Former Security Service of Ukraine investigation chief General Vasyl Vovk has called for a fundamental overhaul of the Ukrainian state model, proposing three core reforms to reshape governance and national policy.
Speaking in an interview with Ukrainian news outlet OBOZ.UA, Vovk said the proposed changes form the official platform of Alternative, a political party he leads.
Vovk said he decided to form the movement after realizing that commenting on state failures was no longer enough, arguing that critics must offer a practical alternative model and take responsibility for implementing it. He added that Alternative is designed to break away from traditional Ukrainian political projects, which typically center on a single well-known personality before searching for members, ideology, and a program. Instead, he said his movement is built from the ground up around clear principles, structure, a core team, and a unified system of views.
Ideology and Governance Principles
The general outlined conservative liberalism as the ideological foundation of Alternative. He stated that the system places the free individual, their labor, property, and dignity at its core. Under this vision, state involvement in daily citizen life should remain minimal, while government institutions must remain strong in vital areas such as the military, the judiciary, national security, and enforcing equal rules.
Vovk defined the political party's overarching mission as returning the state to its citizens, dismantling corrupt feeding-trough systems, and establishing an order that safeguards individual liberty. The Security Service of Ukraine, where Vovk previously directed major criminal investigations, serves as the nation's primary counter-intelligence and law-enforcement agency.
Key Differences and Wartime Strategy
Vovk identified three specific areas where Alternative intends to diverge from the current government's approach. First, he called for long-term strategic planning. Second, he advocated strict personal accountability for public officials, particularly regarding wartime corruption and decisions impacting national defense capability. Third, he emphasized the need for honest communication between authorities and society regarding key aspects of the war and the country's future.
In the same interview, Vovk outlined a potential scenario for halting active combat based on the principle of staying where forces currently stand, followed by prolonged peace negotiations. He stressed that such an arrangement must not involve Ukraine legally relinquishing any of its occupied territories.
