BY
In what is clearly a “win” for Governor
Saakashvili when it comes to the shuffling around behind the
curtain, Yulia Marushevska the current Deputy Head of the Odessa Regional
State Administration, on 16th October, becomes the new Customs Chief for
Odessa.
(For some unknown reason she is also the only
“top table” individual that sits around the Governor your author has never met
– despite somehow having her mobile number.)
To be extremely blunt, it is a position the
Governor has fought to fill with somebody entirely unconnected to the organised
crime of Odessa, any of the local elites, or to those in Kyiv that have assumed
the nefarious roles vacated by the Yanukovych regime when it comes to end
beneficiaries of the racketeering at the ports. His public ire when the
last Chief was appointed by Kyiv was very pointed.
Needless to say, and to call it as it is in the
most fundamental of terms, Ms Marushevska is now a fairly powerful instrument
for Governor Saakashvili in his attempts to confront, and put parameters upon,
the ingrained and rampant criminal activity that is at the heart of the ports.
That said, knowing several people around Ms
Marushevska, it appears she is also her own woman and firmly set in her vision
of a future Ukraine (and Odessa). Whether the opinion and the image of
those around her project of Ms Marushevska is based upon unwavering loyalty to
and/or admiration for her, or for other reasons, not having met her, your
author cannot say.
However, the question has to be asked as to
whether she will also retain her role as Deputy Head of the Odessa
Regional State Administration. Certainly that role is time consuming (and
with Governor Saakashvili, meaning long hours and the need to frequently clear
up the metaphorical mess behind him). The role of Customs Chief will also
mean long hours and be more than a challenge. Holding down both roles
seems somewhat untenable.
It also has to be said that the Governor’s team
is not only competitive in trying to attract his attention and get decisions –
or mitigate them – it is also something of a hotbed of political maneuvering
and oneupmanship. This, especially so since the arrival of First Deputy Chairman
of Odessa Regional State Administration, Vladimir Zmack.
Such competition for progession and “access to
the body” is natural of course, it is no different to Whitehall or the
influence gathering games within “The Beltway” and the White House itself.
However whilst Whitehall and the White House such maneuvering is managed
with a certain amount of (rather loose) decorum, Governor Saakashvili is a
whirlwind and the maneuvering within his administration and around his “top
table” appears prima facie to mirror that, thus being far more chaotic and far
less elegant.
The question is therefore whether Ms
Marushevska saw an opportunity to take a dignified step back from the chaos
into a still very influential role, whether she has been outmaneuvered by those
who may want her out – or want her current role – or whether she is on a
“power-grab” and will keep both roles (as entirely unfeasible as that would be
considering the amount of time and dedication both positions require)?
The latter “power-grab” can be discounted.
Whilst accepting that Ms Marushevska is undoubtedly ambitious and
capable, there is little chance the others around the “top table” would allow
such a move to occur – and it is even less likely Governor Saakashvili would
consolidate too much “access” to him in a single individual. PR and power
dynamics are two areas of political life Governor Saakashvili understands quite
well.
Ergo, the question is really whether Ms
Marushevska elegantly stepped out of the frenzy that surrounds Governor
Saakashvili of her own free will, whether she was pushed/maneuvered out and
Governor Saakashvili (not one to abandon his “chosen people”) found a suitably
high profile and useful position for her, or whether she suspected that she
would be maneuvered/pushed out in the near future and thus engineered the move
herself if not entirely willingly, then at least wisely.
Perhaps becoming the new Customs Chief
immediately prior to the new customs systems due to begin in November will
prove to be extremely fortuitous rather than calamitous.
Whatever the case, probably sooner rather than
later, a new Deputy Head of the Odessa Regional State Administration is likely
to be announced – and inferences regarding any new appointee will probably be
drawn.
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