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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/25/world/europe/activists-say-election-of-a-president-is-just-a-start-in-repairing-ukraine.html
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| Election of President Seen as a Beginning to Repairing Ukraine | Election of President Seen as a Beginning to Repairing Ukraine |
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| KIEV, Ukraine — For some Ukrainians, the election on Sunday to replace their ousted president might be viewed as the triumphant culmination of six months of protests and at times violent upheaval. But for the young journalist whose Facebook post is credited as the virtual trumpet call that ignited his country’s revolution last fall, there is nothing to celebrate — yet. | |
| The journalist, Mustafa Nayyem, recalled the slate of anti-democratic laws adopted by Parliament in January that set off clashes and led to the first deaths of protesters. “The same guys are sitting in the same Parliament,” he said, shaking his head. “What is that?” | The journalist, Mustafa Nayyem, recalled the slate of anti-democratic laws adopted by Parliament in January that set off clashes and led to the first deaths of protesters. “The same guys are sitting in the same Parliament,” he said, shaking his head. “What is that?” |
| As for the leading contender for president, the billionaire confectioner and veteran politician, Petro Poroshenko, Mr. Nayyem was similarly bleak. “For me, it’s obvious that Poroshenko is part of the system that we rose up against,” he said. | As for the leading contender for president, the billionaire confectioner and veteran politician, Petro Poroshenko, Mr. Nayyem was similarly bleak. “For me, it’s obvious that Poroshenko is part of the system that we rose up against,” he said. |
| While the United States and its allies view Sunday’s election as crucial to installing a pro-European government and weakening Russia’s influence, Mr. Nayyem and other protest leaders see it as a reminder of the need for vigilance, to be sure Ukraine does not revert to the corrupt status quo that ultimately negated the Orange Revolution of 2004. | While the United States and its allies view Sunday’s election as crucial to installing a pro-European government and weakening Russia’s influence, Mr. Nayyem and other protest leaders see it as a reminder of the need for vigilance, to be sure Ukraine does not revert to the corrupt status quo that ultimately negated the Orange Revolution of 2004. |
| Ukraine is now a different place, they say, with a number of concrete, systemic government reforms already enacted and more on the way. “When I say that we will never have the same system, it’s not because everything changed and it’s not magic,” Mr. Nayyem said. “People will not accept it again.” | Ukraine is now a different place, they say, with a number of concrete, systemic government reforms already enacted and more on the way. “When I say that we will never have the same system, it’s not because everything changed and it’s not magic,” Mr. Nayyem said. “People will not accept it again.” |
| According to voter surveys, Mr. Poroshenko is virtually certain to finish first in Sunday’s voting, holding a wide lead over a former prime minister, Yulia V. Tymoshenko; a former economic minister, Sergey Tigipko; and about 20 lesser-known candidates. | According to voter surveys, Mr. Poroshenko is virtually certain to finish first in Sunday’s voting, holding a wide lead over a former prime minister, Yulia V. Tymoshenko; a former economic minister, Sergey Tigipko; and about 20 lesser-known candidates. |
| But while Mr. Poroshenko has promised to lead Ukraine on the pro-European course that the ousted president, Viktor F. Yanukovych, abandoned in favor of closer ties with Russia, the demonstrators who spent months in Independence Square are taking no chances. They have aggressively pressed the formerly pro-Yanukovych Parliament to adopt a series of reform measures — a so-called reanimation package — and they say the effort will only intensify in the months ahead. | But while Mr. Poroshenko has promised to lead Ukraine on the pro-European course that the ousted president, Viktor F. Yanukovych, abandoned in favor of closer ties with Russia, the demonstrators who spent months in Independence Square are taking no chances. They have aggressively pressed the formerly pro-Yanukovych Parliament to adopt a series of reform measures — a so-called reanimation package — and they say the effort will only intensify in the months ahead. |
| “To kick out Yanukovych is not the end, it is just the beginning,” said Svitlana Zalishchuk, the executive director of CentreUA, a nonprofit organization that is helping to coordinate a coalition of organizations and activists. “This is the lesson we learned from the Orange Revolution.” | “To kick out Yanukovych is not the end, it is just the beginning,” said Svitlana Zalishchuk, the executive director of CentreUA, a nonprofit organization that is helping to coordinate a coalition of organizations and activists. “This is the lesson we learned from the Orange Revolution.” |
