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Sunday, February 10, 2008

Yushchenko Denies Links to Gas Business



I find it unpleasant to talk about gas. I don’t feel like talking about this damn subject because I realize that it…it puts me in a tight spot. I get tied to the allegation that my family is involved in gas trade. Thank God Almighty, I’m occupied with something more interesting — and so is my family — than gas.

But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation. (James 5:12)

Video uploaded from: http://censor.net.ua/go/offer/ResourceID/75725.html

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

the swearing makes it sound a bit convincing - that his brother really isn't cutting a coupon from the gas trade and he's honestly exasperated by the allegations .....or maybe not????

Taras said...

I assume it’s Anon?

Well, I have no firsthand knowledge to either confirm or deny this allegation. I do agree, however, that the tonality of such statements creates weak arguments in the courtroom of public opinion.

It is in the best interests of the public that neither Yushchenko nor Yanukovych nor Tymoshenko be involved in any conflict of interest.

Anonymous said...

sadly, I think "conflicts of interests" in politics is full of different shades of gray...

dlw

Anonymous said...

Ummm -

this is the most excited I have ever seen him. It's an odd reaction, suggesting 3 possibilities to me:

1) he's reacting to being unfairly accused

2) he's reacting loudly to try to cover something up in the way of his own involvement or that of his family

3) he's reacting loudly to try to cover something up in the way of protecting RosUkrEnergo and its mysterious owners.

As Shakespeare said:

"methinks he doth protest too much."

Taras said...

Elmer,

It could be any one of these possibilities. But to be honest, this video sadly reminds of the manner in which he defended his son’s questionable lifestyle back in 2005.

Shakespeare’s words ring true. Even if no conflict of interest exists, this kind of public relations may create the opposite impression.

DLW,

Of course, there are shades of gray. And if we are to have “one law for all,” we must keep our eyes wide open to every shade of gray, lest we succumb to the shadow of lawlessness.

Once we detect those shades of gray, we must match the punishment to the crime. Fair enough by US standards?

It is my firm belief that conflicts of interest must not be tolerated in Ukraine. In America, you have the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the Patriot Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, to name just a few.

I realize that no system is perfect. Compared to ours, however, your system has a much higher rate of success in dealing with those shades of gray.

Naturally, I wish we had your system. But I don’t think you’re interested in having ours. As a Ukrainian, I don’t want this gap to continue. I need a system that serves the public, not the other way around.

Anonymous said...

The Pres. does have a temper - and yep, it is similar to the manner in which he responded to the Son of God news stories. (Hint quickest way to get him furious - go after his family.) Everybody has a weakness and if this was the worst that he has - easily forgiven. btw there never has been any written confirmation of his bro being involved has there? and was not his brother supposed to become a monk?

Luida

Taras said...

We all have our weaknesses.

It is the President’s job, however, to be a strong leader capable of harnessing any weaknesses that may weaken the country.

As for his brother’s plans, your story caught me by surprise!:) Having Googled it, I found only one source for it: former MP Yuriy Boldyrev, PRU.

That doesn’t mean I would object to the idea of having some parties and politicians confined to a monastery in some distant region like Tibet:)

Anonymous said...

Luida,

the story about his brother came to prominance after he agred to Yanuk becoming PM. It was put about by Tymo's supporters to "explain" how come he agreed to Yanuk ie they had the dirt on him. This idea became completely untenable when Yush called elections and appointed Tym as PM as it turned out that there wasn't any usable dirt since POR failed to stop him. It was then revived by the Communist party leader and quoted in the media as if coming from some reliable source. In short there doesn't seem to be any real evidence but then it's true if there was we wouldn't probably get to see it. It doesn't seem probable though going on the lack of evidence generally for corruption on his part that he'd screw up the whole of Ukraine's and Europe's gas trade for the sake of $ for his brother.