The lustration bill passed at first reading in Ukraine is an outstanding and unique political phenomenon.
Most likely, a great deal in this country's immediate future will depend on whether the law is finally passed and actually put into practice. There are certain doubts on that score; this photo has been widely circulated because it captured a very telling exchange by one of the deputies of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's parliament):
The situation with the bill's passage is also unique: the public very much wants it (I saw a figure somewhere saying 81% of respondents), but the elites do not want it at all—which is hardly surprising when you look, for example, at this provision:
So it will not be an easy road either in terms of final passage or subsequent implementation. We'll be following the process; I very much hope it all works out.
Unfortunately, I was unable to find the text of the bill in Russian (in Ukrainian here). If you have it, please drop it in the comments.
A good summary of the lustration bill can be found here: http://interfax.com.ua/news/political/218400.html
P.S. A Russian translation produced via Google Translate can be read here.
Places