• Українська
  • Русский
  • English
Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

Why is Bakai Discussing Contributions?

21 September, 1999 - 00:00

Ihor Bakai, chairman of the board of the Naftohaz Ukrayiny (Oil & Gas of Ukraine) National Joint Stock Company, admitted recently that his company sponsored several presidential candidates, singling out Oleksandr Moroz, adding that his firm gave pecuniary aid this year “in response to a letter from the Progressive Socialist faction for printed matter.”

A statement like this made shortly before the election seems anything but coincidental. “As before, Bakai remains faithful to Kuchma and hinting at financing the Socialist leader's campaign can only be regarded as an attempt not only to discredit Moroz, but also cast an imputation on the Kaniv Four,” says Hromada People's Deputy Omelich.

Candidate Yevhen Marchuk, commenting on the state company president's statement at a press conference on September 13, declared that “Ihor Bakai has never aided him financially and never will.” Oleksandr Tkachenko is convinced that Bakai's post at the company is “unlawful,” saying that “He is no expert on the energy industry, just a protОgО and a big wallet for the government.” Talking about money, “We cannot but provide assistance when requested and we are in a position to do so,” the Naftohaz CEO declared, implying he does so out of the generosity of his heart, but made no mention of where such wherewithal came from, considering that the company's debt to the state totals UAH 4.2 billion.

Oleksandr Moroz thus described Mr. Bakai's revelation: “Ihor Bakai may be supporting certain organizations patronized by his company, but we have no party cells in Naftohaz Ukrayiny.” The reader should recall that the influential oligarch sponsors the ICTV television channel, the newspaper Segodnia [Today] and the Rebirth of the Regions fraction in Parliament.

However, when The Day asked Mr. Nasalyk, one of the group's far from impoverished members, about the company's alleged contributions to Socialist Party of Ukraine and aid given other oil candidates, he replied that he was not an expert and had no such information.

Oleksandr Moroz believes that Ihor Bakai is following in Vadym Rabynovych's footsteps (who also said that Moroz's people tried to “borrow” money for the election campaign. A message must have been heard through the business grapevine (there are few witnesses to any talks between SPU and oligarchs) and Ihor Bakai was instructed to make such a statement. All joking aside, there is no time to respond to such provocations, except that his statement is a pack of lies, states the Socialist leader.

As for the SPU letters soliciting help, allegedly in the Naftohaz head's possession, Mr. Moroz doubts their existence: “The fraction would never send any such letters, because it is not within its competence. The whole affair is strongly reminiscent of the President's conduct, who says that he has certain remarks to make but will say them later.”

Incidentally, this is a second link binding Messrs. Moroz and Bakai. In an interview with Segodnia , presidential candidate Oleksandr Moroz said that, if and when he is elected President, he will offer the post of premier to the Naftohaz head. “Everybody laughed and I joined them, because we all knew it was a joke,” Mr. Moroz recalls. Yet there are apparently people who do not understand such humor. The Socialist leader assumes that they may have well cornered Mr. Bakai and asked how come Moroz is counting on your help.

Maybe now that the faction Left Center is campaigning for the Pustovoitenko Cabinet's ouster, Mr. Bakai can see how true the old adage, the call is just like the echo, really is.

Rubric: