Gaidar’s daughter to serve in Odesa

ODESA – Maria Gaidar, the 32-year-old daughter of late former acting Russian Prime Minister Yegor Gaidar, was chosen to serve as a deputy governor of Odesa Oblast last week by former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, who was himself tapped by Kyiv in late May to govern the oblast. Ms. Gaidar told RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service on the sidelines of a Kyiv press conference on July 20 that she would work under Saakashvili to oversee the social sphere, where the biggest challenges are “corruption and a lack of openness.” She noted, “We would like to open a citizen’s office, where people could come to discuss corruption, make suggestions or complaints so we could talk with them, analyze their situation, and work to effectively resolve their problems.” She pledged to work to improve the lives of displaced persons who come to Odesa from conflict zones in eastern Ukraine, saying their situation is “the most acute issue.” The Harvard-educated Ms. Gaidar, who is both an economist and a lawyer by profession, previously worked as deputy governor of Russia’s Kirov region in 2009-2011 and advised Moscow’s deputy mayor in 2012-2013. Mr. Saakashvili said when he announced her appointment on July 17 that he had asked Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to grant Ms. Gaidar Ukrainian citizenship. A prominent activist and vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ms. Gaidar said she took part in opposition demonstrations when not many people protested against the government. Her appointment has been criticized in Russia as a betrayal. (RFE/RL)