Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, returning from his tour in the United States, is called upon to act against corruption. According to a study, three-quarters of the country’s inhabitants believe that it bears responsibility in this matter.
It is a measure of pressure from the Ukrainians on their president, through a study: 78% of them believe that Volodymyr Zelensky is directly responsible for corruption in the country. This is the lesson of a survey conducted by the Foundation for Democratic Initiatives and the International Sociological Institute of kyiv.
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The people interviewed said in substance: “Mr. President, do your job! Fight corruption! It concerns people more and more” says Petro Burkovskyi, sociologist and head of this survey.
According to this work, Ukrainians still have confidence in the head of state and do not think he is complicit. However, the fight against corruption is his responsibility and he is not doing enough, according to the majority of those surveyed. While thousands of soldiers sacrifice themselves to defend their country, the scandals are no longer audible, according to Petro Burkovskyi.
“We have many men who pay to escape the army, to escape conscription: thousands of cases.”
Petro Burkovskyiat franceinfo
The expert adds that there are cases “where officials from different levels within the government and military administration stole public money for their own interests.“
“You are playing into Vladimir Putin’s hands”
Volodymyr Zelensky’s popularity rating could quickly plummet if he does not act more decisively, because the fight against corruption has become a question of survival: it “is very dangerous because it dilutes solidarity,” according to Petro Burkovskyi. In short: if a neighbor pays to avoid the army, why go get killed yourself? Why agree to be a soldier, when at the Ministry of Defense, some people line their pockets?
“If these inequalities increase, it will break national unity, and that is what Russia is waiting for! Everything suggests that the war will continue. Allowing corruption increases our risk of defeat. In our situation, defeat means extermination. Russia came here to kill. They razed Mariupol, towns in Donbass… It’s a war for our survival. This is why corruption is no longer tolerated,” analyzes Petro Burkovskyi.
Those close to Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the authors of the study for damaging the president’s image in the middle of war and betraying the country. Petro Burkovskyi replies: “You, who are in power, attack corruption rather than solid study! Otherwise, it’s not me, but you who are playing into Vladimir Putin’s hands.“