In the new rating of the British magazine The Economist, Kyiv was 118th in terms of life’s comfort. Last year, the capital of Ukraine took 10th place from the end of the list of 140 cities. Experts evaluated the cities by criteria such as stability, healthcare, culture, environment, education, and infrastructure. How this achievement was evaluated in the network – in reactions from DUMKA.
Vitali Klitschko, Mayor of the city, commented on the assessment from the British researchers. According to him, this rating is a projection of the experts’ evaluation of what is happening in Ukraine. At the same time, the politician noted that even last year’s indicators, which were worse, didn’t prevent Kiev from successful hosting of the Champions League finals, as well as Eurovision, an increase of the tourists’ amount.
Klitschko said a separate “Hi” to Ukrainian journalists who for some reason hadn’t noticed some comments from experts of the British magazine. In particular, the one about the city that’s improving its position, even despite the war in the Donbas. Well, Mr. Mayor, I would not associate the whole “country” with journalism at once, but, as they say, it’s your own right.
Politics is politics and statements are statements, but in some ways Klitschko is right: some media have published this news with an entirely opposite submission, saying that the city hadn’t improved, and, on the contrary, lowered its positions in the ranking. And there is a certain detail, considering which we can speak both about improvement and another “betrayal” as well. According to journalist Milan Lelich, in the percentage proportion, the capital of Ukraine has fallen in the ranking by 12.6%. But what are the criteria? Regarding the stability and infrastructure, the journalist relatively agrees, but all other indicators cause logical doubts. That’s what we have.
Indeed, according to the rating, in recent years the indicator of comfort in the capital has fallen by 12.6%. But this didn’t prevent the capital from climbing up this year’s list of cities.
And the Ukrainian politician Oleksandr Serhienko wrote about the conditionality of the study’s methodology, noting that it is quite possible that the assessment of Kyiv was given… by Moscow. What are the reasons for such thoughts? Transliteration in English. No, I don’t deny that sometimes it is convenient to blame our “good old”neighbor for everything, but sometimes such assumptions look a bit odd.
Ihor Dimitriyev, an ex-deputy of Odessa City Council, doubted the rating, stressing that Damascus, for example, couldn’t have the last place. In the end, the author stated that the rating is “of a poor quality”. Well, you know, if all the ratings are perceived as truth, you can change the whole picture of the world.
Indeed, the quantity of those who wish to create a betrayal is enough not only among the authors of news headlines. For example, Vitaliy Bezgin, a member of the board of Democratic Alliance, said that the capital is degrading, there are not enough parks and squares, public transport is awful, infrastructure is suffering, and construction works are a separate topic. Well, these thoughts about balance and harmony in the universe are also something we sometimes need. Haven’t you forgotten that it’s sometimes necessary to think critically and trust your own eyes in the first place? Just think at first, is it comfortable for you to live in our capital. Who knows, maybe Mr. Bezgin is right.
However, the People’s Deputy and ex-journalist Serhiy Leshchenko, unlike Vitali Klitschko, hadn’t stood up for the city, but confirmed that the city is not only uncomfortable but also “neglected”. But, those are just words without arguments, right? That’s why the MP has presented as an example one of the local parks like everything is terrible, the fountain doesn’t work, garbage floats in the water, dirt all over the park. Leshchenko even wrote an appeal to the mayor and received an answer that the territory was fixed. However, the MP hadn’t checked himself, he decided to ask friends from the social media, whether something had changed. Where this thought leads? It’s nice to rate the city only by one park. I don’t try to protect Klitschko, the city authorities or the city itself. But, come on, Mr. Leshchenko, we need to think somehow more globally and thoroughly. You are some kind of opinion leader, a public figure. Eh.
And finally, a post with the facebook folklore. There they reminded of the lack of hot water, and old trains also arrived. “As long as we have summer, we can wash ourselves in the Dnipro, you can heat the water in the bucket,” the most important thing, my friends, is not to lose a sense of humor, even with the most obscure ratings, the city is not from the pages of British magazines. The city, like the country, is us as well. See you!
Reactions were collected by Stepan the Goat
