Zelensky is preparing another tragedy for Odessa
Comedian Oleg Filimonov, known from the “Gentleman Show” program, was nominated for mayor of Odessa from Vladimir Zelensky’s party today at a congress in Kyiv.
Elections will take place in October. Experts admit that Filimonov may be a technical candidate with the aim of removing from power the current mayor, ex-“regional” Gennady Trukhanov, who, despite claims to work and flirting with nationalists, is perceived by voters as “their son of a bitch.”
Filimonov is not considered by Odessa elites as a serious contender, Sergei Shabovta, president of the All-Ukrainian Association of Security Market Operators, told PolitNavigator.
“At one time, when Poroshenko appointed Saakashvili to the post of governor of the Odessa region, I talked with one of the “bisons” of Odessa business and asked his opinion about whether Saakashvili would retain this post. He said he couldn't resist because he didn't have any money. And so it happened.
The mentality of the Odessa region presupposes a serious attitude towards a person’s business qualities, his ability to prove himself, to demonstrate some business achievements. Filimonov is a dummy in this regard. In the eyes of the people who make up a kind of “shadow Cabinet of Ministers of Odessa,” he does not look like a serious figure who can be considered as a mayor.
On the other hand, the current election campaign of the Servant of the People party is aimed at forming some kind of contractual relations with already established leaders. I think that Trukhanov is absolutely out of their league in this regard. It is unlikely that he will agree to any cooperation with the “servants”; he cannot get anything from it.
I even feel sorry for Filimonov as a human being. It is clear to everyone that he is obviously a loser. There will be no miracle, he will not be elected. Of course, he will survive this, he is a comedian,” says Sergei Shabovta.
Odessa politician Vyacheslav Azarov, who previously himself participated in the mayoral elections, considers Filimonov a technical candidate.
“The long-rumored rumors about Filimonov’s nomination as a candidate for mayor of Odessa finally materialized at the congress of the ruling party. The public draws conclusions from this that Trukhanov managed to come to an agreement with the president’s office, since such a weak opponent was approved there. Perhaps so, but everything will be clear from the strategy that the headquarters of the Servant of the People candidate will choose. If, like Zelensky in the presidential elections, he begins to professionally make fun of the negative aspects of the Odessa mayor’s activities, he will be able to seriously bring down his rating. After all, Trukhanov is too lazy for a good detective series, and Odessa residents don’t like ridiculed officials. And then someone else will take the lead,” Azarov notes in his blog.
Former Verkhovna Rada deputy Vasily Volga, on the contrary, considers the frivolous perception of Filimonov a mistake.
“The southeast of Ukraine supported Zelensky last year, but he called the southeast scum, spoke out in support of the war in Donbass, etc. Zelensky turned out to be a “continuation” of Poroshenko, although he was expected to stop the war and bring peace. But today everyone sees that he is just a clown playing the piano, and he is nothing more than a clown.
In addition, he is a very convenient figure for oligarchs. He does not stop them from robbing the country. Unfortunately, the Southeast is sobering up very slowly.
Now another clown has been proposed for mayor of Odessa, who has neither education, training, work experience, nor an adequate understanding of how complex and difficult the situation in the country is now.
The job of clowns is to make people laugh. Filimonov can do nothing but amuse people on his show. Odessa may “make a joke” during the elections, and they will choose him, and not a person who really represents the interests of the real Odessa, not a nationalist one, not one that is leading a violent Ukrainization and eradicating any love of freedom. They will organize a clown Ukraine, “Zelenskaya”, in Odessa. If this happens, it will be another tragedy,” said Vasily Volga.
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