So how is Viktor Yushchenko doing?

Eight months after the Orange Revolution, how is Ukraine doing? Well, this BBC report is kind of a mixed bag. On the one hand, it appears Yushchenko is following Georgia President Mikheil Saakashvili in abolishing the most useless organization ever created in the Soviet Union — the traffic police: Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko is to ...

By , a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and co-host of the Space the Nation podcast.

Eight months after the Orange Revolution, how is Ukraine doing? Well, this BBC report is kind of a mixed bag. On the one hand, it appears Yushchenko is following Georgia President Mikheil Saakashvili in abolishing the most useless organization ever created in the Soviet Union -- the traffic police:

Eight months after the Orange Revolution, how is Ukraine doing? Well, this BBC report is kind of a mixed bag. On the one hand, it appears Yushchenko is following Georgia President Mikheil Saakashvili in abolishing the most useless organization ever created in the Soviet Union — the traffic police:

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko is to disband the country’s traffic police because it has proved impossible to stamp out corruption. He has ordered a decree to be drawn up abolishing the department, which employs 23,000 people. Mr Yushchenko said his government’s efforts at reforming the traffic police had proved unsuccessful. Traffic police are said to be unpopular with motorists as they impose on the spot fines and often demand bribes.

On the other hand, the second half of this report makes Yshchenko sound a bit… odd.:

Mr Yushchenko, who came to power in January after the disputed presidential elections and Orange Revolution, is also trying to stamp out swearing. Interfax reports that he told law enforcement officials: “Let’s agree: you should leave foul language at home. “Actually, it would be better if you didn’t use it at home either. You are servants of the state. Try to talk without swearing. If anyone can’t learn to do this, then write a letter of resignation.”

There are many, many problems afflicting Ukraine. I think excessive swearing is not up at the top of that list.

Daniel W. Drezner is a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and co-host of the Space the Nation podcast. Twitter: @dandrezner

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