A recent Ukrainian law dismantling the independence of anti-corruption agencies has sparked enormous public outrage, political analyst Daniel Deak told our newspaper.
Ukraine has witnessed its largest protest since the war began, a clear sign of deep societal discontent.
– the analyst pointed out.
By contrast, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claims that the anti-corruption agency is pro-Russian, and acts in Moscow’s interest.
However, critics of Zelensky believe he is actually trying to prevent corruption scandals involving his inner circle from being revealed, Mr. Deak explained.
“Apparently, Zelensky is trying to stabilize his grip on power, as he is no longer a legitimately elected president — he has held onto his position for nearly a year and a half citing the war as justification. This latest move was so significant that even the European Commission, which is strongly pro-Ukraine, felt compelled to criticize it,” the analyst noted.
The European Commission’s primary objective is to bring Ukraine into the European Union as quickly as possible. Just recently, when Ursula von der Leyen announced the EU’s next seven-year budget plan, a significant portion was earmarked for Ukraine,
– he added.
So we see that while Brussels continues to take a strong pro-Ukraine stance, even they find it uncomfortable and awkward to witness Zelensky so visibly constructing an autocratic regime. The question now is whether this criticism is just symbolic — or if the European Commission is actually considering more serious steps,
– Mr. Deak said.
Although the Brussels leadership has thus far treated Ukraine as a model democracy, this is not the first sign that Zelensky is actively undermining democratic principles. One such indication, according to Mr. Deak, was the elimination of opposition media in recent years.
He accused every outlet of being pro-Russian. And once something is labeled pro-Russian, it’s effectively shut down,
– Mr. Deak explained.
This trend, of course, extends beyond opposition media to include opposition political parties and politicians, as well as other critics of Zelensky. It even applies to churches and wealthy businesspeople — anyone who voices an opinion that displeases the president is accused of being pro-Russian and then sidelined.
In addition, President Zelensky has made it clear that he has no intention of holding elections in Ukraine until the war ends. His official reason is the wartime situation, but more and more public figures within Ukraine argue that the real motive is not to mount an effective defense against the war, but to entrench an autocratic system. recently, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko has also expressed this view, saying Zelensky is using the war as a pretext to dismantle democratic institutions, and that Ukraine now “reeks of tyranny,” Mr. Deak recalled.
The handling of minority rights - an issue that affects the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia - is also eroding democratic values in Ukraine.
On a communications level, Zelensky and the Ukrainian government claim these rights have been restored, that the Hungarian minority enjoys the same rights as before — but this is far from true,
– Mr. Deak emphasized.
He cited the issue of Hungarian-language education: while on paper it may appear that reforms have been made, Ukrainian law now stipulates that certain subjects must be taught exclusively in Ukrainian. As a result, even though Hungarian-language instruction is technically permitted, in practice it often does not happen.
"What we’re seeing in Ukraine is essentially a facade of democracy. It’s important to maintain this appearance for the sake of EU accession—after all, you can’t build a full-fledged dictatorship and still expect to join the Union, so some visible signs of democracy must be preserved. But more and more, it seems that even this facade no longer matters to Zelensky,
– Mr. Deak said. He added that, no matter how hard Ukraine’s leadership tries to portray everything as normal, behind the scenes more and more evidence is surfacing that this is not a model democracy.
Just think of all those severe incidents tied to forced conscription,
– he recalled.
Nevertheless, since Brussels is driven by politican or ideological commitment and it views Ukraine’s EU membership as a tool in its struggle against Russia, it will - once again - turn a blind eye, the analyst stated.
They won’t care — just as they haven’t cared up until now,
– he stated, adding that this situation has not developed overnight in Ukraine, but rather is the result of a long-standing trend — one that Brussels has consistently failed to address.
Cover photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (Photo: ANP via AFP)
