Not so a long ago, Rinat Akhmetov threatened to hire clever American experts and draft a plan of development for Ukraine for the next 20-30 years.
According to the plan, (which I read on the Internet), it was supposed to be, at the very least, a “Marshall Plan for Ukraine.”
However, whether marshals have ended somewhere there, beyond the ocean, or something even worse has happened, I don’t know. Except, that instead of a Marshall Plan, they have given us the “proFFesor’s Plan” [reference to Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych – Ed. Note] as usual.
Analyzing the stage-by-stage implementation of the “Marshall Plan” from Akhmetov, I became convinced that it was probably written by domestic specialists (“marshals” or generals from the SCM), because it would never occur to any average manafort [Reference to paid US political consultant Paul Manafort – Ed. Note] to make the first issue of such a plan the task to “steal Dniproenergo from the state.”
The history of fraud with Dniproenergo, 40 percent of the shares of which Akhmetov controls now, is a classic scheme that has been used effectively more than once by those with power.
First, an enterprise is led to bankruptcy, then a “good” creditor appears (in this case, these are the enterprises of Rinat Akhmetov), which then receives a tasty strategic object. And now, it is Akhmetov who decides what will be the price per kilowatt-hour of electric power for the population.
The more quickly the electricity meters turn, the quicker the life of the “regional,” [Reference to Akhmetov, who is a leader of Yanukovych’s Regions Party – Ed. Note], who controls the largest generating company in the east of country becomes better.
The real cost of Dniproenergo, according to the prognoses of experts, is Hr 10 billion ($2 billion). It looks like Rinat Akhmetov, acknowledged as the richest man in Ukraine, has serious intentions to improve his record in world ratings.
In general, the privatization of Dniproenergo sufficiently clearly characterizes the actions of the team under the name of “Yanukovych and Partners.” It appears that it wasn’t for nothing that Forbes wrote that during the periods under Yanukovych’s management, business circles close to the government increased their turnover by $17 billion. At least now it is clear for whom exactly has taken place the “improvement in life already today.”
By the way, experts warn that the history of Dniproenergo could be repeated, but the name of the generating company will be Tsentroenergo. This enterprise also has a large creditor debt. All of the electrical energy in the country can end up in the hands of Akhmetov after the parliamentary elections. And he will not be engaged in charity when selling the electric power to the population.
These people are tough pragmatists. They understand that they are in the last days and weeks of their power. They acknowledged that the cabinet of Yanukovych is doomed, like a communal house of Vasisualiy Lokhankin [A Soviet movie character – Ed. Note]. That’s why they are trying to steal everything that is in bad shape. Their real program is grab the biggest chunk and then run as far away as possible.
Akhmetov gets Dniproenergo, while 1 percent of Ukrtelekom goes to Valya Semenyuk [the head of the State Property Fund and a member of the Socialist Party, which defected to the Regions-led coalition in parliament – Ed. Note], which should be enough to ensure a comfortable pension. She has been trying to sell Ukrtelecom this year with a zeal that is becoming of Bessarabka market Turkmenistan melon sellers.
Viktor Fedorovych [Yanukovych] took a liking to the Mezhgorye state residence, and right at this moment, he is trying to transfer it onto the balance of National Joint Stock Company Nadra Ukrainy, with the goal of its further privatization, together with what’s left of the above-mentioned monastery.
Rinat, if you are so worried about domestic energy and all that is linked with it, why not privatize the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, for example?
At the same time, while you’re at it, there you could also build a summer residence for the prime minister. The Residence of Viktor Yanukovych – “Ukryttya,” [Cover or Shelter – Ed. Note], or “Sarcophagus.” Doesn’t sound bad, does it?
Besides, the land is wonderful there, there are no neighbors, goldfish, they say, grow the size of whale sharks there, and strawberries the size of watermelons. How do you like that offer?
Remember how they pecked at me for so-called re-privatization. Even today, they say: “God forbid, don’t talk about it, don’t recall it, don’t even hint about it.” Consider that would be the end of your international image.
But do you know what I think: and so what, this image.
Everything that has been brazenly stolen from the state should be immediately returned to the state.
I acknowledge no other policy. Whoever doesn’t like it can complain to the UN.
This opinion piece was originally published in Russian on Sept. 8 in Korrespondent, a sister publication of the Kyiv Post. Yulia Tymoshenko was a former prime minister under President Viktor Yushchenko, a fierce leader of opposition forces during the Orange Revolution of 2004, and is currently the leader of her own Byut opposition bloc, which is also one of the prime contenders for seats in parliament with the upcoming elections scheduled for Sept. 30. Like Korrespondent, the Kyiv Post is prepared to publish reply commentaries from anyone who is mentioned in the above piece by Tymoshenko. Please send responses and commentaries to [email protected]
