Editorial: victory for Ukraine

Photo: Urmas Nemvalts

The Sunday elections in Ukraine were a success. While final results are still pending – in a large country and a complicated situation, the votes take days to count – it’s obvious by now the elections by and large were free, democratic and outright excellent as an example of pluralism.

The biggest problem with the elections was Ukraine not in control of a certain part of its territory. Therefore, people living in the Crimea occupied by Russia, and some in Lugansk and Donetsk oblasts, were unable to cast their votes. Meanwhile, the situation is shared in others parts of Europe – in the parliament of Cyprus, for instance, seats are empty as reserved to representatives of the Turkish speaking part of the island. Still, held in a country in war, democratic elections is somewhat of a miracle.

The initial results of the election are explicit: the Ukrainian nation has strongly supported parties favouring the European direction. The right wing sector and other vehement nationalists were much less popular. There will be some sharply nationalist deputies in the parliament, but hardly a weight when it comes to the coalition to be created.

The opposition linked to former Yanukovych-power did quite weakly as well. Even so, they will have a visible presence in the parliament by gaining stronger support towards the East and in position to play the classic opposition role. 

After these democratic elections, the Russian rhetoric of Kiev ruled by «fascists» and the Donetsk-Lugansk terrorists’ shouts about a «junta» will lose even the tiny bit of credibility they may have enjoyed in Eastern-Ukraine. Meanwhile essential changes are unlikely to follow, as the political technologists and ideologists linked to Kremlin will just shift to some less worn-out phrases. As already pre-announced by Russia, they will also be supporting the «elections» soon to be held by Moscow-backed separatists on the territory they hold.

As the votes get counted in a few days, parliamentary bodies may swiftly be created, and the new government put together.

For the latter, work will be difficult: despite the «ceasefire», battles are continuing in the Eastern part of the land, and the country’s economy is far from good; at the same time, essential reforms are to be tackled which – as we Estonians well remember – will never be a piece of cake.

But the basis for all such rearrangements, ones to guarantee Ukrainians a life of liberty and prosperity in their own land, are the free and democratic elections just witnessed. With loads of hardships hovering at the horizon, a free Ukraine shall overcome some day. Слава Україні!