26-year-old Yulia Marushevska’s controversial new job

SHE’S 26 years old, and the most impressive thing on her resume is a YouTube video, but Yulia’s just been given a very important job. Some people are angry.

A 26-YEAR-OLD whose viral video became a symbol of the Ukrainian revolution has been controversially appointed to one of the toughest jobs in Europe.

Yulia Marushevska starts a new role this week as head of customs in Ukraine’s fourth-largest city, Odessa. It’s the largest passenger port on the Black Sea, which handles up to four million tourists and 46 million tonnes of cargo a year. It’s also riddled with crime and corruption.

She was appointed by governor of the region Mikheil Saakashvili, the former President of Georgia who is an outspoken critic of President Putin, and has vowed to “break the tradition of corruption” in Ukraine.

“Customs must become a user friendly and transparent service to business, not a place of enrichment for officials. I believe that this is possible. But without your support I cannot do [it],” Ms Marushevska posted on Facebook.

The Stanford University graduate first made global headlines as the postergirl of Ukraine’s Maidan protests which ousted President Viktor Yanukovich after weeks of street uprisings in 2014.

In a YouTube video seen more than 8.3 million times, she was shown standing in the street pleading to viewers in a voice choked with emotion, sharing what was happening in her country.

“I am a Ukrainian and a native of Kiev,” she said. “I want you to know why thousands of people all over my country are on the streets. There is only one reason. We want to be free from a dictatorship. We want to be free from the politicians who work only for themselves, who are ready to shoot, to beat to injure people.

“We are civilised people but our government are barbarians. That’s not a Soviet Union.”

The appointment of Russian enemy and former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili as governor Odessa was described as “trolling” Russian by one news outlet, setting Ukraine even further on its course to ally with the west. Picture: AFP PHOTO/JIM WATSON

Since then, she has studied at Stanford University, where she realised the key to rebuilding Ukraine is to rid the country of corruption and refocus on transparency and democracy. She has also served as Deputy Head of the Odessa Regional State Administration, according to the Kiev Post.

But the appointment has proved controversial, with many questioning whether the 26-year-old has the necessary skills and experience for the role. One NGO worker told The Independent that the task of reforming the port is one of the toughest in Europe.

“Throwing her into that job is either a joke made in the face of the people, or a very calculated plan to establish control over the port authority. Time will tell,” he said. Another shipping agent said the port needs more than a “PR facelift” in order to operate well.

Her champion, Mr Saakashvili, is also a controversial figure in the region. He came to power in Georgia after a revolution in 2003 and worked hard to clamp down on corruption, but is now seeking to rebuild his career in Ukraine after being forced out of his homeland facing charges of abusing his office, which he claims are politically motivated.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Odessans have seen “real changes” under the leadership of Mr Saakashvili. He described Ms Marushevska as a “modest, but very beautiful, efficient and talented woman, despite the fact that she has no training in customs,” adding that she does have “very good organisational skills”.

Mr Saakashvili described her youth as an “advantage,” while Ms Marushevska said she is “happy that professionals are around me.”

“My purpose is purely political and does not require special training and experience in this field,” she said.

Watching on: Russian President Vladimir Putin will be keeping a close eye on what is happening in the Black Sea port of Odessa. Picture: AFP/ NOVOSTI / ALEXEI NIKOLSKY.

Originally published as 26-year-old Yulia Marushevska’s controversial new job