The
EU has initiated the deployment of an assistance mission to Ukraine to support
the civilian dimensions of security sector reform: police, prosecution,
justice, penal system. This will a large deployment for an initial period of
two years.
It
is certainly a good move. It should contribute to bring the civilian security
system up to more acceptable standards. But the mission will face very serious
obstacles within the Ukrainian security establishment. The officers, at every
level, are used to practices that come from the old authoritarian times. That´s
their level of comfort, their culture in dealing with the citizens. In
addition, there is a lot of corruption built in the system. And corruption is a
source of income in a country that is in serious economic difficulties and pays
very low salaries.
With
these difficulties in mind it will be important to closely monitor how the EU
mission will respond to these challenges.
It
will also be necessary to watch the performance of the mission leadership.
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