Posted by Roman on September 03, 2000 at 02:25:50:
In Reply to: Re: President Leonid Kuchma posted by Yash on September 03, 2000 at 00:19:52:
In my opinion church is one of the minor problems at this day and time for Ukraine. Kuchma got involved in the politics wich can be described as divide and concure. He is worried not what is the best for his country, but only about security of his position. He is to abiviosly trying to counter weit any political autority in the country, wich in turn slows down or hults any progress. For example Marchuk (Your used to be favorite guy) and Tulub now have a right to control Yushenko's government and these people wil do anything in order to get Ukraine back to more corruption and stagnation, closer to Russia and away from West. His remarks on Timoshenko and recent arest of her husband shows clearly that impruvment in power industry hits him and his close freinds in the most painfull spot - their pokets. Anyone who would look closer at today's situation in Ukraine would realize that an engin of Yushenko's reform is Yulia Timoshenko. She is a fighter who make things happen. Even if she was in Business with Lasarenko she more then paid for any wrongdoing by protecting Yushenko in parlament fighting Surkis - Medvedchuk and make possible for prime minister to implement his monetary policies.
Every news paper now says that this cabinet will live until October, if it's true I would loose hope that things in Ukraine will ever get better. For the first time during independance things started to look better and people who know what to do got an opportunity to do something.
In this situation Kuchma is dangeros for Ukraine because he doesn't unerstand what to do and his every move scince a new government was nothing but counterproductive for his country. Only on the merrts of his recent statements - Interview with German magazin, constant interfirance into work in Power generating sector, Russian - Ukrainian military exercises, regecting purchases of Gas from Turkmenistan, Iran. Shows that he would protect anyone's interest: Russia's, Oligarhs's but his own countryman, who deserve to live like normal people.
If he would be a president for next 3 years with his record in office, I say there is no hope and nobody including Yushenko will be able to do anything good.
Economy started to grow and it is more I belive then offical 5 percent, because with growing demand for steel and people finaly getting paid on time a grey sector wich works mostly on domestic market jumped something about 20% at least on the merits of growing purchasing power. That grivna will fuel next year's agricalture and should ignite next sircle of grouth. If, there is always this if, if president will not interfier. And we all know that he will. In this case a panic will send people to buy dollars instad of the new tractors or nitrats, grivna will go down money supply will srink, interest rate jump barter ageing will replace money, no tax collected GDP goes down, market crashes.
A second scenario will be triggered by any bad news most likely a resignation of this cabinet wich is expected this fall.
A best case scenario for Ukraine today would be a Russian type of deal (well you always copy Russians) If Kuchma resigns, Yushenko president, Timoshenko Prime Minister. In this case confidence goes up, corruption down, investment grows 1000%, taxation ease up, grey sector srinks, unemployment down, criminal situation down. Open doors to Europe. Otherwise even Belorussia won't be wanting a Union with a backward country like Ukraine.
I don't think Ukraine has three years to wait there would be nothing left in three years. I would say if Kuchma resignes today he'd be a good president, his time expired.
: : HE Should care more about UKRAINE and The Ukrainian Ortodox Church ,Kiev Patriarch Filaret ,and not be WISHY_WASHY. HE SHOULD SUPPORT VICTOR YUSCHENKO .and not the MP Church .SLAVA UKRAINI
: I agree. Ukraine is no longer under Russian occupation. All Ukrainian Orthodox churches and property should be immediately returned to Kyiv or simply taken back while expelling any priest who will not transfer alliance to Kyiv. Millions of dollars are sucked up by Moscow through the church every year. Furthermore one half of all of Moscow's financial holdings should be given to Kyiv as well. I do not advocate torturing and murdering scores of clergy as Moscow did (including the killing of tens of millions of people over a few centuries)but I do believe that Ukraine/Kuchma should pass and enforce laws to return all churches back to Ukrainian jurisdiction. But while churches are being returned let's also ensure that those churches that were built by our Ukrainian Catholic brothers-in-arms are returned to them as well.