Social Democrats Split by Attitudes Toward Executive 

In an interview with Interfax-Ukraine last Wednesday, Mr. Marchuk said "it was on these grounds that Onopenko's party and other social democratic associations split off." In his opinion, "SDPU(o)'s (Social Democratic Party of Ukraine {united}) drift towards an excessively pro-governmental or pro-presidential position" produced the rift.

Mr. Marchuk emphasized that "unwillingness or fearful evasion of defining social democrats' attitude toward those in power has never had positive results."

Early last week SDPU(o) leader Viktor Medvedchuk said that his party's goal now is "to seek power in order to take it every day" and that the party "will be joining government structures at a slightest opportunity." He also refused to confirm or deny reports that SDPU(o) is gradually becoming the "party of power" instead of the NDP.

Yet, as the deputy noted, the formation of several social-democratic type parties in Ukraine "is a natural process." He did not rule out the continuation of this process. Mr. Marchuk recalled that all European parties of this type had once "passed through splits, and in some countries there are two or three social democratic parties now" which "have learned to coexist normally."

The deputy admits that a part of SDPU(o) will support his candidacy in the upcoming presidential elections. "SDPU(o) is not only five or six party leaders. This is quite a well developed, if not the largest, party structure," said he. At the same time, in Mr. Marchuk's words, this party's support of his candidacy is not "critically important."

Almost all parties, except the Communist Party of Ukraine, he noted, lack a broad electoral base, so "support by only one party will not help a candidate in the elections."

Mr. Marchuk marked in this connection the important role to be played by party coalitions at the elections. He did not rule out the probability of social democratic parties forging a coalition, "but this will be very complicated." "I do not think it feasible to join together Yuri Buzduhan's party and SDPU(o), while these parties are headed by the current leaders," said he.

Mr. Marchuk stated that a number of parties and coalitions are negotiating with him support of his candidacy, but this is premature to discuss.