Turning the pages back...

April 2, 1996

In his state of the state address six years ago on April 2, 1996, President Leonid Kuchma confirmed that "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 65-minute speech at the Verkhovna Rada.

Throughout his speech, President Kuchma emphasized that Ukraine would prosper only if its branches of power work together and consolidate their forces. "Our future - without exaggeration - depends on this," he noted. "We should begin - finally - moving not in a direction which pulls us apart, but in one that brings us together and unites us."

It was just minutes before President Kuchma's first state of the state address, delivered on April 4, 1995, that the Rada had issued a vote of no-confidence in Mr. Kuchma's government, accusing officials of failing to act upon key social and economic questions. A year later Mr. Kuchma reported that "1995 will enter the annals of Ukrainian history as, in general, a successful year, disregarding the economic crisis and social difficulties." He was referring to the Constitutional Accord reached in 1995 by the president and the Parliament that succeeded in moving these two branches of power out of a deadlock. He added, "We have reached a point in time that a fundamental law [i.e. constitution] is necessary for us to get united.," [The Constitution of Ukraine was adopted on June 28, 1996.]

He spoke of the need for 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 had disqualified - over 6,000 objects, and he noted that another top objective in the sphere of economics is the formulation of a new tax policy. He also promised that Ukraine's officials would continue to aggressively fight organized crime.

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

Source: "Kuchma reaffirms determination to stay the course on reforms" by Marta Kolomayets, The Ukrainian Weekly, Vol. LXIV, No. 14, April 7, 1996.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, March 31, 2002, No. 13, Vol. LXX

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