| The effort to remake the government started in January, when the Kiev uprising was at full throttle. Just as brigades were organized for cooking food and for self-defense, some demonstrators formed a group called Civil Sector Maidan that began preparing the policy initiatives they wanted implemented regardless of who would ultimately lead the government. | The effort to remake the government started in January, when the Kiev uprising was at full throttle. Just as brigades were organized for cooking food and for self-defense, some demonstrators formed a group called Civil Sector Maidan that began preparing the policy initiatives they wanted implemented regardless of who would ultimately lead the government. |
| The work is not easy. One initial component of the reanimation package, a new law on public procurement, won approval in Parliament by just a single vote. Other measures, including a push for broad constitutional amendments and further anticorruption measures, are encountering serious resistance. | The work is not easy. One initial component of the reanimation package, a new law on public procurement, won approval in Parliament by just a single vote. Other measures, including a push for broad constitutional amendments and further anticorruption measures, are encountering serious resistance. |
| But analysts say that the push by civic activists, combined with pressure from the International Monetary Fund, which has demanded policy changes in exchange for an emergency financing package, have set Ukraine on a course to finally move past its post-Soviet legacy of corruption and mismanagement. | But analysts say that the push by civic activists, combined with pressure from the International Monetary Fund, which has demanded policy changes in exchange for an emergency financing package, have set Ukraine on a course to finally move past its post-Soviet legacy of corruption and mismanagement. |
| In the last few weeks several important changes have been made, experts said, though they have been largely overshadowed by Russia’s annexation of Crimea, and by the separatist insurrection in the east. | In the last few weeks several important changes have been made, experts said, though they have been largely overshadowed by Russia’s annexation of Crimea, and by the separatist insurrection in the east. |
| To comply with requirements of the International Monetary Fund, the government raised household natural gas tariffs, a step that fiscal experts had urged for years to reduce energy use and expenditures. | To comply with requirements of the International Monetary Fund, the government raised household natural gas tariffs, a step that fiscal experts had urged for years to reduce energy use and expenditures. |
| Other laws passed in recent weeks included measures to ease access to public information, to upgrade election rules, to begin overhauling the tax code and to impose new ethical standards in the judicial system. | Other laws passed in recent weeks included measures to ease access to public information, to upgrade election rules, to begin overhauling the tax code and to impose new ethical standards in the judicial system. |
| Another component in the reanimation package is a plan to “decentralize” the government, giving greater budget authority to local governments, an undertaking that is viewed as crucial to calming unrest in the east. | Another component in the reanimation package is a plan to “decentralize” the government, giving greater budget authority to local governments, an undertaking that is viewed as crucial to calming unrest in the east. |
| While experts caution that many previous reform efforts have failed, they also said there was cause for greater optimism now. | While experts caution that many previous reform efforts have failed, they also said there was cause for greater optimism now. |
| “I strongly believe that there will be more systemic changes in Ukraine than after the Orange Revolution,” said Alyona Getmanchuk, the director of the Institute of World Policy, a political research organization based in Kiev. “People are aware that they have to be permanently involved in building a new Ukraine. Public pressure on government is much higher than it was in 2005.” | “I strongly believe that there will be more systemic changes in Ukraine than after the Orange Revolution,” said Alyona Getmanchuk, the director of the Institute of World Policy, a political research organization based in Kiev. “People are aware that they have to be permanently involved in building a new Ukraine. Public pressure on government is much higher than it was in 2005.” |
