Ukraine Under Pressure

Anna Sonny, 30 May 2012

By Anna Sonny

Negative press surrounding the Ukrainian government has been gathering pace over the last few weeks as political tensions in the domestic sphere cast a shadow over their relations with the rest of Europe. The Ukrainian President, Viktor Yanukovych, is under fire from the EU because of his government’s poor human rights record and its frequent disregard for the rule of law. The EU has also condemned the imprisonment of Yulia Tymoshenko, the former Ukrainian President and leader of the Orange Revolution, as politically motivated.

The tense political mood has clouded the European Championship 2012 which is due to be co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine, with high-profile EU ministers threatening to boycott the games and trade deals between Ukraine and the EU coming to a standstill. Images of a frail Tymoshenko lifting her arms to indicate bruises which she alleges are the result of mistreatment by prison guards, are seen by some as part of her campaign to revive her political standing. However, for others it is clear evidence of the underhand tactics that propel Yanukovych’s regime. Parliamentary elections are to be held this October in Ukraine, but with the sentencing of Tymoshenko last year for abuse of office and the arrest and trial other former government officials, Yanukovych appears to be in the process of eliminating the opposition, flanked by a justice system that is selective and politically motivated.

For years, the Ukrainian political system has been steadily corroded by cronyism; with the EU looking for more ways to put pressure on Ukraine to reform, there is a fear that isolation from Europe will lead to a closer allegiance between the former Soviet country and Russia. Although Ukraine’s trade with EU countries now exceeds that with Russia, Moscow remains the largest individual trading partner and a significant geo-political ally. Last week’s ugly scenes however, of a brawl in Parliament that erupted during a discussion on whether to upgrade Russian to an official language, suggest that Ukraine is not about to succumb wholly to Russia’s sphere of influence.

The Human Rights Watch World Report 2012 spoke of increased pressure on the Ukrainian media and rampant corruption that continues to plague public and private institutions in the country. Violations of the rights of migrants and asylum seekers were also highlighted as serious concerns. On Thursday 24^th May, the EU adopted a resolution citing its condemnation of widespread corruption and abuse of power in Ukraine, stressing that the country must respect democracy and rule of law in order for trade and accession negotiations to take place. The resolution also indicated that high-ranking officials will not attend the European Championships; although an official boycott has not yet been called, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and the entire college of commissioners have announced they will not be attending the games.

There is concern, however, about whether the European Championship is the appropriate forum to send a political message. Some MEPs are calling for their national football teams to move their matches to Poland, while others are suggesting that EU officials attend the games privately rather than in an official capacity, therefore not associating themselves with Yanukovych’s regime. Mixing sport with politics is often a divisive issue, yet, however the attendance of the championships plays out, there is certainly an anxiety amongst EU leaders to express their condemnation of Yanukovych’s government in a way that harms the Ukrainian regime and not the Ukrainian people.