Last month I wrote that the general election campaign had started in Ukraine and that nothing appeared to be happening. Well here we are with just 38 days to go to polling day and nothing much has changed.
This election may well be remembered as the most boring in the history of Ukraine.
There is plenty of media coverage of paid for campaigns on various TV channels and plenty of outdoor advertising from various political parties. Plus candidates are touring the country making speeches as is normal in any parliamentary election process.
But it is so boring...........zzzzzzzzzzzzz.
I just had a look at the web site for the Party of Regions POR (current majority holders in parliament).
Much to my surprise the site is also in English language. I was looking for any signs of a manifesto, which all political parties in so called democracies publish in advance so that the electorate can read about what the party intends to do if elected into power. The POR have produced a 'Programme'.
See: http://www.partyofregions.org.ua/en/about
This is the first manifesto I have read which contains absolutely NO FIGURES. There is no explanation from the POR as to how they would spend the national budget. No forecast of how much they would spend on Education etc. Critics could say, well, they just submitted the real budget last week in parliament. But this is not the point. ALL political parties should be clearly stating exactly HOW they would spend the peoples money. Ah.........I hear you laughing. Here in Ukraine that is the big difference. Those in 'power' consider the national budget to be their money and not the peoples money.
Still a long way to go in Ukraine, but then again the country has only enjoyed independence since 1991.
