Viktor ludorum

Ms Tymoshenko says Mr Yanukovich is waging a campaign to intimidate the opposition and retaliate for her efforts to clean up the notoriously corrupt gas-trading business in Ukraine. The government insists it is simply going after corrupt officials. There is some truth on both sides. [...]

Yet, as her critics say, this is a reflection on the weakness of her party, which has no ideology other than to advance her interests. Pre-election hopes that Mr Yanukovich would face strong opposition from her are yet to be fulfilled. She is still mistrusted by many Ukrainians. Only the previous president, Viktor Yushchenko, is more unpopular than her. By chasing corrupt officials and pledging reforms, Mr Yanukovich is actually doing what the orange revolutionaries promised (but failed) to do in 2004.

Between 2000 and 2008, the economy grew on average by 7%. But as the World Bank says in a forthcoming report, this growth was achieved without serious reform, thanks to favourable terms of trade and an inflow of capital. In the financial crisis the economy contracted by 15%, putting an end to the bonanza and leaving a mass of problems, including crumbling infrastructure, insecure property rights, an ageing population and red tape.

The immediate financial pressure has been lifted by a generous $15 billion IMF package that, as a close observer says, has been too easy on reforms. Sceptics say this was a prize Ukraine won from America for giving up its supply of enriched uranium. Even so, to get the money, Mr Yanukovich has had to raise domestic gas prices. But he has yet to pass any reforms that upset the vested interests in the bureaucracy or set fire to what the World Bank describes as a “bewildering array of rules and regulations, permits, licensing, standards and certifications, most of which serve no public services and are designed to allow an army of inspectors find fault, collect fines or bribes and feed the large bureaucracy
Viktor ludorum