Political observer Serhiy Rudenko believes that President Volodymyr Zelensky’s actions and deeds may lead Ukraine to a dictatorship
For the first time in 30 years, practically all the power in the country has ended up in the hands of one person. Zelensky has now gained full control over the Verkhovna Rada, the government, the power bloc, the Prosecutor-General’s Office and so on.
Instead of the reforms that Zelensky promised, Ukraine has seen imitation reforms, and high positions in the government have been given not to Harvard and Stanford graduates, but to friends of the current president, comedians from the 95th quarter.
“One minute he is publicly reprimanding customs officers and local officials, the next he is trying on the role of Robin Hood in relations with Ukrainian oligarchs, and the next he is comparing this organisation to a retired superhero from the rostrum of the UN General Assembly. The sixth president of Ukraine, unfortunately, missed another chance to be different from the post-Soviet rulers. Without motorcades, without state houses, without corruption and attempts to build a monument to himself while still alive,” the expert said.
In his decisions and actions, Zelensky relies only on one body – the National Security and Defence Council headed by its secretary, Oleksiy Danilov, who has become the president’s personal “punishing sword”.
The Council imposes sanctions on smugglers, “thieves in law”, Ukrainian media, deals with energy security, coronavirus and oligarchs. At the same time, lawyers question the legality of the NSDC’s decisions, which allows Zelenskyy to “rule the country”.
“And that is why the NSDC secretary’s statement about the need to turn Ukraine into a rigid presidential republic should be taken seriously. What he said is not his personal opinion, as Zelensky’s entourage is trying to make it sound. It looks like his team is preparing public opinion about the extension of presidential powers,” Rudenko said.