#Ukraine government 'is using anti-European methods of pressure on business'

Today (4 July), against a backdrop of bright conferences, public discussions and performances in the media, the Ukrainian government is preserving negative qualities such as the relationship between private and public, the pressure of government circles on business, and corruption.  Of course, these factors can significantly affect the desire of Ukrainians to move towards visa liberalization and reaching out to the European Union.

This week, European-oriented deputy Serhiy Leshchenko in his blog has published the list of the biggest corruption scandals and people “sitting” on large state flows in Ukraine. Mr. Leshchenko has a very significant experience of work in anti-corruption programs and promoting European values inside the country. That is why his rating immediately turned the attention of thousands of Ukrainian and European entrepreneurs, who look forward to have opportunities to collaborate with and to invest in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, a number of anti-corruption bodies have been created in Ukraine to prevent corruption. But as long as those bodies have not finished any serious case, they triggered only displeasure of public and came under close monitoring of European creditors.Now this Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office opened a criminal case on the famous entrepreneur and philanthropist Oleksandr Onishchenko and asks the Parliament to delete the immunity from him as the organizer of “gas schemes”.

We note that Onishchenko is a prominent businessman and never was included in “rating” of corruptioners like ones that Leshchenko has provided.

What is the reason why the apparent cases with evidence from leading journalists and NGOs are ignored, but people like Onishchenko fall under pressure!

We recall that Oleksandr Onishchenko is a Ukrainian politician, businessman and sportsman, deputy of Ukraine of VII and VIII calls, president of the Equestrian Federation of Ukraine, President of the Foundation “Family”, and founder of the International philanthropic organization “TOP Ukraine”.

Ukrainian experts say that now in Ukraine continues an undeclared war: massive raider captures of business, deprivation of businesses, and redistribution of the market and so on.All this takes place under the patronage of Poroshenko and his closest business, political and participatory environment.

“The scenario of Yanukovych is repeated to monopolize influence and power. Unfortunately, there was no distribution of private and public and parties still remain the conglomerates of corruption.No one wants to overcome corruption institutionally, fundamental areas aren’t developed, and reforms remain only as declarations.In fact, case of Onishchenko looks like redistribution of natural gas market” – says political strategist, head of the Institute for Democracy and Development “PolitA” Kateryna Odarchenko.

Is it possible to interpret these events in a way that the President turns to dictatorial methods of pressure on the Ukrainian business? Time will tell based on continuation of this case.Here it is clearly vivid that he uses the newly created organization – the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, aimed at fighting corruption in the higher echelons of power – in own favor.

According to the leader of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office Holodnytskyy, in the case of Onishchenko there are prepared already a number of evidence of his involvement in the machinations with the gas company "Ukrgazvydobuvannya", but he refuses to reveal the details to Ukrainian media.

  At the same time, as reported by informed sources within the NABU, this public body holds no evidence of guilt of Onishchenko.

Moreover, the used methods – the arrest of his relatives, as well as people who don’t even know of the existence of a businessman – in the opinion of local observers, pulls our country back to 1937, when in the Soviet Union, part of which Ukraine was then, the confession was beaten out from people by means of physical and psychological methods. The catchy phrase of those times by despot Josef Stalin “No person – no problem” is still alive.

We have found out the opinion of leading Ukrainian politicians and we are sorry to say,  instead of fighting corruption, as in the rest of civilized world, this body in Ukraine takes only political orders. In the case of Onishchenko – from the President himself. The decision to arrest deputy and to bring him to justice is a purely political decision, concludes former Prime Minister of Ukraine, leader of the “Fatherland” political party Yulia Tymoshenko.

“NABU, Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office – all they are just illusion, they won’t touch real generators of corruption in the country. NABU depends on the country's top leadership, they do orders: they closed the cases against Gontareva, against the Minister of Finance, against deputies of PPB (Petro Poroshenko’s Block), who stand at the head of corruption; they cover up corruption of who is in charge. All corrupt officials from the previous government were released. All the leaders of corruption sitting in senior positions in the government today” – Tymoshenko said.

  Tymoshenko also commented on channel 112 Ukraine the criminal case against deputy Oleksandr Onishchenko.

“Now go raider processes to businesses that were once in times of Yanukovych – they deprive people of business. The same is with Onishchenko’s business. Onishchenko is a public person, but how many of those who aren’t and faced with same deprivation?” she said.

Onishchenko himself sued the Pechersky District Court of Kyiv against GPOU and NABU to protect his honour and reputation. He says he will appeal to the international community to prevent such objectless pressure from the authorities.

The business community in Ukraine, as well as policy persons from the reform camp, are hugely shocked and express their outrage with such manifestations of “mobster’s” methods of deprivation of the business by the current government; they demand Poroshenko to stop pressure on business, in particular, on Alexander Onishchenko, and to start distinguishing between business and government.

Investors in Europe and the public actively monitor this situation and wait for the legal solution of this question fairly.

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