The Oligarchs Are Becoming Stronger in Ukraine
The Oligarchs Are Becoming Stronger in Ukraine

Author(s): Piotr Kościński
Subject(s): Economic policy, Government/Political systems, Developing nations
Published by: PISM Polski Instytut Spraw Międzynarodowych
Keywords: Ukraine; domestic policy; Eastern Europe; government; Petro Poroshenko; society
Summary/Abstract: Despite repeated attempts to undertake reforms aimed at increasing the transparency of the state, Ukraine remains a country in which oligarchs play a key and the negative role. They control a significant part of industry and the most important media. The most recent local elections showed that they are building their own political centres and creating new groups, and the vote of no confidence against Arseniy Yatsenyuk’s government reveals they also control part of parliament as well. The dispute between President Petro Poroshenko and leading oligarch Igor Kolomoisky, a businessman supporting him, is becoming increasingly evident. This can result in the destabilisation of the political scene, and in the long run lead to the oligarchic system becoming embedded. The EU should make support for Ukraine a priority, pushing above all for action over rhetoric in the fight against corruption (reform of the judiciary, the police and the public procurement system), and should monitor the actions of the authorities in Kyiv.

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