Kuchma reaffirms determination to stay the course on reforms

by Marta Kolomayets
Kyiv Press Bureau

KYIV - President Leonid Kuchma once again confirmed that there is no going back for Ukraine - that it will stay the course of economic and democratic reforms. That was the principal message of his annual state of the state address to the Parliament on April 2.

"Integration into Europe - this is our conscious and strategic choice," he told deputies, government officials, regional governors and journalists gathered in the Supreme Council headquarters. The 65-minute speech was televised and broadcast live via radio.

His remarks came on the same day that the presidents of the Russian Federation and Belarus signed a treaty of reintegration, in what many see as the first step in reviving the Soviet Union.

In sharp contrast to the events taking place in the Kremlin on that day, Mr. Kuchma, sounding confident, said: "We consider and firmly hold the position that any attempts to reanimate the Soviet Union carry no historic perspective and only harm the development of normal integration processes."

"Ukraine's foreign policy priorities remain the same - integration with European nations and simultaneous development of relations with Russia in all fields," commented Foreign Minister Hennadiy Udovenko on April 3, confirming President Kuchma's outline of Ukraine's course of action.

In a lengthy speech that covered everything from the importance of the constitutional process in Ukraine to the lack of affordable summer recreation camps for children, President Kuchma outlined the trials and tribulations of Ukraine during this transitional time.

As a companion to his presentation, the presidential administration distributed a 381-page manual titled "The Economic and Social Development of Ukraine in 1995" to all the deputies of the Supreme Council.

In his state of the state address, the Ukrainian chief executive was able to delineate some of Ukraine's most pressing problems and list its most crucial policies, both domestic and foreign.

"Ukraine has passed the point of historic return, and there will be no going back. However, the danger of attempts to return to the past cannot be excluded; in fact, both internal and external forces must be considered," he cautioned in his opening remarks.

"But, we should no longer ask the question: What kind of state should Ukraine be? That choice has already been made," he said.

Throughout his speech, President Kuchma emphasized that Ukraine will prosper only if its branches of power work together and consolidate their forces. "Our future - without exaggeration - depends on this," he noted.

The Ukrainian leader underscored the importance of a consensus regarding fundamental values, which includes a common understanding of the national idea, devoid of "isms," and a search for compromise based not only on world experience, but also on Ukrainian political culture.

"We should begin - finally - moving not in a direction which pulls us apart, but in one that brings us together and unites us," said Mr. Kuchma.

According to presidential aide Volodymyr Kuznetsov, the president's men would like to see his address lead to coordination of efforts by different branches of power.

To be sure, great strides have been made since President Kuchma delivered last year's state of the state address on April 4, 1995. One year ago, just minutes before his address, the Parliament issued a vote of no-confidence in Mr. Kuchma's government, accusing officials of failure to act upon key social and economic questions. No budget had yet been passed for 1995 when Mr. Kuchma delivered that speech, setting an ambitious plan for the future.

This year President Kuchma reported that "1995 will enter the annals of Ukrainian history as, in general, a successful year, disregarding the economic crisis and social difficulties." Indeed, noted the Ukrainian leader, the Constitutional Accord reached in 1995 by the president and the Parliament was able to move these two branches of power out of a political deadlock.

The president cautioned that any attempts to restrict the time limit on the legal operation of the Constitutional Accord would be taken as a "gross violation of the constitutional process."

"As the head of state, I will have to take every legal measure to prevent lawlessness," he said. "We have reached a point in time that a fundamental law [i.e. constitution] is necessary for us to get united," he continued.

He explained that the cause behind anarchy in Ukraine's society is the wish of many people to form and pursue their own state policy, rather than rely on the distribution of powers. He told deputies that Ukraine has wasted a lot of time, thus halting reforms, due to the chaotic character and unconstitutional manner of its work.

"State policy should be and will be formed only by one constitutionally recognized state organ of power, and it will be realized by all three branches of power," said Mr. Kuchma.

"That constitutionally recognized organ is the president of Ukraine," announced Mr. Kuchma, to the loud boos of the left-wing forces in Parliament and the applause of the national-democratic deputies.

In the sphere of Ukraine's economic life, Mr. Kuchma emphasized the need to curb inflation and ensure financial stabilization, and to look for means to overcome the payments crisis.

He spoke of the need for tax policy reform, a vigorous foreign economic policy, and further development of trade and economic relations, with CIS members and Russia in particular.

A top priority is increasing foreign investment in Ukraine, said Mr. Kuchma, who urged the Parliament to create a favorable climate for foreign investors.

He also scolded the Ukrainian Parliament for the slow pace of privatization, urging deputies to reduce the list of enterprises they have disqualified - that is over 6,000 objects.

The president noted that another top objective in the sphere of economics is the creation of a new tax policy. "We have not yet learned to collect taxes," he critically observed.

Mr. Kuchma devoted sections of his address to the state of health care in Ukraine, the need for reform in education, the rebirth of Churches and freedom of worship, as well as the need to rebuild such historic monuments as the Sobor of St. Michael and the Church of the Dormition on the grounds of the Monastery of the Caves.

The plight of Ukraine's future - its children - must also be closely examined, noted the Ukrainian leader. He cited statistics that show the mortality rate in Ukraine is more than three times that of children in Japan, and twice as high as that of children in Austria, Canada, France and Sweden. More than 115,000 children in Ukraine are invalids, he said, and more than 51,000 children in Ukraine are orphans.

President Kuchma noted that last year in Ukraine more than 40,000 crimes were committed by minors, considered a shocking statistic for a post-Soviet society.

He promised that Ukrainian officials would continue to aggressively fight organized crime, and devoted a section of his talk to the role of Ukraine's armed forces and the sphere of national security.

In conclusion, the Ukrainian leader said:

"Today Ukraine and its people need not prophets, but people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and work."

"I would like to say that Ukraine has made its choice - it has chosen which course it wants to develop and has in fact begun an enormous task, a difficult load of work," he continued.

"Our common goal, our common responsibility is to see that this path is the quickest and least painful for society as a whole, and for each individual citizen. I believe that together we will honestly accomplish this great mission of forming this state, which bears the name of Ukraine," he concluded to the sound of thunderous applause.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, April 7, 1996, No. 14, Vol. LXIV

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