NDP Leader Proposes Mayoral Election Compromise
People's Democratic leader Anatoly Matviyenko thinks that all democratic
forces should back the current chairman of Kyiv State Administration Oleksandr
Omelchenko as candidate for Kyiv mayor. He noted that today there is no
single candidate against whom one cannot raise any objective claims, but
all sound-minded state-supporting forces and patriots of Kyiv should unite
around his candidacy and only later find a substitute for him, said the
NDP leader. He also explained that Mr. Omelchenko should be supported in
order to ward off mayoral victory by an "accidental oligarch" who would
"experiment in Kyiv and try out certain mechanisms for the future presidential
elections," Interfax-Ukraine reports.
Loan for National Radio Communication System
The Ukrspetseksport (Ukrainian Special Exports, i.e., which has the monopoly
in Ukrainian arms sales - Ed.) State Enterprise is to attract up to 705
million French francs (about $114 million) to set up a national system
of mobile confidential radio communications. As a well-informed source
informed Interfax-Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers has recently decided
to seek a loan to establish this type of telecommunications. The funds
will be extended against state guarantees by the Credit Agricole Indosuez
Bank (France) as part of an existing French credit line, with a grace period
of seven years. The communication system will be based on the Tetrapol
standard of digital trunking radio communication developed by the French
Matra Nortel Communication Company. The Zaporizhzhia-based state-run Radioprylad
(Radio Equipment) Enterprise has been appointed the main contractor to
set up the system.
Cigarette Output Falls
The output of cigarettes in Ukraine is dropping due to increased imports
of cheap cigarettes onto the Ukrainian market, including from Russia and
Moldova. 4128.9 million cigarettes were produced in April, 1038 million
down on the April 1988 figure, Ukrainski novyny reports. There are no exact
data on smuggled cigarettes, but experts think that contraband cigarettes
now account for 25-30% of those on sale. Annual Ukrainian cigarette market
demand is currently estimated 75 billion cigarettes.






