Leonid Kuchma promised society he would be a different President

The reelected President’s inauguration took place at the Ukraine Palace of Culture on November 30. Conservatively speaking, it was a breach of tradition as the Chief Executive took his oath of office off Parliament’s grounds. However, the forum attended by numerous foreign guests could have been meant to help promulgate Mr. Kuchma’s new ideas and approaches, which he would proceed to implement during his second term. Addressing his fellow Ukrainians, the President said his experience and confidence in his resources and the potential of the Ukrainian people were sufficient reason to state: “You will have a different President.”

During the inaugural address one felt somewhat confused by the audience’s eagerness to applaud, often at the wrong time, but there were points at which the entire country could have joined in the ovation.

Struggle against corruption. The President stressed that here the main emphasis would be shifted to the usage and combination of two basic approaches: administrative- coercive and economic.

Social character of reforms. Mr. Kuchma pointed out that he placed first the “human social factor,” which “until now had to be sacrificed for various reasons... I shall evaluate every decision and action I make from precisely this perspective,” he declared.

Media. Mr. Kuchma clearly uttered the following phrase: free press.

Political pluralism. The President called on all responsible political forces of Ukraine for the sake of harmony and understanding: “The time has come for us to understand that the elections are over. This means that we must bury our battle axes sharpened in campaign battles and discard our conflicting sentiments along with our orientation toward permanent confrontation, and combine efforts in the name of our people.”

European choice. Mr. Kuchma said that Ukraine reaffirms its European choice and sets the strategic goal of joining the European Union. “The EU membership requirements are in many respects similar to the tasks we plan to solve in the domestic sphere, primarily those relating to the people’s living standards,” he noted.

Professional orientation. The President emphasized that the people and the state need “not only a state capable of taking action but also honest,” which, in turn, calls for a greater emphasis on “new generation cadres — pragmatists and professionals, people of high morals, capable of decisive action, and determined to materialize their patriotism in specific deeds.” Mr. Kuchma declared that he will assess cadres “not by declarations and personal dedication or party affiliation, but by how they organize work and what progress they make in the sectors entrusted them, by progress in the economy and the social bill of health of the citizenry.” To this end, efforts will be made to “resolutely cleanse the state apparatus.”

Political structuring of society. The President declared that he would pay special attention to the political structuring of Ukrainian society and assertion of democratic institutions. He further stated that he would expedite the passage of a bill on political parties which “could help them assume the role of political catalysts in this society.”

To sum up, then, the inaugural address declared an attempt to reform not just society but also the state. The immediate future will show whether this will remain just a monument to good speechwriters or turn into practical guidelines. In any case, the first changes are cadre ones. On November 30 the President promised to make them. And the credit of confidence made by society to the “new” President may either grow stronger or burst like a soap bubble. The clock is ticking.