POLITICS

A week ago, while those in power were promoting Zlahoda in the Ukraine Palace of Culture, dozens of parties in different Ukrainian regions volunteered to join the Twenty-First Century with Yevhen Marchuk Association, and Ternopil and Khmelnytsky oblasts organizations were established.

Yevhen Marchuk is showing a dynamism that may eventually refute skeptical allegations about his losing precious time at the starting gate. He is gaining momentum, doing so confidently, even though barred from government-run radio and television programs and periodicals.

Below The Day reports on Mr. Marchuk's visits to Ternopil, Kremenets, and Khmelnytsky.

UKRAINE NEEDS GOVERNMENT THE PEOPLE
SUPPORT

March 21 saw over a thousand 21st Century with Yevhen Marchuk supporters who voiced their trust in the man and encouraged his candidacy in the coming elections. Those present appreciated his pragmatic and consistently liberal stand, especially his implacability with regard to the clannish-racket structures now prevalent in upper state echelons.

"Those not up to their posts should step down," declared Mr. Marchuk, adding that Ukraine needs new ideas and a strong government truly supported by the people, reports Volodymyr TARASENKO.

The audience's general feeling was that Ukraine could have a chance to get out of the abyss of its social and economic crisis if Yevhen Marchuk became President, reports Oleksandr VILCHYNSKY.

Entrepreneurship, especially private business, could be the most effective consolidating factor in bringing Ukrainian society back into shape, Mr. Marchuk told his Kremenets audience. Relying on private business interests, one could hope to develop an effective vehicle to attract Western and Eastern European resources and establish an recreational complex in the Crimea to revive the national producer and stabilize and improve the national climate, reports Liubov LEVYTSKA.

KHMELNYTSKY DECIDES TO CANCEL
WORLD'S END

"Point of return. Pilots know what this means. Ukraine has approached the point of no return and the current President seems to believe that the end of the world will come in 2000 when he will not be answerable for anything," Yevhen Marchuk told his audiences in Khmelnytsky and Kamianets-Podilsky, noting that the authorities are trying to use power structures (in response to a question from a businessman) and he believes that such a practice is bad for everyone concerned. It has thus far produced the worst effect on businesspeople. He added that they were drawing up a list of businesses that had suffered from the authorities to be tentatively titled the Black Book of Business. The list numbers over a hundred entities and most of the victims had just supported the wrong opposition and found themselves in bad odor. We must reckon with our harsh realities: those now holding high office are like the Golden Horde, always out for a quick grab, whatever they can lay their hands on, stressed Mr. Marchuk.

The situation within Ukraine, being played out by the scenario written and imposed from on high, is a thorn in the side of one and all these days. Even the militia details assigned to keep law and order during the opposition leader's meetings seemed to forget about their immediate duty, eagerly listening and even applauding. A soldier and father of four was quoted as saying in the lobby, "I know they will skin me alive for coming over to take part in the constituent meeting, but I had to..."

Anatoly Voitov, presiding over an officers' meeting in Khmelnytsky, declared, "They are stealing millions and billions from us, yet they refuse to pay our wages and pensions. Thus we must rally round a man who has a conscience and will really care for the people. If we vote for the wrong candidate again we will all be in for total disaster..."