Foreword

Dear reader, there might arise a question why the Anticorruption Foundation decided to start this project and to write this book.

I will reply. At the moment of and after the collapse of the Soviet Union, in Donetsk region as in no other region of Ukraine the criminal situation deteriorated considerably.

The very first state laws of independent Ukraine aiming at the transfer to the market economy, especially in the area of small business development, were used by the criminal groups for laundering the money coming from the black economy, for accumulation of the strategically important starting capital, and further on – involving their representatives into the economic and power structures.

Commenting on the chances of forming an orange coalition, the Pora leader said: “By the fall, such political blocs as BYT and Our Ukraine will bite the dust, giving way to a bunch of small political parties. There is only one reason: wannabe lawmakers got on various political bandwagons not because they are united by a common ideology and common vision of Ukraine’s development. They were united by their awe of some political chieftains and the desire to make it into the parliament. Even if the much-debated coalition gets off the ground, it will not have any political future.” I believe, soberly minded politicians should speak about 450 Rada deputies which can rally behind certain common interests or common vision of Ukraine’s future development. It’s time to stop viewing them as party members, as it only misleads the public,” Kaskiv added.

He also stressed that the so-called orange-blue (the colors of major election rivals) stand-off was merely a ruse in the election campaign.

“In the lists of all parties identifying themselves with the orange team, save for  Pora-PRP, there were former high-ranking Kuchmaists. The orange-blue stand-off was a trick to win the majority of deputy seats,” Kaskiv claims.   

Due to inaccurate media reports on smaller parties’ attitudes to official election results, the Pora civic party would like to make this clarification:

Despite the party’s suspicions as regards the integrity of vote-counting, Pora has recognized the final tally, the party’s press service statement runs.  

Pora has also voiced concern over the failure by Verkhovna Rada to endorse a decision for a repeat count of ballots in the national and local elections.

“We believe that it indicates a rollback to democratic reforms in Ukraine and is a major step backward in the process of bringing power and people together. Consequently, we note that doubts as to the legitimacy of the lame-duck VR remain,” Pora statement says.

Speaking live on 5 Kanal TV, head of Pora political board Vladyslav Kaskiv said, ”We do not trust how the votes have been counted, but we believe that from the political point of view and taking into account the interests of Ukraine, Pora must recognize the tally [Pora failed to make it into Verkhovna Rada]. However, we believe that the authorities have debased themselves by refusing to have a re-count. The re-count was needed to forestall any doubts as to the legality of the elections and to put into spotlight those officials who rigged the vote.  We know that in democratic countries the authorities are the first to initiate a re-count when some doubts arise. Sadly, Ukraine cannot meet these standards yet.

 “Besides, Pora is not after protesting the tally, we are out to prove to Ukrainians that they have made a mistake by not voting for Pora,” Kaskiv stressed.

Since the adoption of a shameful decision to grant immunity from prosecution to local council deputies Pora has strongly condemned such flouter of democratic values. Pora has warned the authorities that such irresponsible decision will lure criminals and corrupt persons to vie for local councils seats to escape from the law. Not surprisingly, the analysis of party election rosters has confirmed Pora fears.

That is why the Pora Kyiv branch hails the abrogation by Verkhovna Rada of  immunity for local council deputies and urges the president to sign it into law. Simultaneously, Pora has urged VR to be consistent and initiate revocation of immunity for VR members. In so doing, VR will show itself as a true champion of public opinion and representative of the Ukrainian nation, not of its separate business and political clans.

In a poll held in Kyiv the capital’s residents were asked “Without which of the parties that failed to clear a 3 percent threshold will the future legislature be incomplete?” Their answers were:

PORA-PRP – 24.5%

Green party of Ukraine – 21.8%

Lytvyn’s bloc – 13.8%

Viche – 7.5%

Kostenko-Pliushch bloc – 7.3%

Natalia Vitrenko bloc – 6.3%

Ne Tak bloc – 5.5%.

It should be mentioned that 12 percent of respondents said they would miss Nestor Shufrych [flamboyant opposition member who often broke into fist-fighting in VR].

Kyiv’s 1,200 residents were polled by phone by the ID-Stolychni novyny sociology service, proportionately to the number of residents in each of Kyiv’s districts.  

Vladyslav Kaskiv’s arguments presented during his live appearance in Savik Shuster’s Freedom of Speech TV program sparked unification of different political parties on the issue of a higher threshold barrier to Verkhovna Rada. “The solution of the problem is merely a matter of recounting the ballots. I see no problem here and why some are opposed to have a recount. Only those who are scared that vote rigging might come into the open can oppose the recount,” Kaskiv said.  

Pres Yushchenko has instructed the Central Election Commission head Yaroslav Davydovych to consider the appeal by PORA-PRP bloc, Viche, NDP and Lytvyn bloc demanding a recount of ballots in all voting districts of Ukraine and to bring those guilty of electoral fraud to account. The four political forces asked the president to become a guarantor of the constitutional rights and freedoms of Ukrainians.