a ship yard, and a fairly large agricultural concern). He is not a poor man. Should we fault him for that? During the past 12 years I have researched and taught entrepreneurs in Ukraine, and although i would not call Poroshenko a completely self-made man, he does not fit the stereotype of rent-seeking oligarch either. The businesses that he owns generally benefit from Soviet-era assets that were once privatized, but unlike other such privatizers Poroshenko did not strip his enterprises assets after gaining ownership - he developed them into prosperous businesses that employ thousands of workers.Three years ago I moderated an open discussion with Poroshenko at Kyiv-Mohyla Business School, and I remember him saying the same phrase I heard repeated today during his inauguration speech: the thing I most enjoy in business is creating jobs. Amen Mr President! But as of today, job creation is not Mr Poroshenkos main task. As he made eminently clear during todays inaugural address, the prime task of the new President is to bring peace to Ukraine - ie to win the war in the Donbas (anything less than victory over Russias mercenaries in the region is a guarantee of further violence!). Indeed I will be so bold as to state outright: the label chocolate king is a deliberately planted meme originating from the Kremlin, amed at devaluing the image of Poroshenko in the western press. Until today, the Kyiv government was referred to as questionably legitate or post revolutionary. Those epithets no longer apply, so lets use another (say Putins spin doctors). Im curious: how does the average Canadian react when Ukrainians smirk over Stephen Harper being the only world leader to have arrived at todays inaugural prayer service at St. Sophia Cathedral with his own security team? All of the European leaders present were happy to rely on Ukrainian government security, but the Canadian PM clearly felt under greater threat than the rest. What does he have to hide I wonder? I would normally not raise the above point, but when one ridicules a foreign President (particularly on his Inauguration Day) one should not be surprised if onesown leader is ridiculed - and Ukraines news casts were not kind to Harper tonight. Back to Poroshenko. His speech in Parliament was extremely well received today. This is particularly important since Ukraines new President has very little hard core support. Poroshenko voters are generally soft supporters who were prepared to give him the benefit of a great deal of doubt. And Poroshenko seems to know this: he seems eager to win the hearts and minds of Ukrainians, and hes certainly promising the right things: 1) hardline defense against Russian aggression, including long-term strengthening of Ukraines military 2) visa-free regime with the EU 3) decentralization and a reset of the political establishment through early parliamentary elections 4) real action on corruption 5) dialogue and openness regarding all government policy except basic unnugotiable principles (sovereignty, territorial integrity). All of these are highly popular and desperately needed. Ukrainians (both those who voted for him and those who didnt) are generally prepared to give their new President the benefit of a great deal of doubt. After.all hes a family man with 4 children and a very intelligent wife (refreshing after Ludmyla Yanukovych), he was able to gather a record number of world leaders for his inauguration (and not a single road was closedin Kyiv today to allow an official delegation to drive through - a welcome change from the days when Yanukovych would shut down half the city just to get to/from his office), he speaks English and is obviously comfortable in the company of world leaders. During my nights on maidan 4-5 months ago (seems like a lifetime had passed since then) I remember seeing Poroshenko several times walking into crowds to speak with the people - no bodyguards anywhere near. How many other billionaires do that kind of thing? My family and I watched the inauguration ceremony today from start to finish. Tears came to our eyes on several occasions: pride. When the broadcast was over, the phone started to ring. It didnt stop for 3 hours: friends and family called to talk, to wish each other well, to share this moment of optimism. Habemus Presidentum!!! Today was a good day. The general feeling is that tomorrow will be good as well - tough but good. That kind of optimism has not been common in Ukraine for a long time. Congratulations Mr President! God help us if you disappoint! Mychailo Wynnyckyj PhD Kyiv-Mohyla Academy
Posted on: Sat, 07 Jun 2014 19:53:55 +0000
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