HOW TO GET RID OF POST-SOVIETNESS? Кyiv 2012 The project was implemented by the Institute of World Policy with the sup- port of the Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation. Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent those of the Black Sea Trust of the Ger- man Marshall Fund. Study prepared by expert groups: UKRAINE: Alyona Getmanchuk Zhanna Bezp’yatchuk Volodymyr Kravchenko Oksana Pyliavets Sergiy Solodkyy REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA: Leonid Litra Cornel Ciurea Eduard Tugui GEORGIA: Teimuraz Kancheli The Institute of World Policy expresses its sincere gratitude for the support in the realization of the project to Dr. Martin Brusis (Ludwig Maximilian University of Mu- nich), Mr. Volodymyr Fesenko (Center for Applied Political Studies ‘Penta’), Yevhen Golovakha (National Academy of Scinces of Ukraine, Institute of Sociology). © Institute of World Policy, 2012 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………… 4 Politics ……………………………………………………… 6 Society ……………………………………………………… 9 UKRAINE Post-Sovietness in Ukrainian Politics ………………… 12 Post-Sovietness in Ukrainian Society ………………… 41 REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA Post-Sovietness in Moldovan Politics ………………… 70 Post-Sovietness in Moldovan Society ………………… 87 GEORGIA Post-Sovietness in Georgian Politics ………………… 103 Post-Sovietness in Georgian Society ………………… 121 10 RECOMMENDATIONS TO GET RID OF POST-SOVIETNESS ………………………… 137 3 HOW TO GET RID OF POST-SOVIETNESS? INTRODUCTION How does the post-Sovietness man- mental changes and correction of be- ifest itself in politics and public life, haviour patterns. and how to minimize its most harm- This study was inspired by the ful displays for the development of a transformational changes that have European state — these are two key taken place in recent years in the questions that the IWP tried to an- three countries of the region. In par- swer in the course of the project «How ticular, in Ukraine, it concerns the to get rid of post-Sovietness?» with coming into power of a team, which the support of the Black Sea Trust for predominantly represents the sector Regional Cooperation of the German which has kept Soviet traditions the Marshall Fund. best. In Georgia, personalities, who Thanks to project partners from were shaped after the Soviet Union Moldova and Georgia, the Institute collapse, initiated radical reforms. In for Development and Social Initia- Moldova, meanwhile, the ruling «Al- tives «Viitorul» and the Georgian liance for European Integration», in Foundation for Strategic and Inter- a short period of time, has changed national Studies, respectively — the the perception of Moldova from the IWP had the opportunity to consid- last bastion of communism in Europe er the issue of post-Sovietness in a to the recognized leader of the «East- broader context. These three coun- ern Partnership» of the EU. In the tries were selected for the study not meantime, post-Soviet attitudes, be- only because all of them were part of haviours and discursive practices are the Soviet Union in the past, but also still very common in all three coun- due to the officially declared inten- tries and hinder their Europeaniza- tions of Ukraine, Moldova and Geor- tion. gia to become full members of the Eu- ropean Union in the future. Because The post-Sovietness in this study in Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia only was defined as a kind of socio-politi- regime changes predominantly took cal mutation, when old Soviet values, place unlike the countries of Central practices and standards get modified, and Eastern Europe, where the fall combined, mixed and interlinked with of communism was accompanied by Western counterparts, generating a 4 INTRODUCTION pretty new eclectic context. It is no communication in organizations; re- longer Soviet, but to call it Western jection of any kind of corruption and European is impossible as well. It is the misperception of propaganda in post-Soviet. peaceful times. Sometimes post-Sovietness is pret- The study «How to get rid of post- ty close to Sovietness. Sometimes it Sovietness?» consists of two inter- is quite new socio-political reality in related parts «Politics» and «Soci- which the market has a significant in- ety». It is based on analyses of the fluence. In general, this is quite an post-Sovietness attributes or mani- abnormal status quo, which has to be festations that were identified dur- overcomed. ing brainstormings involving both ex- The post-Sovietness is considered, pert groups from the three countries in this project, as a transit period be- and invited political scientists, so- tween Sovietness and Europeanness. ciologists and researchers of the Ho- Although it is possible that the post- mo Soveticus phenomenon. The Eu- Soviet conditions may appear to be ropean experts, who have venerable much longer than it was expected af- experience of developing methodol- ter the collapse of the USSR. One of ogy in the framework of internation- the proofs of this is the restoration al projects aimed at the evaluation of of Soviet values and attitudes among the transformation processes in po- young