Kyiv Speaker's Corner

Kyiv's version of London's speaker's corner was buzzing with energy yesterday. I wasn't really able to follow the debate unfortunately. Too many "speakers" yelling at each other simultaneously, without much concern as to who is listening, if anyone.

High-times at the Security Council

On Ukrainian television yesterday I came across a clip of President Yushchenko conducting a National Security Council meeting and then I heard him say something about laying in a field of Marijuana. Blogger Abdymok captured the intriguing line of reasoning: read it here.

Stagebuilders on Speed

If anyone, other than billboard owners, is making any money on these elections it's the stage builders of this town. Massive stages complete with walls and ceilings are erected for a day of political propaganda and then hastily disassembled. Up and down they go. All over the city. Here is PoR's, on Maidan - almost as big as Elton John's.

Political Creatives

Saturday was the last day poll data, regarding the elections, could be released to the public. If I heard correctly on Radio ERA while driving the girls to ballet, at this point the polls look like 34% PoR, 23% BYuT, 11% NUSO, and small stuff, under 3% for socialists, commies, and others. From now on, no ratings.

Kyiv is fully pasted over with political propaganda. Three main types of outdoor advertising is in use. The standard billboard, the rectangular, hanging over the street "Trolley" adverts, and the sort of flags/banners that are affixed to telephone or light poles along the sides of the streets.

The parties in their wisdom and their counseling from professional PR people have taken some different approaches:

Of course we have the braid...


The glasses....



and more glasses...


then the arm...


heck, schemes PoR, Yanukovych's mugshot isn't exactly eye-candy, why not just put up our amazingly cool slogans:


and the commies take a whole wall....

Svoboda Slova

I learned and interesting tidbit today. There are actually TWO Svoboda Slova's now that Savik Shuster has moved his show from ICTV to INTER (for which he is being sued).
Apparently, there is also one on 5 Kanal, hosted in Ukrainian. So I no longer need to decipher Mr. Shuster's Russian (although it has become a lot easier for me lately). Friday night political T.V.

Yulia Addresses Western Investors

Yulia Timoshenko - BYuT's Contract with Investors was a carefully managed meeting between Yulia and EBA and AMCHAM members in the recently opened Hyatt St. Sophia. The room was packed. Simultaneous translation was provided for those that required it and press kits included english and ukrainian version of a three page policy summary entitled "Contract With Investors". At the end of her impressive speech, she made a point of signing two copies, handing one to the head of EBA and one to the head of AMCHAM. I really dug the results oriented approach in everything she spoke about. Tangible project steps were outlined and timelines were stated. Like all good politicians she outlined broadsweeping reforms in a wide variety of sectors. Her answers to questions from the audience were concrete, thorough and intelligent. She seemed on top of the issues.


In a bizarre twist near the end of the meeting, an elderly man in the back of the room stood up and introduced himself as a Congressman from the USA. He then proceeded to quote the bible and lectured Yulia not to succumb to pride as a result of all the media attention. Again quoting the bible, he recommended that she not allow herself to be isolated from the counsel of many wise people in the citizenry that may seek access to her. Yulia, listening through the simultaneous translation, had a quizzical look on her face. Not sure where this was going. Finally, the self-proclaimed Congressman concluded with: "I was recently back in Washington for a visit and I was asked by various high-level officials about what it was like in Ukraine. They were particularly interested in what 'this Yulia Timoshenko' was like. I answered that Yulia is a visually a pretty woman, conducts herself always as a lady, thinks like a man(?), and works like a horse." what?

If I had to pick between BYuT, PoR, and Nasha Ukraina, (which i don't) it's a no brainer to pick BYut. Like my journalist friend commented at the meeting. "She takes a lot of criticism but she is definitely a strong force in Ukrainian politics. She will be around for a long, long time."

As an aside, in conclusion, she announced the launch of her english-language website www.ibyut.com today and encouraged the meeting participants to visit it.

ICTV - Freedom of Speech Show

ICTV 22.12.06 Svoboda Slova

lutsenko standing at the podium being questioned by Kinakh, Symonenko, Chornovil, Lytvyn, Shufrych etc:

"...as soon as we returned deputy immunity we returned large scale corruption
the level of corruption now is unprecedented.

the divisions in Ukraine are false.
the current government is using false divisions to rob the country.

i don't want to lead a party, and i have been offered to run one..as everyone knows (alluding to Nasha Ukraina)

i am going to the people
i will circle Ukraine
we don't need colors.
we need blue and yellow.

ukraine is united by laws and by fairness. it is time to start talking about these things no?

i want to go to the people. it may work, it may not. but this corruption has to stop. i want Ukraine to be a country where one can walk around without security and not fear for their safety.

to Taras Chornovil: Tarase you and i did stand at the barricade against Kuchma, with your father as well. I remain there, against any kuchma, and you Taras went over to the same forces you fought earlier.

i can guarantee you that the majority of socialists think the way i do.

re: yulia timoshenko, you call her an opportunist, but she gave a budget that helped people. that doubled their salaries. yours only increases it 7%. 7% with tariffs up 350% percent. you have declared war on the people in each household.

you continue to say the country is divided
a divided country is easier to steal from.

you continue to say that you are defending us from NATO. you think NATO will be ok without us?

today all actions are in motion to make the Ministry of Internal Affairs an administrative resource again.

Kuchmism is back. It's all back. The same words, the same criminal schemes...but it won't work because Ukraine is not the same. Ukraine is different after the events of 2 years ago. If we Ukrainians have to go back to the streets we will go back to the streets. If we need drums we will have drums again.