When the European Union outlined reforms it says are needed in order for Ukraine to sign in November an Association Agreement and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with the 27-member coalition, it most likely did not mean that the country’s Cabinet of Ministers needed to redesign its prosecutors’ uniforms.
But that’s just what
happened last week.
According to official
decree No. 370 on May 20, those serving in the office for no less than six
months are required to wear the new uniforms, which are adorned with a number
of improvements.
For both men and women, ceremonial uniform jackets now will get three buttons on their cuffs (previously there were none), as well as a karakul fur collar. Epaulettes on the jackets will be golden, not blue as they used to be, and shirts and ties will be emblazoned with an embroidered department emblem. The outfit’s shoes have been changed from black to light gray, with socks to match.
Female staff is required to dress similarly when in
ceremonial attire, but with tights and a skirt in place of pants and socks. Additionally,
women are allowed to wear single-breasted jackets instead of double breasted.
According to the document, a dark blue coat will be
added to the daily uniform set. Previously, prosecutor staff only sported winter
jackets or trench coats.
Additionally, the number of years staff is required to
wear the issued uniform coats before trading them in for new ones has been
reduced from five years to four.
Daily socks are now required to be black, while
previous versions of the document left the color to the choice of the employees. All the shirts – parade and daily – must be worn
untucked.
Also included in the
new design is a real – not faux – fur-lined winter coat.
Ukraine is hoping to
sign the landmark Association Agreement with the EU at a summit in Vilnius this
fall that for a non-member state would give the nation an unprecedented level
of integration with the EU.
Jasek Protasiewicz, vice
president of the European Parliament, said in Kyiv on May 30 that Ukraine has
made progress towards signing the agreements, but not enough.
“Sometimes, even when you have 10 out of 11 points
(executed), and one is not… it can overshadow the whole agreement,”
Protasiewicz said recently, referencing the case of former Prime Minister Yulia
Tymoshenko and the issue of selective prosecution, one of the areas in which
the EU demands reform.
The EU has also
demanded Ukraine overhaul its election code in accordance to
the recommendations set forth by the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe’s watchdog, ODIHR, and address judicial reform.
Whether the country
can fulfill these demands remains to be seen. At the least it will look good
trying.
Kyiv Post digital editor Christopher J. Miller can be reached at [email protected], or on Twitter at @ChristopherJM. Lifestyle editor Olga Rudenko contributed to this story.
