Yanukovych's attitude to life's unfortunates exposed

From today's 'Independent':

Elton John: On the streets with Ukraine's lost generation

A mixture of intolerance and opportunism threatens to deprive Kiev of the one institution that offers hope to its thousands of young people with HIV

"a searing indictment of President Viktor Yanukovych's attitude to the disease and its victims..."

p.s. Before countries like Ukraine can join the European Union they have to prove certain things: They must show that they treat their people fairly, respect their human rights. and allow them to vote in elections for the politicians they support. They must show their economies are properly run, i.e. their government is sensible about the amount of money it spends and does not interfere too much in the way people do business.

The failure of President Yanukovych and his government to convincingly satisfy the first demand, precisely at a time when they should be "on their best behaviour", is the reason why some of the EU's leaders are reluctant to initial Association and Free Trade agreements at the EU-Ukraine summit on December 19.

If initialling does take place, Yanukovych's conviction that the EU is not really serious about European values will be confirmed. Oppression of opposition politicians, roll-back of democracy, concentration of power in the hands of a tight-knit band of his Donetsk associates will inevitably grow.

If some EU countries are sceptical about the desire of Ukraine to improve its performance on human and political rights or on battling corruption, or if they do not wish Ukraine to become a member of the EU in the foreseeable future for whatever reason, they should 'come clean' on this and stop wasting everybody's time.

In truth, the problem of Ukraine is as nothing for Europe's politicians compared with the massive looming financial crisis in the Eurozone. Its repercussions will almost totally occupy the minds of EU politicians for many years to come.