Political tension escalates on authorities’ attempts to release Chief tax collector

UKRAINE - In Brief 06 Mar 2017 by Dmytro Boyarchuk

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The case with Nasirov has all chances to become a trigger for new mass protests. Ukrainians are tired with painful reforms and are extremely irritated with pervasive corruption. Previously, the authorities addressed people to tolerate painful measures for the sake of better future. Demanding people tolerating economic hardships could be legitimate if you share people’s problems. If you abuse public funds when Ukrainians die at the front or simply try to survive – you’re on a very risky path. And now imagine that National anti-corruption bureau of Ukraine (NABU), which still has some reputation in society, blames in corruption Chief tax collector who is already unpopular. Many businessmen witnessed continued corruption at Fiscal service. Instead of making this case a bright story of anti-corruption success, President Office mobilizes judicial system to sabotage the process. People link those actions to the President Poroshenko It turns out to be a very explosive cocktail. For the moment rent-seekers from the narrow President circle are maneuvering trying to find a way out. Imprisonment of their comrade means that any of them can go to jail on request of NABU – it’s unacceptable for them. But the story became so resonant that playing back looks like a political suicide. Put it different President Poroshenko will have to make painful decision. Otherwise he risks repeating events of 2013. By the way the situation is very similar to what we experienced in 2013 before Euromaidan. President Yanukovitch made an extremely unpopular decision which went in contrast with his previous pledges. A break between pledges and reality brought people on the streets. Instead of revising th...