How to deal with corruption in Zelenskyy era? Does Democratic Initiatives poll really mean harm to president?

For the first time, Bankova (President’s Office - ed.) was caught in what was supposed to be a trap for political rivals. And Zelenskyy received the bitter fruit of realizing that anonymous Telegrams and a single telethon cannot dilute critical thinking, as happened in Russia and Belarus.

No matter how hard the head of the ruling Servant of the People faction, David Arakhamia, tries to shift the focus from the joint sociological study by the Democratic Initiatives Foundation, it will not work. Because when the Ministry of Defense contracts are awarded to relatives of MPs from the ruling force, and the most odious schemes involve the ears of Shurma, Tatarov, or Yermak's business partners, this is not about "domestic corruption."

"Domestic corruption" is a nice box of chocolates for a classroom teacher for loyalty to a child. "Elite corruption" is when a deputy head of the President's Office helps his brother's company receive USD 320 million for supplying electricity to the occupied territory. 

In fact, it's simple: Bankova was impressed by the extremely high level of unity among Ukrainian citizens. Residents of the West, the Center, the North, the frontline and partially occupied South and East, which are ravaged by constant shelling, consider Zelenskyy responsible for corruption.

Every politician and minister who has written about the "customization" and "manipulative nature" of the social research of the Democratic Initiatives is shooting at his own feet. Why?

This is usually the basis on which lists are compiled, programs are written, and election campaigns are conducted. This is a study that every politician and journalist should read, if they are journalists and not blackmailers who will implicate you in the poisoning of Yushchenko or the assassination of Kennedy for an extra USD 100.

And no, this study and its super-high numbers are not hatred of Zelenskyy, not a dream of overthrowing him here and now. It is not a desire for Maidans in Kyiv again. Rather, it is a sign of maturation and epiphany that the king on a bicycle was naked.

If you look at the old election ads of candidate Zelenskyy, you will find promises to end the "era of greed" and "tear these pigs away from the trough." In the video for the second round, Volodymyr Oleksandrovych promised to cope with difficulties, sacrifice his own time, comfort, and friendships. People gave him a huge loan of trust, so now they just want to return it in full.

When the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk and the Minister of Digital Transformation try to find the intrigues of political opponents and "black PR," they are only drowning their political prospects in the renewed Zelenskyy party.

The 78% of respondents who believe that the President of Ukraine is directly responsible for corruption in the government and military administrations is an extremely alarming signal.

This is a unique figure. Because the people of Ukraine hold the president and his team responsible. Also, please note that I have finally learned very well that the head of the military-civilian administration is also appointed by the president. And this has nothing (!) to do with the mayors and city councils that people elected in 2020. And who themselves are subject to constant harassment and pressure from the President's Office. 

"This figure is a serious crack. It is almost impossible to work it out now, when the authorities know the taste of big money and stubbornly refuse to show declarations. Although, perhaps, then Zelenskyy will have to say goodbye to the same Shurma, Tatarov, and Yermak."

When Oleksandr Kornienko, one of the most recognizable among  the "servants of the people," talks about a mythical someone who wants to hype the upcoming elections and orders such a study, I want to counter him with facts.

The Democratic Initiatives poll is sponsored by a grant from the Dutch government. Why is it important? For 200 years, the Netherlands has been the United States' main, closest, and most basic partner in Europe. The Netherlands is the world's leading economy, which greatly helps Ukraine with weapons.

Panzerhaubitze 2000, Leopards and T-72s - vehicles from this country made a breakthrough for the Ukrainian Armed Forces at the front. It is also worth recalling that the Netherlands was the first country to provide Ukraine with Patriot systems. It also ordered more for the future at its own expense. Why did the Netherlands order this sociology? Their citizens are concerned about how effectively their money is spent on the Russian-Ukrainian war. Moreover, the Netherlands has recently announced that it will be the country that will give us F-16s. These are very expensive toys, and the government has to give a report to its taxpayers on where they are going. Is there any point in investing in a state that has not yet decided on its priorities - freedom or mansions in Monaco for the elite?

Most importantly, this is not the first such study of attitudes toward corruption commissioned by our Western partners.

The other day, Zelenskyy was interviewed by CNN and asked about the 89% of Ukrainians who consider corruption to be the number two problem after the war. They say that American taxpayers are very confused by this figure and wonder whether they should help Ukrainians so much. So there, to the American audience, the president said that corruption in Ukraine is rampant, but it does not concern the theft of money from Western countries, i.e. the Zelenskyy government steals from its citizens, so the US and the EU have nothing to worry about.

So it was no coincidence that Zelenskyy refuted his own party members' statements about "domestic corruption." And he recognized the erosion that prevents us from winning the war faster without deafening additional losses.

So, in the end, we have some good conclusions.

• The concept of "good tsar, bad boyars," which the president has been trying to use for four years, has failed.
• The united telethon failed to create a warm bath for the people. And the truth is still leaking out through independent media and YouTube channels.
• And the main thing is that the president needs to say goodbye to the pigs at the trough, here and now. Otherwise, his second term will be his sentence. Literally.

And finally, I would like to recall an old sketch by comedian Zelenskyy, where he joked about taking a Ukraine bike for a ride, but had so much fun that almost nothing remained. So, I would like to say one thing: if you don't know how to ride this transport, get off and give it to someone else.

I can congratulate Ukrainians. There is nothing wrong with our instincts of self-preservation and critical thinking. And no telethon with a pool of positive bloggers could make us blind. We just finally realized that Zelenskyy has long been a politician, not a TV star. And he should be treated like a standard politician.

Specially for Espreso

About the author: Maryna Danyliuk-Yarmolaieva, journalist.

The editors don't always share the opinions expressed by the authors of the blogs.