Ukraine Politics

[kievstar]

Been an interesting past couple months as Yulia Tymoshenko has tried to do many things to position herself to get elected as next President.  First she tried to use the Putin angle but realized quickly that being a friend of Putin causes her problems with her core voters and the voters of the East tend to favor Viktor Yanukovych no matter what her relationship is with Putin or Russia. 

Than she tried to form a coalition with Viktor Yanukovych and get parliament the right to vote the next Ukraine President (not the people).  This just failed as Viktor Yanukovych walked out on her.   http://www.kyivpost.com/nation/42973 
Viktor was smart as she would have turned on him.  Viktor Yanukovych can win the current way right now. 

It amazes me that anybody in their right mind would vote for this lady for any political position.  She has no respect for the people of Ukraine any maybe the greediest woman in Ukraine.  She still has the issues of her family's 2 billion usd debt disappearing once she became prime minister and the funneling of her money through  a 34 year old (Konstantin Zhevago) she brought into politics a decade ago who is a multi billionaire - but she has stakes to a large portion of his money. 

For any Ukraine citizen or expat - what is your thoughts on her?

[ECOCKS]

Three years ago, I thought she was a ray of hope on the Ukrainian political scene. Then she showed her true colors with the moves to play faction against faction and split her own party base through trying to be a player.

Now, my assessment is that she is merely an insincere populist who considers self-interest in her every move. She was deep into the energy corruption (willingly, I'd wager) years ago and, like most Ukrainian pols, used the proceeds to buy her way into national office. Her understanding of national and international economics is limited to whatever benefits (or she hopes will benefit) her stature and her pocketbook. She's deeply into the cronyism and GOB network on both the business and political fields of play.

Her punk daughter and son-in-law, like their Interior Minister, epitomize much of the worst of the stereotypes of Ukrainians - excess, elitism, bullying, arrogance, etc.

[Sculpto]

yeah but she is hot 

[IAmZon]

is she on Elena's models?  I could re-new my "gold" membership

[kievstar]

Guys she is not hot but she is not ugly either.  I think you guys have been reading the links below:


http://www.gossipcrunch.com/2008/11/yulia-tymoshenko-is-one-hot-milf-than-sarah-palin/
http://www.daylife.com/topic/Yulia_Tymoshenko/photos/all/1


Ecocks, who do you think would be a good President of Ukraine?

[ECOCKS]

Ecocks, who do you think would be a good President of Ukraine?
[/quote

Babushka Elena (wife's aunt).

Seriously, the only possible realistic candidate I see right now is Yatsenyuk. I used to think Khorshofskiy (ugh, sp?) could do it but now he's been tainted as too close to Yushenko.

Yanukovich will put the country back about 10 years a la something like a large-scale Transnistra scenario. If he wins, even the billionaires behind him won't keep him in line as they fall apart after the election scrambling to steal everything they missed the first couple of times around.

I have my doubts that Yatsenyuk is as squeaky clean as he looks and even he has shown he will go along as a pawn if the need arises.

Yulia was fairly hot when the only other major female world leaders were Merkel and Condi, but too many uppers and after-dinner aperitifs have taken their toll.

[Muddy]

its not in their culture. God will provide. I have the theory that their very hard 'winters' are also to blame.....you cant screw up the way we do if you are going to be burried in snow and ice for 4 months or more.........harsh winters force you to be disciplined OR else

[Boethius]

I

have my doubts that Yatsenyuk is as squeaky clean as he looks and even he has shown he will go along as a pawn if the need arises.

No Ukrainian politician is clean, let alone squeaky clean.

its not in their culture. God will provide. I have the theory that their very hard 'winters' are also to blame.....you cant screw up the way we do if you are going to be burried in snow and ice for 4 months or more.........harsh winters force you to be disciplined OR else

???  Ukraine doesn't have harsh winters.