For a long time, President Zelensky could count on strong support in the Ukrainian parliament. But relations between the government and the deputies are now rather tense. Why?
There is a sense of relief in Kiev - the European loan of 90 billion euros was finally approved after Hungary stopped blocking it. Ukraine depends to a large extent on European financial assistance. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have repeatedly supported the country, and in return, Kiev has committed to carrying out reforms.
However, the country is encountering many obstacles in implementing these reforms. For example, the Ukrainian parliament has repeatedly blocked bills proposed by the government of Volodymyr Zelensky. Some observers even speak of a serious rift between the Ukrainian parliament and the ruling party.
Demands for better communication
Anastasia Radina, a member of parliament from Zelensky's party - "Servant of the People", disagrees that other parties are protesting against the government, blocking its legislative initiatives. "I don't think we can talk about any kind of rebellion by the parliament against the government. In my opinion, it is absolutely appropriate to demand deeper cooperation with the cabinet," says Radina.
According to her, both the government and the parliament will take responsibility for the decisions made under the IMF program, ARD writes. Radina believes that they should jointly explain to the citizens of Ukraine why certain steps need to be taken, especially regarding the introduction of a value-added tax (VAT) for small businesses.
Ministers without the necessary experience?
The debate over VAT is at the center of political discussions in Ukraine, notes ARD. However, some believe that this is a symptom of a more serious problem. The relationship between Zelensky's government and parliament is problematic, and the accusation is that the ruling party is pressuring MPs to approve unpopular reforms instead of engaging in meaningful dialogue.
According to Ivan Narognyak of the Institute for European Policies, the problem is systemic. "The Council of Ministers is largely filled with people selected by the presidency who have no parliamentary experience", the expert told ARD. Most of these people have not been elected and their legitimacy is directly linked to the legitimacy of the president, explains Nagornyak.
Part of parliament is skeptical of the government's actions
Anastasia Radina from Zelensky's party believes that the key issue is communication. For a long time, a large part of parliament was controlled by Volodymyr Zelensky's advisor Andriy Yermak. However, after his resignation, many deputies are no longer inclined to support the government's initiatives.
"It's not about the parliament refusing to vote on the necessary reforms to stabilize the country financially. It's about the government also owes citizens explanations as to why certain political decisions need to be made,” explains Radina. For example, why, as happened recently, on the one hand a tax had to be introduced, and on the other hand, funds are constantly being found for special expenses, which many criticize as populist. Ivan Nagornyak also points out that many social expenditures are not included in the budget. Zelensky’s government has already responded to the dispute and held talks with deputies. Anastasia Radina expresses hope that cooperation between the government and parliament will improve in the future.