Three months ago, the only thing that most Ukrainians living outside Kharkiv Oblast knew about its governor Mykhailo Dobkin was that he had “a boring face.”
“Misha, you have a boring face, nobody will give you money,” Hennadiy Kernes, currently Kharkiv city mayor, shouted at Dobkin when the two were struggling to record Dobkin’s address to electorate in Kharkiv eight years ago and instead ended up in one of Ukraine’s most watched funny YouTube videos.
The unfortunate video, leaked to the Internet, became Dobkin’s unwanted trademark. The politician became the subject of many jokes and earned a slighting nickname “Dopa.”
That’s why it came as a surprise for many when Dobkin – as no joke – was nominated as the presidential candidate by Ukraine’s biggest party, Party of Regions, and his “boring face” appeared on thousands of billboards.
Dobkin has ruled Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second biggest city, since 2006 until March, first as elected mayor, than as an appointed governor of the region. In 2013, he made Hr 21 million.
After the ruling Party of Regions leader Viktor Yanukovych was toppled by the EuroMaidan Revolution, the remnants of the now-opposition party proved incapable of nominating a candidate who could return the party’s lost status.
Four polls, all conducted by non-governmental institutions, give Dobkin two to four percent support. In 2010 elections, Yanukovych gained 35 percent in the first round.
Dobkin didn’t have time to be interviewed by Kyiv Post and did not answer the questions sent to his press office.
Vladimir Fesenko, a political analyst and head of Penta Center for Political Research, says the Party of Regions nominated Dobkin because he was believed to be well-known among Ukrainians, had a base in Kharkiv, and has been very loyal to the party.
“The choice was either Dobkin or Sergiy Tigipko. Dobkin is more loyal, doesn’t seek leadership and is ready to fulfill the wishes of sponsors,” said Fesenko.
When Dobkin was picked to represent the Party of Regions in the elections, Tigipko entered the elections independently against the will of the party and was excluded from it. Now they share part of the former electorate of Yanukovych. Tigipko is more popular, being supported by up to six percent of Ukrainians, although even together Dobkin and Tigipko hardly have 10 percent of votes.
According to Fesenko, Dobkin represents people who radically disaprove the current government, while Tigipko’s electorate is also critical but more restrained.
Dobkin’s main message, found on every billboard of the candidate – “United Country” – may be his biggest mistake that partly explains his low support.
“Dobkin’s potential electorate are people who want federalization and autonomy for the eastern regions, and ‘United Ukraine’ is not what he should tell them,” Fesenko says. “For those who really support the unity he is a natural enemy, and the fans of federalization don’t like him too.”
At the same time, Dobkin’s program found on Central Elections Commission’s website actually mentions that he is for federalization.
Dobkin’s claim to “unite Ukraine” seems especially unfitting when one recalls that just three months ago the candidate schemed to break the nation.
Dobkin was a co-organizer of the Kharkiv convention of Feb. 22, where after the victory of the EuroMaidan Revolution in Kyiv, members of regional councils planned to save Yanukovych’s presidency in the east. The event was condemned by many, and called “the separatists’ convention.”
When Dobkin fails to win the elections, he is not likely to stay in big politics, says Fesenko. Chances are, he will remain in Kharkiv and may once again be elected its ruler.
Kyiv Post editor Olga Rudenko can be reached at [email protected]
