“First Armenian News and Analysis” had an interview with the member of Ukrainian oppositional “Batkivshchina” party, the former governor of Kharkov,ArsenAvakov. The media asked Mr. Avakov to comment on parliamentary elections in Ukraine, whether the people will succeed in expressing their will to strengthen Eurointegration. “The democratic opposition in Ukraine longs for parliamentary majority to eliminate the oligarchic rule in the country. By saying opposition I first of all mean the united “Batkivshchina” party and also “Freedom” and “UDAR”. This is a great chance for the Ukrainian people either to go back to Soviet Union or direct to EU.”
To the observation that the main obstacle for Ukraine to enter EU is what happened to the former PM Yulya Timoshenko the politician answered that it’s not the main obstacle, because a country where law isn’t properly exercised cannot be a member of the EU. “The fact thatit hinders Yanukovich to rule doesn’t mean to keep her in prison.”
The following question referred to the fact that in postsoviet states power is in the hands of oligarchs with criminal past, like Ukrainian president Yanukovich and his friend Armenian GagikTsarukyan. Mr. Avakov elaborated: “If Armenians and Ukrainians vote for people with criminal past, it means the culture is low. This is the heritage of USSR. The horrible thing is that it passes to the youth. The only way out is to increase political culture and inject morals in society.”
Speaking on the impact of events in Ukraine on Armenia and to the views that Russia cannot recreate empire without Ukraine, the member of Ukrainian opposition said that Ukraine will hardly assist Russia in the creation of a union as the empire aspirations are left in the previous century. “What about Armenia, it must be said that the Ukrainians are dissatisfied that the foreign ministry didn’t react to events around RamilSafarov. This is another proof that Ukrainian authority is temporary.”
In the end ArsenAvakaov said that though Armenia-Ukraine relations are limited today, in future the relations will develop and deepen.
