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WEEKLY ROUNDUP 

29 мая, 00:00

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

Выпуск газеты №:

№20, (1999)

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Day After Day