Speaker's Presentation
On oil terminal ruins
Finally the week is past, another seven days of the electorate's anxious
expectations is history. And the focal event, of course, was Ukraine's
"not number one nor number two" politician's decision to risk losing both
the post he has and the one he covets and flying to Odesa oblast. Oleksandr
Tkachenko made his appearance there to present a newly developed - under
his learned guidance - national economic development program for the next
16 years and hear what people had to say by way of unanimous praise. This
certainly included the toiling people's heartfelt will, namely that their
beloved leader Tkachenko run for President. By all means! The Speaker knew
better than advertise his "program of national rebirth" deep in the countryside
where the collective farm idea is scoring its final and irreversible victory.
Instead, he chose the Druzhba [Friendship] Palace of the city-port Pivdenny,
against the scenic backdrop of the oil terminal construction site, laid
up by Leonid Kuchma five years ago, perhaps as a symbolic gesture manifesting
his unshakable friendship with the Russian concern Lukoil and partners.
"This national program is a hundred percent domestic product and will serve
as an alternative to the reform being carried out in Ukraine and Program
2010 being developed by the Cabinet of Ministers." His program is further
intended as a guarantee of "creating favorable conditions for Ukrainian
citizens, so the population grows by 200,000-250,000 yearly." The Speaker
went on to explain that there would be three development stages to pass.
In the first three years the economy would be "stabilized." In the next
three "appropriate changes in the state structure will be carried out and
GDP increased, thus reaching the indices of 1990." In the final decade
"all branches of the national economy will be intensively modernized and
every citizen's well-being will be enhanced."
The very next year, the program goes on, average wages will reach UAH
250; 2002 will see UAH 500; 2015, UAH 1,700, and so on. Those of the local
critics who had the gumption to question the program's soundness suggested
that "specific clauses" be introduced in the program (just to be on the
safe side) to secure the development of Odesa oblast in particular. The
opposition also had its say as Odessa Mayor Bodelan declared bluntly that
he did not trust the document and considered it another unrealistic utopia.
Needless to say people in Odesa expected not only the sage politician's
visit. School ended that week and the first rest areas and resorts opened.
The oblast's prosecutor announced at a board meeting that an initial 25
criminal cases were being transferred to court on the strength of Article
163 of the Criminal Code, providing punishment for beach littering. Many
a resident was horrified reading this report. President Kuchma's policy
appears to have led the population to the point where forests have begun
to be chopped down en masse to provide firewood, just like in Siberia's
Tiumen. Last year Odesa's steppe zone lost 50% of its woods. Because of
the outrageous sanitary condition of its bodies of water, over 7% of rivers
and lakes are infested by infectious bacteria. Last year local residents
consumed 19,000 tons of sulfates in their drinking water, along with 1,500
tons of nitrates and as much chlorides, yet there are no lines at clinics
and hospital; people cannot afford treatment.
Finally, the good news. On May 26 Germany's Walter Bau AG concern and
the City Council reached an understanding whereby the German side will
finance preparation work for renovating the Odesa Airport. The project
is worth UAH 80 million, so if all goes well city residents will be able
to board leading European flights as early as 2002.
By Mykhailo AKSANIUK, The Day






