WEEKLY ROUNDUP 

Especially in Prykarpattia [Sub-Carpathia] where the lowering temperature was nothing compared to the mounting political pressure on the press. In Ivano-Frankivsk the main topic (before the news about the Kyiv team's triumph in the quarterfinals, of course) was the City Council firing Vasyl Hordiyenko, editor of the municipal newspaper Zakhidny Kurier (Western Courier). It was the city fathers' way to tell the local electorate that they will not tolerate any dissidence in the media under their control in view of the presidential campaign. And it seems that this scandalous ouster will remain the only noteworthy event during the first year of the "servants of the people" of the "third democratic convocation."

In the meantime the voters have a much more important thing on their minds: how to survive. The municipal and law enforcement authorities, using the motto of law and order, have embarked on a large-scale campaign against what is officially termed "unauthorized [disorderly] retail trade." To a an unbiased onlooker the whole thing is strongly reminiscent of the old good hide-and-seek game, with street vendor scattering, spotting a militia patrol, and then returning to their places after the patrol proceeds on its way. Militiamen approach street vendors with the standard formula: "Please move on and clear the street; because of your unauthorized selling others will lose their jobs." In response to which they hear the standard reply, "We have long ago lost our jobs."

The latter has a logic very hard to refute. Official statistics point to a 1.9-fold increase in the unemployment rate in Ivano-Frankivsk alone, totaling 7% which is the highest in Ukraine. To the formally registered 18,000-strong army of the jobless last year added over 10,000. At present, there are over 230 applicants for every job vacancy and every indication says this is just for starters.

And those still employed would laugh when hearing the suggestion that they are better off in any way. The city executive committee stated last week that there are 61,000 - or 66% of those officially employed -not paid wages on any more or less regular basis. Almost one-fifth of all industrial enterprises register 6-10 months back wages. And people still remember last year's March elections and all those splendiferous promises to liven up production and provide jobs and steady wages. And many such promises came from people currently in power.

By Taras TKACHUK, The Day,
Ivano-Frankivsk