Ukraine EuroMaidan activists announce criteria for new government

An organization of respected EuroMaidan civic activists, the People’s Trust Circle, released a statement on Feb. 25 listing the criteria by which the new Cabinet of Ministers should be formed. It proposed lustration of heads of executive government organs serving under former President Viktor Yanukovych as well as his Presidential Administration staff. Those among the Top 100 wealthiest Ukrainians should also be forbidden, the Circle said.

Ministers should have at least seven years of experience in their respective spheres, except for the Internal Affairs Ministry, the Defense Ministry and the Security Service of Ukraine. They should have five years’ experience in management and have no evidence of corrupt activity. “Every member of government should gain the Maidan’s approval,” the statement said.

Zenon Zawada: We support the proposals of the People’s Trust Circle. The professionalism of Ukraine’s ministries has suffered at the expense of cronyism and corruption. Unfortunately, we expect the Circle to be disappointed as the new Cabinet of Ministers is likely to consist almost exclusively of representatives of the three pro-Western opposition parties. The appointment of mega-millionaire Arsen Avakov as acting internal affairs minister, having no police experience, is already a dark omen.

We recommend at least half of the new ministers should be non-partisan experts in their fields, particularly in the economy-related organs. The new government risks antagonizing the EuroMaidan movement if it ignores its proposed requirements of the new Cabinet. We note that the protest is still active on Independence Square. There’s a significant risk it can be reactivated against the new government if it consists mostly of spongers of state troughs and political cronies.