Public rehabilitation?

How is the world going to get out of the economic crisis? At what position does Ukraine rank in the globalized world? And even more, what currency is the most suitable for savings purpose? Former head of the IMF Dominique Strauss-Kahn tried to answer these and many more questions for Ukrainians recently.

The famous financial expert, whose reputation is rather doubtful today, was invited to Kyiv by Viktor Pinchuk Foundation to give a lecture on future changes in world economy and their consequences for Europe and Ukraine. This lecture was organized for students of the grant program Zavtra.UA and some other guests (experts, politicians, and businessmen).

The Foundation’s choice of the lecturer seemed quite strange for the majority of those who learned that Strauss-Kahn was invited. But as The Day found out, the organization committee did not plan to cause any sensations. This meeting is the repay of the old debt. In fall of 2010, when DSK’s reputation [the French use this abbreviation instead of Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s full name. – Ed.] was not yet tarnished, during the Yalta European Strategy (YES) summit, the organization committee of Zavtra.UA informed the twoscore of grant holders that they managed to organize a tete-a-tete meeting with a famous financial expert and the IMF director executive. (By the way, such meetings are a routine practice at Viktor Pinchuk Foundation. A great number of famous people were invited to have a frank conversation with the youth during the YES summit.) But Strauss-Kahn had some changes made to his schedule, at least that was the official reason why the meeting with students was cancelled. And since the “debt” did not disappear, the Foundation invited the guest when the situation settled a little.

Strauss-Kahn’s lecture in Kyiv became his first public event ever since his scandalous resignation from the IMF in May, 2011. It is no wonder that this DSK’s arrival to Kyiv caused a great stir in the newspapers.

However, only the mass media were stirred. Among the VIP-guests announced by the Foundation, only few famous people were noticed at the event. Among them were members of the opposition Andrii Shevchenko and Iryna Herashchenko, Party of Regions member Oleksii Plotnikov, and about 10 political scientists and diplomats. The government chose to ignore the meeting with the famous financial expert. Perhaps, high officials realized that their presence would have some uncomfortable consequences for Ukraine. Strauss-Kahn left the IMF rather quietly, but there still was a scandal at the European Parliament. DSK had to present a public report there, but the European MPs protested and did not let him into the European institution.

Strauss-Kahn’s lecture in Kyiv went quite peacefully. At first, Viktor Pinchuk introduced the lecturer in an opening speech. Then Strauss-Kahn spent about an hour sharing his vision of the situation development in the world economic scene. It was followed by a series of questions from the audience (students only, the format of the meeting did not provide for the guest’s communication with the press).

The students asked in what way they should preserve their savings (former head of the IMF advised to invest into education); when Strauss-Kahn got to know Ukraine (the Frenchman mentioned he had Ukrainian roots: his grandfather was born in Odesa); who was going to win the elections in France (Strauss-Kahn, who was a real candidate for the presidential post in his country before the scandal took place, said that programs presented by all of the candidates are more or less the same); what position he thought Ukraine would occupy on the international scene in the future (Strauss-Kahn stated that he saw our country as a member of the European Union community).

DSK was also asked to share his view on the US financial regulatory policy. However, he refused to answer that question, saying that being a guest at such events was complicated since “people want to hear answers to such questions in the presence of TV cameras and mass media.” It also remained a mystery why the Foundation decided to invite Strauss-Kahn to Kyiv before it was known for sure if he was guilty or not.

“IS THERE A SINGLE PUBLIC PERSON NOT INVOLVED IN A SCANDAL?!”

Andrii KULYKOV, journalist, moderator of the event:

“As regards to the content of the event, I suppose everything was presented in a well-organized, understandable way. In my opinion, this event was very useful and interesting for those who do care about the future of the economy. We do not get a chance to communicate with such specialists every day. I suppose, in case he said something new and interesting for the people who were present, it was only for their benefit. And even if he only confirmed their own thoughts, there was no harm to it as well.

“Since I was the moderator of the meeting, I was more occupied with the presence of interesting questions and given answers.”

“I ATTENDED THE MEETING TO SEE AND LISTEN TO THE FINANCIAL EXPERT, BUT NOT THE PERSON INVOLVED IN THE SCANDAL WITH THE HOTEL MAID”

Oleksii PLOTNIKOV, Ukrainian MP (Party of Regions):

“Certainly, it was a positive lecture in general. I liked both form and content of it. Strauss-Kahn said the right things when he came to talk about the globalization, what actions should Ukraine take, what Ukraine’s position is going to be in the future. In particular, I support the idea that Ukraine is going to become a member of the EU once. Another important topic that was discussed at the meeting was the further development of relations between Ukraine and the IMF. A large amount of work was done, and then the views of Ukraine and the Foundation slightly split.

“It was interesting for me to observe a person who lost the head of the IMF position, who did not become the president of France, who still is under a threat of a 20-year-long imprisonment. It was interesting to watch the ways he would behave, react, face the audience. This is what I was interested in. As for the content of the lecture, I do not want to comment on my expectations and the result. I can only say that I was satisfied with it.”

Iryna HERASHCHENKO, Ukrainian MP (NUNS faction):

“I do not specialize in economics, so first of all this invitation was interesting for me from a political point of view. I was wondering how a person, who is being put under the pressure because of some personal circumstances, would behave in public, what kind of lecture it would be.

“As to the matter of reputation, it is obvious that today Strauss-Kahn’s reputation does not remind of a clean slate at all, and he is treated in different ways even as a lecturer. But the organizers of the event decided that the former head of the IMF is an interesting figure for the Ukrainian audience today, first of all as an expert in international finance and economics. A private foundation organized the event, so it was not Ukraine that officially invited the former head of the IMF. He was not invited by Ukrainian government. Perhaps, the ambiguity of the situation was the reason none of the government representatives showed up for the meeting. Probably, Pinchuk (once his father-in-law Kuchma also had some problems with his image) is somewhat sentimental when it comes to the people who held high positions, and had to revive their reputation because of some unfavorable circumstances.

“Pinchuk introduced the guest in the most amiable way at the beginning of the lecture. He said that he had known Strauss-Kahn for a long time, and he was always impressed by his profound knowledge of economics. Obviously, the audience consisted of respectable people, everyone was polite, and even though the scandalous questions seemed to float in the air, nobody ever voiced them.”

Vitalii TSYHANIUK, National University Ostroh Academy graduate, Viktor Pinchuk Foundation’s program Zavtra.UA grant holder:

“Many things have changed during the past two years, since the Foundation promised to organize the meeting with Dominique Strauss-Kahn. That is why this time I went to a meeting not only with a famous financial expert, but with a person whose reputation was tarnished after an unpleasant scandal.

“I do not regret going there. Strauss-Kahn proved his deep knowledge of the financial state of the world. I also learned the way Europeans and world leading economists see modern Ukraine and its economic potential in the future.

“No matter how strange it might seem, but it was the guest’s modesty and calmness that constantly reminded of the recent scandal he is involved in. I can neither judge nor justify Strauss-Kahn, at least because I do not know for certainty who has the truth in this situation.

“I learned a personal lesson after the meeting with Dominique Strauss-Kahn: one should receive good education, be completely devoted to work, constantly improve professional skills, but at the same time, always keep the lesson from Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s life in mind. One should understand that a conceptual indication for a person is a notion of following the moral and ethical values at all times. Only under such circumstances I will be able to retire carrying my head high.”