people, who were brought up litical management and society, were or even born in already independent involved in the development of this countries and not Soviet republics. research methodology. Also in the framework of the project a relevant When talking about European val- discussion took place in the format of ues, norms and practices during the a video conference with Lev Gudkov, project we had the respect for indi- the president of the Russian Levada viduality in mind, high levels of so- Center - the most recognized research cial trust, social solidarity, limiting institution on the phenomenon of the status privileges of politicians, civil Soviet and post-Soviet man.1 control over the government, moral These attributes were grouped as and/or legal sanctions for public un- follows: attitudes, behaviour patterns truths; information and knowledge and discursive practices. They were exchange for the common good; re- analyzed using various methods and jection of plagiarism; preventative benevolence; the rule of law; social, 1 Lev Gudkov: 20 years after USSR’s col- cultural, political tolerance; high so- lapse the soviet man attitudes re-appear cial mobility based on meritocracy; among young generations, <http://iwp. the balance of horizontal and vertical org.ua/ukr/public/569.html>. 5 HOW TO GET RID OF POST-SOVIETNESS? ways of collecting information: opin- infractions has evolved. This is due, ion polls, interviews with experts, not least, to the expectations of the case studies, discourses and content majority of society that believes that analysis. there must be severe punishment and Some of these groups, for example, permanent control. But in the post- attitudes are more applicable to So- Soviet reality, unlike the Soviet, the vietness as such, due to the fact that systems of control and punishment attitudes take much longer to change are ineffective, burlesque and utter- than behaviour and discursive prac- ly corrupt, which only devalues the tices. As for behavioural patterns, post-Soviet state itself. the majority of the attributes in this group are related to the weaknesses of 2. Hierarchy absolutization. It is es- institutions and the situation where pecially inherent in the post-Soviet these institutions are substituted by policy when people’s merits are not personal informal ties. The analysis of determined by the level of their edu- discursive practices was based on pol- cation, knowledge, experience and ex- iticians’ statements, public debates pertise, but by their standing in the and materials published by them etc. hierarchy. Once a person appears in a governing position, they do not per- In each of these groups the attrib- ceive others as equal and do not listen utes present in the three countries to the people that are at least slightly were more or less defined. The overall lower in the hierarchy. structure, which expert groups fol- lowed during the preparation of the 3. Intolerance. The post-Soviet pol- study in three countries, was as fol- iticians can openly resort to inciting lows: hatred rhetoric and discriminatory statements in their speeches. There are no penalties, neither moral, elec- POLITICS toral nor legal, for intolerance. ATTITUDES BEHAVIOUR PATTERNS 1. Total control as necessity. In 1. The dominance of nepotism, cro- post-Soviet countries the practice nyism, favoritism. Links with crimi- in which all decision makers, as well nals on the one hand, and law enforce- as law enforcement officers are con- ment agencies on the other hand, tele- stantly trying to set total control phone law, cronyism and nepotism are and punish severely even for minor the basic tools of lobbying and making 6 INTRODUCTION. Politics decisions profitable for the represent- 5. No sanctions for public lies; pla- atives of authorities and individuals giarism. A characteristic feature of close to them. The laws thus have only the post-Soviet politician is that they a decorative value. Personal contacts can always publicly tell lies and not completely or partially replace formal bear any responsibility for it. Unlike, rules. say, in European countries, moral and formal sanctions for public deception 2. Business on state functions (pow- in politics are largely absent. A re- er as a business project). The system vealed untruth may also not affect the of the state providing services to cit- electoral support of a politician. izens is not aimed at the service, but Many post-Soviet politicians ac- in the making of money using them. tively engage in various forms of pla- The quality of post-Soviet services giarism, again without any penalties. are usually very low, and regulatory approaches are deliberately confused, 6. Status privileges of politicians. creating fertile ground for corrup- Typical post-Soviet politicians try tion. to get the maximum personal bene- fit from their positions and state re- 3. Prevention and elimination of un- sources, access to which is guaranteed controlled competition. Political lead- by their position. Post-Soviet politi- ers usually choose people for their cians desperately need ostentatious teams who cannot compete with them luxury and the worship of subordi- and challenge them.