Why Ukraine cannot avoid busification - Sergey Fursa

Of course, there's a strong desire to visit cafes, restaurants, and concerts as if there were no war.

Naturally, one wishes to pay the minimum in taxes and buy new cars as if there were no war.

Certainly, there's a craving to compare ratings and prepare for elections as if there were no war.

But there is one "but." The war exists.

Any evaluation of actions should not occur in a vacuum, but rather take this factor into account. It is the primary factor.

Yes, visits and raids by the military recruitment offices may serve as a façade and demonstrate activity. However, they have only become a reality because there is a mobilization problem in the country, which threatens defeat in the war.

And yes, tax increases may seem inappropriate against a backdrop of significant corruption, yet they are necessary for financing the army, without which we could lose the war.

Indeed, elections are essential in a democratic country. But they are impossible while the war is ongoing.

Our Western partners finance half of the Ukrainian budget, saving us from a severe crisis and poverty—real poverty—that the war is bound to bring. However, in this way, they have also done a disservice to Ukrainian society. Because thanks to Western funds, the situation in the Ukrainian rear is quite favorable and resembles an economic miracle given the wartime circumstances. There is a huge temptation to live as if nothing is happening and to become merely a couch supporter for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

One wants to contemplate supporting the economy and evaluate tax innovations based on their impact on the economy, asking the government, "Will tax increases stimulate the Ukrainian economy?" forgetting that this is secondary in the context of war. The focus should not be primarily on stimulating the economy, as if we are in peaceful times. It seems everyone has forgotten about the weak institutional capacity of the state, which was well known before the war and was something many were quite fond of.

Western money keeps us afloat. Kyiv is filled with conferences and concerts, it’s impossible to find tickets for theatrical events, and salaries in the private sector are rapidly rising. This distorts reality. It makes people forget about the risks that cannot be overlooked, distancing themselves from reality. Measuring everything with the categories of peacetime. After all, life is peaceful when rockets are not flying. But one quickly becomes accustomed to rockets, learns to ignore news from the front. And soon you find yourself worrying that the government is revising tax rules above all else.

However, it is crucial to understand that this is a distorted reality. Nearby, there are many people who have lost everything. At any moment, any resident of Kyiv or Vinnytsia could find themselves in their position. For some reason, the emotions of February 2022 were quickly forgotten…

And perhaps then no one will feel the urge to shout "shame" at those dressed in the Armed Forces of Ukraine uniforms. Because thanks to such people, you can still live your best life. They do this not out of desire, but because many Ukrainians do not follow the law and "forget" to report to the military recruitment offices. All these mobilizations and raids are a result of the disrespect for the law within Ukrainian society. This was our problem before the war, and it will continue to be our problem afterward. It is the root cause of many issues today. Yet, for some reason, "shame" is never shouted at those who do not comply with the law in Ukraine.