She makes $3-4K a month, wears a $50K watch, and lives in a $500-850K home.
She belongs to a caste of Ukrainian politicians whose well-being defies the laws of finance, but not the laws of Ukraine. Ironically, she makes the laws.
The secrets of her well-being made Mustafa Nayem and Serhiy Leshchenko of Ukrayinska Pravda beat a path to her door.
They took pictures of her home in Horenychi, five minutes’ drive west of Kyiv.
Hanna Herman — who once had worked as an RFE/RL host and, later, as a spokeswoman for Yanukovych until becoming a Party of Regions MP — didn't enjoy this kind of investigative reporting.
She charged the reporters with spying and running a smear campaign.
In fact, it doesn't take a covert operation to learn that comparable homes in the area sell in the $500-850K range.
That didn’t prevent MP Herman from issuing a statement in which she referred to her home as none other than "silska khata," or "village hut." (Well, if she thinks she lives in a “silska khata,” then putting that hefty price tag on it certainly smacked of a smear campaign to her.)
Interestingly, she welcomed the reporters to check her earnings statements filed with the Verkhovna Rada. Everything is accounted for, Herman said. The $50K watch? A birthday gift! (Yeah, what a modest gift compared to the $500K watches worn by other Party of Regions lawmakers.)
To buy the home in question, Herman claims to have taken out a mortgage on her Kyiv apartment, currently worth $500K.
Bad call! She could have bought herself a "village watch" instead of the "village hut."
Sources:
http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2008/11/26/85135.htm
http://gazeta.ua/index.php?&id=126448&eid=191
Thursday, November 27, 2008
One Flew Over MP Herman’s 'Village Hut'
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9 comments:
Smart move - she has a garage so no shots of the car which she drives in and adds to privacy.
It is good to note that investigative journalism continues although such a story would spark a thorough investigation elsewhere, in Ukraine, nothing but ire and envy. Until there is a clean and strong judiciary there will be no justice.
IIU
This is not, of course, the only example of wealth of the Ukrainian "political elite" which Ukrainian Pravda has pointed out. They "stole it fair and square."
The looming question, the big question, the huge question, which noone in Ukraine seems to be able to answer, and over which I have been scratching my head about for 4 years is this:
WHY DO PEOPLE IN UKRAINE KEEP VOTING FOR THESE SNAKES???????????
Good to see you again, IIU!
It must have been just another case of “one law for all,” as Yushchenko put it.
Elmer, I, for one, do not vote for these snakes.
Last time, I voted for a snaky plait.
Once again we can sing Frankie Ruiz's salsa song: How do they do it? (¿Cómo lo hacen?, in Spanish).
Exactly, Gabriela!
In addition to the “village hut,” she might as well have called herself “Simplemente Hanna” and sung “Aprendi a Llorar”:)
From a comment to the Ukrainian Pravda article about a BYuT-PoR coalition, where Hanna Herman said that "one hand has to strong, and the other a bit more tender":
Хочу подякувапи пані Герман за те що вона так часто появляється на екранах ТВ і так вже всіх задолбала своїми тупими коментарями і хамскою поведінкою що народ помаленьку перестає дивитись всякі політшоу а більше приділяє уваги родині і читанню книжок.
Дякую тобі Ганцю! бабло відробляєш на всі 100%
"I want to thank Mrs. Herman for appearing so often on TV screens and so boring everyone so much with her stupid commentaries and low-life behavior, that the entire nation is slowly no longer bothering to watch all sorts of political shows but instead is paying more attention to its own families and reading books. Thank you, Henny! You've earned 100% of your pay!"
(Trying to be as polite as I can in the translation).
Here's a better song for Hanny Herman:
an old classic - "Until the Real Thing Comes Along"
Take your pick from the various singers:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=until+the+real+thing+comes+along&search_type=&aq=0&oq=Until+the+Real+thi
Personally, I like the Fats Waller, Billie Holliday, the 1936 Jazz Standard version, and the Dianne Strong version.
"I'd work for you
I'd slave for you
I'd be a beggar or a nave for you
If that isn't love
It'll have to do
Until the real thing comes along
I'd gladly move the earth for you
To prove my love, dear
and its worth for you
If that isn't love
It'll have to do
Until the real thing comes along
With all the words, dear,
At my command
I just can't make you understand
I'll always love you, darling
Come what may
My heart is yours
What more can I say
I'd lie for you
I'd sigh for you
I'd tear the stars down
From the sky for you
If that isn't love
It'll have to do
Until the real thing comes along
Walk on burning coals for you,
Drive the Chrysler,
Leave the Rolls for you
If that isn't love
It'll have to do
Until the real thing comes along
(The words depend on which version you listen to)
I also love the Valaida Snow version,from 1936.
She spent some time in a Nazi concentration camp.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgLSgpX5ip8&feature=related
Great translation and great song!
Hanya could do “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”:)
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