Betraying a Revolution?

Betraying a Revolution

News coming out of Kiev is not too encouraging these days, particularly in terms of the economic policies pursued by the Timoshenko government.

Part of the outburst of populist policies can be explained by the up-coming elections to the Rada in March of next year. It's simply necessary for the Orange revolution coalition to secure a majority there - otherwise everything is lost.

But part can probably be explained by an inability of the European-minded part of that coalition to set the proper strategic direction for the policies to be pursued.

It seems as if revenge against the old has been given prominence over reform for the new in the policies of the governnent.

With Yulia Timoshenko increasingly being the most popular player on the scene, there are also increasing question marks concerning where she wants to go. She's a very determined lady - I had lunch with her a month or so ago - but her horizons are somewhat limited due to her lack of international experience and contacts.

In today's Washington Post, Anders Åslund has a gloomy piece on what's going on.

That's good.

Bad publicity in Washington might focus the minds in Kiev. And that might cause them to start to discuss the radical corrections of course that will be imperate at the very latest after the 2006 elections.