Der Spiegel: seats in the Ukraine Parliament sold for millions of dollars

  27 August 2015    Read: 1838
Der Spiegel: seats in the Ukraine Parliament sold for millions of dollars
In the last parliamentary elections the Ukrainian businessmen have gained space in Parliament to lobby their wishes in Parliament, said Tomas Fiala, Founder of the Kyiv investment Bank Dragon Capital and the President of the European business Association in Ukraine in interview to the German newspaper.
Describing Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk as " the product of the old system ", which does not seem a man, a burning desire to make changes in the country, Fiala said that the Prime Minister is not aware of why the state must be radically restructured.

"in the first series they put good candidates: heroes of war and active members with a good reputation. And behind them in the electoral lists was much business. According to my information, parliamentary seats were bought at a price From three to ten million dollars for the mandate, " said the businessman about how he passed last year`s parliamentary elections in Ukraine.

Review Fiala, the head and the Prime Minister of Ukraine did it to Fund his campaign: Arseny Yatsenyuk did not have our own money, And Petro Poroshenko considers it a priority not to touch the equity.

"These facts are well-known in Ukraine and in private conversations this is acknowledged by both parties - buyers and party leaders. If the chief Prosecutor`s office was in reality independent From political influence, then it would be easy to test such accusations, " - said Fiala.

Extraordinary in Ukraine took place on October 26, 2014. The Verkhovna Rada 423 of the MP - 225 on party lists and 198 in single-member districts. Party list, the party of Prime Minister of Ukraine "popular front" got 64 seats. From the party "Block of Petro Poroshenko" in the Parliament 63 deputies, the party "Samopomich" - 32, "the Opposition Bloc" - 27, "Radical party" - 22, "Batkivshchyna" - 17. During the counting of votes in single-mandate constituencies were won by the party " Block of Petro Poroshenko ", which won 69 seats.

Azvision.az introduces a fragment from the interview:

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Many citizens are still dissatisfied with the state of the fight against corruption.

Fiala: Reforms in other countries show that there is a clear recipe for success: authorities have been drastically reduced and 90 per cent of civil servants are fired. The new civil servants will need to be paid so neat that they are not dependent on bribes. Unfortunately, Ukraine has thus waited too long. It took more than a year to establish a new anti-corruption agency. Instead, one would have to reform the General Prosecutor`s Office.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: What do you mean specifically?

Fiala: Instead of fighting corruption, officials are entangled in it. In the 90s mafias were strong in Ukraine. They have lost influence because their business was taken over by cliques in the Interior Ministry and the Prosecutor`s Office.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Why has the break with the old system failed to materialize even after the Maidan protests?

Fiala: Take the Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk. He is himself a product of the old system. He does not give the impression that he would burn them to change.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: What do you exactly mean?

Fiala: He does not understand why the civil service needs to be radically restructured. Yatsenyuk himself has always worked in the public sector.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Were you disappointed about parliamentary candidates put up by Yatsenyuk and Poroshenko ?

Fiala: On the one hand, they have set up good candidates: military heroes and activists with good repute. On the other hand, there are many businessmen in the list. According to my information the parliamentary seats were purchased for prices between three and ten million dollars per mandate. Sure, this has always been a case in Ukraine. I would have liked to believe that it stops after the Maidan.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Who buys mandates?

Fiala: Business people who want to lobby their interests in parliament. For them, this is an investment.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Why have Premier and President agreed to it?

Fiala: In order to finance their election campaigns. Yatsenyuk lacked their own money. The same for Poroshenko. They have become hostages to the old system.

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