BEFORE THE CAMPAIGN LEONID KUCHMA WANTS TO KNOW WHO HAS MONEY

On April 28 Presidential Press Secretary Oleksandr Maidannyk read the new edict, On the Concept of the Struggle Against Corruption in 1998-2005.

Among the measures laid down therein, one’s attention is drawn to what is called the “analysis of anonymous bank accounts.” At one time opening such accounts was advertised as a “banking revolution” aimed primarily at returning the hard currency taken out of Ukraine and legalizing the shadow economy. Many believed the Ukrainian government. But...

The true meaning of “analysis” used in the Presidential decree is clear to every modern financier. Any political analyst will explain it as a way to actually ban anonymous accounts as such. And as a serious indication that the time of democratic liberties is drawing to a close in Ukraine. Oleksandr Suhoniako, President of the Association of Ukrainian Banks voices his doubts about the Presidential Press Secretary’s statement. When asked by The Day’s Vitaly Kniazhansky, he stated: “I think that this edict cannot be enacted, because the President was the one who signed another edict instituting such anonymous accounts.” When further queried (“the President can issue one edict today and another one tomorrow”), he said: “If he does so it means that he does not know how to run his own country. Would you trust a person who invites guests, showing them all respect, and then ordering them murdered? This just does not stand to logic and I think that people over there (at the Presidential Administration) will realize th is and act accordingly.”