The Main Principle is Removing the Current Regime

Presidential candidate and Socialist Party leader Oleksandr Moroz, who since the end of the week before the last had been undergoing examination in the Feofaniya Republic Clinical Hospital, followed the advice of his campaign headquarters and decided to continue his a couple of days medical checkup in Germany.

Moroz and his headquarters were compelled to make such a decision not because they questioned the professional skills of Ukrainian doctors, but in connection with the rather excessive interest shown by representatives of the executive in the progress of his physical examination, manifested in the regular exploitation of the subject in the Ukrainian President's and Premier's speeches, Moroz's press service reports.

Last Monday, German doctors completed their examination of Mr. Moroz, and a gallstone that had been found in his kidney, was removed without surgery, the candidate's press center reports. Commenting on this to The Day Moroz's press secretary Yaroslav Mendus said: »We thank all those who were sincerely concerned about Oleksandr Oleksandrovych's [Moroz's] condition, especially after the rumors, widely put out by so-called well-wishers, that his health is getting worse. We also sympathize with those who counted on Moroz's being prevented by those problems from conducting his presidential campaign up to its logical conclusion. Oleksandr Oleksandrovych's departure to Germany was an absolutely correct decision: once the President begins to inquire in detail about his opponent's health, one should tell him to not hold his breath and immediately take measures equal to the situation.''

Still, at news conference, held after the arrival , Oleksandr Moroz looked so fit and energetic after his trip to Germany that no one even bothered asking the presidential candidate about his health

Practically, all the questions posed Mr. Moroz dealt with the Kaniv Four in one way or another eloquently testifying to the fact that the signing of the Kaniv accord remains the most significant current political event in Ukraine. When asked what could united the four so very different politicians, he stressed, »The main principle binding on all responsible politicians in Ukraine: removing the current regime that has led this country to the verge of catastrophe.» He went on to state that although negotiations and consultations regarding a single candidate are underway, he has not yet withdrawn his own candidacy. Mr. Moroz believes that a single candidate will be able to win in the first round, emphasizing that Verkhovna Rada's amendment to the presidential elections law, aimed at preventing rigged elections, is »absolutely correct.»

Commenting on the threat of default, he described the manner in which the President and Cabinet are spending IMF money as a »sewer for loans.» In his opinion, the IMF's recent announcement that it will continue to cooperate with Ukraine also in the event of the President's and Cabinet's replacement is evidence that »they are not making Kuchma's ouster into a tragedy.» Nevertheless, Mr. Moroz considers that the Presidential Administration is still frightening the West with the Red peril from the Communist side and a »standby threat embodied by the Progressive Socialists.»

Commenting on the People's Deputies' interpolation addressed to the General Prosecutor, requesting criminal proceedings against Deputy Oleksandr Volkov, a key figure on the President's campaign team, in conjunction with currency accounts abroad and concealed income in such currency, Mr. Moroz declared that the Lazarenko, Volkov, and Lobov cases are all part of »the case of President Kuchma.»