See attached link:
Somewhat ironic that while the Western media highlighted the Vladimir Putin regime as being exposed to allegations of offshore accounting in the “Panama-gate” scandal, actually the net has even caught up Western allies, including Poroshenko in Ukraine. And whereas Putin was only indirectly linked, through friends, Poroshenko in Ukraine is alleged to be more directly implicated by holding offshore accounts in his name.
The acting Ukrainian prosecutor general has already noted that Poroshenko has not done anything wrong but the local media are already questioning this.
And notwithstanding this, moral arguments are pervasive in terms of why our leaders feel the need to operate through such offshore and less than transparent entities in the first place – what are they seeking to hide?
And also given their positions as leaders, should they not be setting better examples, especially when a key focus of reforms in Ukraine is to “whiten” the economy by encouraging ordinary Ukrainians to pay their tax dues and to be transparent in their operations. Is the just a case of ” do as I say, not as I do”?
Some would argue that it just highlights again that Ukrainian elites, and others elsewhere for that matter, appear to operate by different rules than do the masses – the EuroMaidan Revolution was actually all about the equal application of the rule of law, on the many, not the few, which makes these latest allegations potentially all the more damaging.
It is difficult to figure out whether this is actually the “smoking gun” for Poroshenko, as little (if any) meaningful gain has been suggested, albeit the inference is that his business interests might have been a distraction still to his efforts in office – thereby running counter to the constitutional norms.
Also it seems difficult to see what legal entity in Ukraine would now take measures against the president, given the political control he still exercises over the prosecutor general’s office and the still unproven nature of the various anti-corruption entities in Ukraine.
The Rada itself is also hardly proving to be a bastion for action on the anti-graft agenda, with old school vested interests still dominating therein – and stone-throwing and glass houses might comes to mind there.
Thus barring mass street protests over this issue, which still seems unlikely, I doubt that Poroshenko will face near-term legal and political (limited chance of impeachment) sanction over these issues.
That said, his own political standing and poll ratings are likely to diminish even further – now low and falling rapidly. It may also further complicate efforts for his nominee, Voldymyr Groysman, to forge a ruling coalition – some Rada deputies may now opt to wait and see the political fallout from this affair before finally pinning their colors to the mast of a Groysman coalition. It might thus play into the hands of the incumbent prime minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk. Still, neither Poroshenko nor Yatsenyuk want early elections given their low poll ratings.
