Editor’s Note: On July 12, Ukraine’s parliament held its last session for summer, ahead of elections scheduled for July 21. The parliament elected in October 2014 made some crucial reforms. However, according to the recent polls, only 8 percent of Ukraine’s population approves the work of Ukraine’s legislative body. The Kyiv Post asked people in the heart of Kyiv how they assess the work of Ukraine’s current parliament.
Rostyslav Semanyshyn
IT specialist
“In general I liked that a lot was adopted, by the parliament and president, concerning Ukrainian language, the general Ukrainization, I would say. I liked that. Everything else, I’m neutral on it.”
Valery Chernyov
Manager at a food processing venture
“Quite sad actually. So there were good thing let’s say –reforms, but there were too few. The medical reform and that’s about it. The reformation of courts, I didn’t see it. I don’t think it was completed. All the other (reforms), similarly weren’t done.
Anna Yakush
Translator
“Terrible! Because no results were achieved. I expected a more obvious approach towards the European Union in standards and norms. I see that we went back in our progress towards the EU. What we expected and what we received in reality is drastically apart and I gained a feeling that European standards are impossible to implement in Ukraine, even though it’s not true. We simply need a more capable leadership.”
Iryna Meglytsa
Adviser at an energy company
“It was a transitional period, from the past system to the future, which we didn’t yet achieve. There is obviously no limits in our desires, we can say that little was done, (lawmakers) didn’t attend sessions, other lawmakers voted instead of those not in attendance, yet they voted on a number of laws that were needed. We can’t say that everything was bad, yet they didn’t do a good job as well.”
Valery Sanakyev
Entrepreneur
“I think like everyone else I’m dissatisfied. There are positive moments, there are negative ones. Yet, if we put the negative and the positive on weights, then I think the negative side will overweight. A can’t say that all was bad, but people expected more and their expectation weren’t met.”
Alla Chegeryn
Retiree
“I can’t say that completely negative. Neutral I would say. There are good things, yet there are a lot of bad things. For me personally the best thing is the language law. Concerning the bad, I don’t like that there wasn’t any fight against oligarchs and corruption. That’s bad. Because there are no obvious signs that they are fighting both, even though (lawmakers) say they do.”
