The Ukrainian authorities intend to completely rid the country of Soviet legacy and integrate as much as possible into the European Union, said Prime Minister Alexei Goncharuk at a meeting with Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid. According to him, Kiev expects to use the “Estonian experience” in the process of reforming the economy, energy sector and public administration.

In particular, the head of government outlined the intention, following the example of the Baltic republic, to liberalize the energy market and abandon the Soviet Housing and Labor Codes.

“We are interested in the Estonian experience of integration into the European energy market. We plan to join the European energy market already in 2025, ”said Goncharuk.

The head of the Cabinet of Ministers also noted that Kiev plans to study Tallinn’s experience in building a “state in a smartphone” and applying modern technologies in managing the country.

In a conversation with RT, political analyst Alexander Dudchak suggested that Zelensky’s office and the new Ukrainian government thus seek to demonstrate to Brussels and its own citizens a “working spirit” in the field of European integration. It is for this reason that Kiev publicly announces its readiness to use the experience of the Eastern European countries - EU members.

“Under Poroshenko, in Ukraine there were a lot of loud statements about European integration, for which Maidan stood.” But in Brussels they repeatedly let Kiev know that the door would be closed for a very long time. Apparently, Zelensky decided to be less intrusive, focusing on demonstrating a desire to “learn” from those who were recently admitted to the European Union, ”says Dudchak.

E-State Failures

Estonia is considered one of the most progressive countries in Europe in introducing digital technologies in public services. Almost all the interaction of citizens and authorities, including voting in elections, is displayed on the Web. The republic managed to achieve such results, thanks in part to the financial support of the European Union.

Zelensky and representatives of his team have repeatedly talked about the desire to develop the concept of an electronic state, focusing on the experience of leading countries in this regard.

On July 30, the president signed into law on measures to improve access to public services on the Web. The document provides for the creation of a single portal through which citizens can receive information about themselves in 350 state registries. In the future, Ukrainians will be able to use approximately 200 services online.

  • Vladimir Zelensky at the forum of Internet activists iForum-2019
  • © president.gov.ua

In August, adviser to the Ukrainian leader, Mikhail Fedorov, said that the next presidential election would be conducted using an electronic voting system. This procedure is planned to be worked out in elections to local authorities.

Meanwhile, the electronic state in Estonia does not function perfectly. So, in September, an audit of the National Audit Office revealed critical shortcomings in four of the nine state information systems. The systems of the police and border guard department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Education and Science were recognized as unsuccessful.

Earlier, Kirsty Kaljulaid, speaking to parliament, said that the “core of the electronic state is aging” and needs additional financial and technological resources.

Imperfectly functioning in Estonia and the electronic voting process. For example, in May, at the elections to the European Parliament, Estonian politicians, whose last names when writing in Latin letters ä, ö, ü, õ, did not find themselves on the lists on the website of the Republican Electoral Commission. In addition, some citizens found their electronic signatures on candidate forms for which they did not vote.

In July, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) drew attention to the shortcomings of the Estonian electronic voting system. The organization said that Tallinn "needs risk reduction strategies and an analysis of the potential consequences of cyber attacks on Internet voting infrastructure."

In an interview with RT, Nikolai Mezhevich, President of the Russian Association of Baltic Studies, Professor of St. Petersburg State University, noted that digitalization generally improves the efficiency of state and economy management, but is not a way to solve the fundamental problems that are on the agenda of Estonia and Ukraine.

“Global practice proves the need for the development of an electronic state. Failure to do so is a manifestation of retrograde. Nevertheless, the digitalization of public services cannot be perceived as a panacea for all economic and political diseases. If the state is in a difficult crisis situation, then one should not expect a serious healing effect from the transfer to the "figure", - Mezhevich explained.

The expert emphasized that before creating an electronic state, the Ukrainian leadership needs to tidy up key industries, repair roads, humanize the judicial, political and state systems, as well as create infrastructure for the development of broadband Internet. Otherwise, the country's digitalization will not achieve the goals that Zelensky and the new Cabinet are counting on, Mezhevich believes.

“Bury Thermal Power”

Experts interviewed by RT doubt the adequacy of Goncharuk’s intention to use the “Estonian experience” in the economy and, in particular, in the energy sector. As you know, the Baltic republic is gradually abandoning traditional energy sources in favor of the development of green technologies. We are talking about the wider use of renewable resources (solar heat, water flows, wind, biogas).

“It is obvious that one sector of the economy will soon become two - oil shale (Estonia’s strategic energy resource) and energy production will be divided. Energy production should turn green, and oil shale will have to wait until we find more environmentally friendly use for it, ”Kaliulayd said at the opening of the new parliamentary session on September 9.

However, Nikolai Mezhevich called the energy reform a failure, which in recent years has been carried out by the Estonian leadership to please the European Union. The expert is sure that Tallinn is making a big mistake by shutting down oil shale power plants.

“Europe requires Estonia to reduce carbon emissions by eliminating shale. It is really environmentally friendly, but no clear alternative is offered to this mineral. With the integration of Ukraine into the EU energy market, the question will inevitably arise of reducing or eliminating coal-fired power plants. And the so-called Estonian experience can bury the thermal power industry of Ukraine. Only people who are completely unfamiliar with how it works in practice can recommend following Estonian energy policy, ”Mezhevich emphasized.

In turn, Alexander Dudchak also believes that the “Estonian experience” in the economy and energy is absolutely not applicable to Ukraine. He noted that Estonia is a small state, which is deprived of heavy industry, nuclear power plants and energy resources. While the Ukrainian economy cannot function without nuclear power plants, purchases of coal and natural gas.

  • Tripolskaya TPP, Ukraine
  • Reuters
  • © Valentyn Ogirenko

“Attempts to equate Ukraine with Estonia is an act of stupidity and betrayal of the new Kiev leadership. Ukraine has always been an exporter of electricity, Estonia - an importer. What Goncharuk is talking about means giving up the remaining economic advantages that Ukraine still has. I think that Europe is persuading Kiev to close nuclear power plants following the example of Lithuania and other Eastern European states, ”suggested Dudchak.

Currently, Zelensky’s office continues to pursue the implementation of European energy legislation, which was taken during the presidency of Petro Poroshenko. According to Dudchak, the further integration of Ukraine into the EU will turn the country into a sales market for Western energy companies.

“All these unfortunate reformers forget that the electricity system of Ukraine is synchronized with the Russian one. This is the notorious “Soviet legacy” that Goncharuk so wants to get rid of with the help of the “Estonian experience”. The restructuring of the Ukrainian energy system is a very painful and lengthy process. Under the slogans of increasing competition and European integration, Kiev will continue to increase prices for consumers and increase the country's dependence on energy supplies from abroad, ”said Dudchak.