"White" and "Black" clubs and "Green" business

серпня 28, 2024

We have witnessed that whenever the president mentions business, it becomes increasingly difficult for entrepreneurs. Manifest 42 is actively channeling, with no case closed, and those who expose prosecutors for embezzling funds during audits are attacked by the same prosecutors, their prosecutor friends, and judges who have released them "on personal recognizance." This discourages exposing prosecutors, the kings of behind-the-scenes life, from any business. Apologies, Viktor Moskovchenko.

For a month now, we've been hearing about the new hype regarding "white business." These are the chosen, untouchable ones. This was also the case under Yanukovych, where everyone under the "family" was untouchable.

We, as entrepreneurs, have already felt what judicial bias and selective legislation are like. In our country, there are, at a minimum, three business castes:

*White Business Caste*

•⁠ ⁠Easily negotiates kickbacks

•⁠ ⁠Licks up to power

•⁠ ⁠Bribes officials

•⁠ ⁠Works with watchdogs from the President's Office

•⁠ ⁠Easily secures top management and key employees

*Black Business Caste*

•⁠ ⁠Does not work with government watchdogs

•⁠ ⁠Does not bribe or offer kickbacks to public officials

•⁠ ⁠Criticizes the authorities

•⁠ ⁠Its leadership and employees are mobilized to the front

•⁠ ⁠Includes opposition and political opponents

*Top Caste: Green Business*

•⁠ ⁠Receives all state contracts from the state budget

•⁠ ⁠Channels all foreign aid

•⁠ ⁠Manages large-scale construction projects

•⁠ ⁠Wins tenders with discriminatory conditions

•⁠ ⁠Business of government-related relatives and friends

•⁠ ⁠Top management is secured and travels abroad without impediments

•⁠ ⁠All employees are secured

•⁠ ⁠Collects funds for election campaigns

But there are also:

•⁠ ⁠*Red Business*

•⁠ ⁠*Blue Business* based on the colors of political parties that hold seats in parliament and in power, slicing local budget quotas.

In Ukraine, business must align with a political force for lobbying and protection. There is no such thing as neutral, transparent business; it is destroyed and forced into "colors." Businesses without political backing are denied permits, access to state contracts or tenders, harassed by law enforcement, obstructed in their operations, and discredited in government media.

So, which caste are you in?

Yuriy Zozulya (businessman, philanthropist, public figure, founder and investor of Хpark, president Ukrainian Wake Federation UWF, officer)