Ukraine president appoints ex-Georgia leader Saakashvili governor
Source: AFP/Yahoo
Odessa (Ukraine) (AFP) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Saturday appointed fiercely pro-Western former Georgian leader Mikheil Saakashvili, who once fought a war with Russia, as governor of the strategic Odessa region.
Poroshenko made the announcement at a televised event in the Black Sea port alongside the reformist Saakashvili, calling the ex-Georgian president a "great friend of Ukraine".
"There remain a large number of problems in Odessa: preserving sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence and peace," Poroshenko said.
"But maybe the biggest challenge is another war -- a war against corruption, a war against injustice, a war against the unreformed economy."
The controversial announcement of the flamboyant Saakashvili as head of the southern coastal region is a pointed signal from Kiev to Moscow that it remains set on its pro-European course despite a bloody separatist conflict in the east blamed on the Kremlin.
Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/ukraine-president-appoints-ex-georgia-leader-saakashvili-governor-131316539.html
This conflict has now truly entered into bizarro land. Imagine being from Odessa and having a governor appointed over you that is not even from your own country. It makes no sense, especially in consideration of what he previously was responsible for. In case anyones wondering, this is what being a great friend of Nuland and McCain gets you.
Igel
(35,197 posts)The "localist" uprising last year had a leader assassinated. He was high-ranking in some pro-Russian quasi-nationalist group based in the Caucasus. Rather an embarrassment, since all the leaders were claimed to be locals at the time and he was, well, still holding his job with his quasi-NGO but just on "vacation for a couple of weeks."
Or the Russian military officer imported to the DNR or LNR from his high-ranking job in the "government" of Transnistria, known to some as the Beria of Transnistria.
Then again, one has to ponder how the ultra-nationalist Ukrainian government would deign to import a non-Ukrainian for such a job.
"Then again, one has to ponder how the ultra-nationalist Ukrainian government would deign to import a non-Ukrainian for such a job." When that non-Ukrainian is a staunch ally of the West and foe of Putin, the Ukrainian government doesn't care. Maybe some of its far-right supporters would, but otherwise priority #1 is annoying Russia and cementing the Ukraine's status as pro-Western.
Turbineguy
(37,212 posts)These two have double-crossed paths before.
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)On 28 July 2014, criminal charges were filed by the Georgian prosecutor's office against the former President Mikheil Saakashvili over alleged "exceeding official powers" during the 2007 Georgian demonstrations as well as a police raid on and "seizure" of Imedi TV and other assets owned by the late tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili. Saakashvili, then being in Hungary, responded by accusing the Georgian authorities of political score-settling and attempts at appeasing Russia.[50] The United States expressed concerns over the case and warned that "the legal system should not be used as a tool of political retribution".[51] The European Union stated that it took "note with concern" and it will "closely monitor these and other legal proceedings against members of the former government and current opposition in Georgia".[52]
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikheil_Saakashvili#Legal_prosecution
KG
(28,749 posts)cprise
(8,445 posts)Warren Stupidity
(48,181 posts)it would appear he is intended to play a similar role in this farce.
bemildred
(90,061 posts)cosmicone
(11,014 posts)daleo
(21,317 posts)Xolodno
(6,341 posts)They are throwing everything against the wall hoping something will stick and Russia will start the war back up. Sanctions are set to end soon. More Russian supported rebel support with an out break of violence would insure an extension of those sanctions.
Little Tich
(6,171 posts)Daniel537
(1,560 posts)There's no gutter low enough they wouldn't sink to. Saakashvili? Why not McPain?
newthinking
(3,982 posts)They also allow Right Sector to parade at night with Torches.
Odessa is where the massacre occurred last year, and there is a lot of discontent.
Imagine if Ukraine was actually federalized? They could vote in their own mayor and governors (just like the US).
The ability for the capital to appoint regional and city governors was a big part of what brought about corruption.