Saakashvili: the reformer not a puppet

               Today Mikheil Saakashvili resigned from the position of the Governor of Odesa Oblast’ (Ukraine). He was appointed on this position by the President Petro Poroshenko last year. Saakashvili has a reputation of corruption combater in Georgia by implementing very successful reforms starting in 2003. If Ukrainians hoped for a miracle like it happened in Georgia, they would be disappointed. There is no only one person or element that would magically fix the things. The key element of success in combating corruption is a political will. Apparently, there is neither a strong political will nor the power of people to support the changes in the corruption system of Ukraine.  

Georgia: between Europe and Russia

                The ruling party Georgian Dream has proven they were still popular (48%) among the nation after the parliamentary elections on October 9. The opposition - the United National Movement (UNM), took about 27%. Earlier the founder of UNM and the former President of Georgia and, M. Saakashvili, stated that if he was in Georgia, the party would win. He added, no mater what would be an outcome of the elections, he would not leave his post in Ukraine. There is also a big possibility that the populist pro-Russian party, Alliance of Patriots, will also enter the parliament. Preliminary report of the OSCE election observation mission to Georgia evaluated election positively. Will the new parliament bring Georgia closer to the EU and NATO?

Polish reformer in Ukraine

Leszek Balcerowicz, the former Finance Minister of Poland, has become the president’s representative in the Cabinet of Ministers in Ukraine. Balcerowicz is famous by his drastic but very efficient “shock therapy” package implemented in the 90s in Poland. There are voices (among of them Saakashvili) stating that there are many local experts who are worth to take such posts. They are right. However, Saakashvili was also invited from “outside” in order to create an efficient and corruption-free government. In order to break the oligarchy power in Ukraine it is prescribed to have people, who are not involved in the corruption machinery.

I encourage you to read more about the reforms of Balcerowicz and Saakashvili and how they should be implemented in Ukraine in my article here.

Why M. Saakashvili wants to be more than Prime Minister of Ukraine?

 M. Saakashvili’s aspiration to be “more than Prime Minister of Ukraine” is understandable. If he becomes a symbol of successful anti-corruption reforms in Ukraine, he will be the famous historical figure. Money and power of current Ukrainian oligarchs will vanish away, but the memory of the “person who’s changed the system” will stay forever. Perhaps, people would try to distort the fact by starting criminal investigations, stripping the citizenship (M.Saakashvili has been stripped Georgian citizenship). However, these people will stay in history as reformers, meanwhile the ones who tried to drag their names through the mire will be forgotten.

Aspirations of Mikheil Saakashvili

Two years has passed since the Euromaidan but current Ukrainian government still struggle with delivering positive results in the reformation of the corrupted system. Appointing former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili to the position of the Governor of Odesa Oblast’ (region) has brought hopes for the fast and efficient anti-corruption reforms in the largest region of Ukraine. However, the complicated division of power and influence in Ukraine make it difficult. Shall Mr. Saakashvili create his own political party and become next Prime Minister of Ukraine? There is no rumor of such aspiration. However, there would be a great support for him from Ukrainians.

Mikheil Saakashvili is still Georgian, even without a citizenship

   Georgia’s former President Mikheil Saakashvili has been stripped of his Georgian citizenship. The President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, appointed M. Saakashvili to be governor of the Odessa region in May 2015. Mikheil Saakashvili commented the news from Georgia:

 “By fighting for the Ukrainian statehood, we help Georgia. Striping me of the Georgian citizenship, Russian oligarch, Ivanishvili, is taken the control over my country. But he is not able to change the history of my country”.

   M. Saakashvili was the President of Georgia in 2004-2013. During his presidency Georgia was successfully reformed, in particular in anti-corruption, ease of doing business and privatization areas.