Page 50 - bne_Magazine_October_2017

50 Opinion
bne October 2017
KRUK REPORT:
All the borders have been crossed
Kateryna Kruk in Kyiv
When irresponsible politicians play with rules instead of following them, the one who ends up paying is the country itself. Before yesterday, I thought Porosh- enko was smarter and Saakashvili was less self-centered.
There is one image that will haunt me after the infamous September 10 border crossing: a soldier from the Ukrainian border guard unit attacked from behind by one of former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili’s supporters.
In a fighting country, where other border guards fight and die to protect the border from Russian invaders, these soldiers were humiliated so that the power hungry politicians could have their show.
The hypocrisy is everyone says they want to bring a brighter future to this country but then violate the basis of its very existence – the rule of law.
The main conclusion of the media circus that trailed Saa- kashvili over the border is: Ukraine lost. Saakashvili and President Petro Poroshenko too, but the cost they will pay for yesterday’s show will be much lower than what the coun-
try will have to pay. It became more obvious than ever that Ukraine does not have statesmen, and for both decision-mak- ers in power and the opposition it is much more important to
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have high ratings than to think about what kind of damage their actions will have.
The main mistake, undoubtedly, was made when Poroshenko revoked Saakashvili’s citizenship. It was an immature and emotional decision to get rid of his irritating former friend.
“Poroshenko gave Saakashvili a present by revoking his Ukrainian citizenship”
It was obvious to everyone that a politician who has such experience, connections, hunger for power and ego wouldn’t let this situation go easily. Saakashvili, who was gaining fewer new supporters, needed a situation that would bring him back to the headlines. In this regard, Poroshenko gave Saakashvili a present by revoking his Ukrainian citizenship and by this promoting him to a victim of the “regime”. I believe that many in the presidential administration had simply hoped that Saa- kashvili wouldn’t strike back. They definitely underestimated him and how far he can go and, therefore, didn’t prepare a plan to handle a scenario of Saakashvili's return to Ukraine.