| One visible sign of the pressure is the tent city that remains in Independence Square, the main protest site in Kiev, where several hundred demonstrators, some armed, say they will stay until the goals of the uprising have been attained. No one seems quite sure when that moment will arrive, but there is general agreement that the election of a new president is not it. | One visible sign of the pressure is the tent city that remains in Independence Square, the main protest site in Kiev, where several hundred demonstrators, some armed, say they will stay until the goals of the uprising have been attained. No one seems quite sure when that moment will arrive, but there is general agreement that the election of a new president is not it. |
| Standing outside one of tents, Aleksandr Yaroshchuk, 44, who is from Ivano-Frankovsk in western Ukraine, said he had been living in Independence Square since Dec. 2 and had no plans to return home anytime soon. He said he had closed a business he owned selling spare machine parts. “I will vote for Poroshenko,” Mr. Yaroshchuk, said, adding, “He’s a successful manager.” | Standing outside one of tents, Aleksandr Yaroshchuk, 44, who is from Ivano-Frankovsk in western Ukraine, said he had been living in Independence Square since Dec. 2 and had no plans to return home anytime soon. He said he had closed a business he owned selling spare machine parts. “I will vote for Poroshenko,” Mr. Yaroshchuk, said, adding, “He’s a successful manager.” |
| But he said he planned to stay to pressure the new authorities. “People’s way of thinking has changed,” Mr. Yaroshchuk said. “We are convinced that we have forces and possibilities to change the system.” | But he said he planned to stay to pressure the new authorities. “People’s way of thinking has changed,” Mr. Yaroshchuk said. “We are convinced that we have forces and possibilities to change the system.” |
| Ukraine remains a deeply troubled country, one in which the government recently appealed to private citizens to donate money to help rebuild the military. Some Ukrainian activists say that combating unrest in the east, and a continuing military threat from Russia, are a more immediate priority. As a result some reform efforts are slow. A new anticorruption bureau, led by a former activist named Tatyana Chornovol, is staffed by volunteers. And Ms. Chornovol is spending much of her time in eastern Ukraine, working with a volunteer militia. | Ukraine remains a deeply troubled country, one in which the government recently appealed to private citizens to donate money to help rebuild the military. Some Ukrainian activists say that combating unrest in the east, and a continuing military threat from Russia, are a more immediate priority. As a result some reform efforts are slow. A new anticorruption bureau, led by a former activist named Tatyana Chornovol, is staffed by volunteers. And Ms. Chornovol is spending much of her time in eastern Ukraine, working with a volunteer militia. |
| “We are in a transition toward achieving results,” said Hanna Hopko, a former public health and anti-tobacco advocate who is now the lead lobbyist for the reanimation package in Parliament. In an interview, Ms. Hopko said that she was in talks with Mr. Poroshenko’s campaign staff about an agreement, to be sealed if he becomes president, aimed at showing his support for the changes. | “We are in a transition toward achieving results,” said Hanna Hopko, a former public health and anti-tobacco advocate who is now the lead lobbyist for the reanimation package in Parliament. In an interview, Ms. Hopko said that she was in talks with Mr. Poroshenko’s campaign staff about an agreement, to be sealed if he becomes president, aimed at showing his support for the changes. |
| “If we remind him every day of Yanukovych’s history,” she said, “he will be very afraid of doing something bad.” | “If we remind him every day of Yanukovych’s history,” she said, “he will be very afraid of doing something bad.” |
| Mr. Nayyem, the journalist who urged the protests on Independence Square, known also as Maidan, said complacency posed a big risk. “The day when we say that we are finished, we’ll have the next Yanukovych,” he said. “This is the nature of power. They want to have more and more if you allow them. That’s why I am for a permanent Maidan — not on the streets but in the hearts of people. I will be asking people, ‘Don’t believe any government. Check everything.’ ” | Mr. Nayyem, the journalist who urged the protests on Independence Square, known also as Maidan, said complacency posed a big risk. “The day when we say that we are finished, we’ll have the next Yanukovych,” he said. “This is the nature of power. They want to have more and more if you allow them. That’s why I am for a permanent Maidan — not on the streets but in the hearts of people. I will be asking people, ‘Don’t believe any government. Check everything.’ ” |