Traditionally, during the elections Vinnytsia oblast was neither left nor right. It was always protesting. Let’s see whether these tendencies will change today.
All the competing candidates in the constituencies of Vinnytsia region can be conditionally divided into three groups: representatives of the governing party, opposition candidates, and so called “dark horses”. The latter present themselves as independent candidates (“smovysuvantsi”), representatives of the local nongovernmental organization (which were specially created before the elections) or charity funds, and yet do not demonstrate their political affiliations.
“Big” candidate in a “small” district
The smallest voting district in Vinnytsia region is constituency #18 (145 500 voters) with center in Illintsi city. Here for quite a long time the interests of citizens are actively “represented” by the influential candidate from the government. Hryhorii Kaletnik is the People’s Deputy from the Party of Regions and the President of Vinnytsia National Agrarian University. He is one of the few candidates who openly announce that they are the candidates from the Party of Regions. And it helps him to get additional points. However, will they be useful? He possesses not only high income from the distillery premises but also influential connections both in the capital and in oblast. Hryhorii Kaletnik is connected with the charity funds “Fatherland” (“Batkivska Zemlia”) and “The Future of Our Children”(“Maibutnie Nashykh Ditei”). The Head of the former is Oksana Kaletnik (Yelmanova), the niece of our candidate, who is going to become a candidate from the district #16 in Vinnytsia region. The distribution of grocery kits, cups and t-shirts, organization of concerts in villages by the students of Agrarian University, meetings with the local farmers (Hryhorii Kaletnik is the Head of Verkhovna Rada Committee on Agrarian Policy and Land Relations), free medical smocks and equipment for the hospitals, a number of advertising and “jeansa” materials about the activities of the People’s Deputy and charity funds under his control in the local mass media – all these constitute the active and expensive election campaign of Hryhorii Kaletnik, which has started long before it was officially opened.
Other deputies which launched campaign before its official start are the People’s Deputy and former Deputy Head of Oblast State Administration - Vasyl Chernii (Lytvyn Bloc), Oblast Council Deputy from the Fatherland party - Kostiantyn Yakymenko or the representative of Oleh Liashko’s Radical Party – Anna Filonova, who has already conducted active campaign in Lypovets and Nemyriv rayons during the by-elections to the Oblast Council. By gaining 10 % of the votes from the opposition electorate, Anna Filonova prevented Viktor Kachur (the candidate form the Fatherland, former Mayor of Nemyriv and former member of Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc) from winning the elections and acted in favor of Liubov Spiridonova –a candidate form the Party of Regions and the Deputy Head of Oblast State Administration. Thus, during the Parliamentary elections campaign Liashko’s candidate Anna Filonova can become only a “technical candidate” of Hryhorii Kaletnik, who is the main candidate form the governing party.
The possible candidate facilitated transportation of people to the cemetery during the commemorative days...
Ruslan Demchak (originally from Lupovest), the owner of UBG Corporation, banker and media mogul, is the one who seriously decided to compete with Kaletnik for the voters’ support in this district. During the commemorative days he helped to organize free transportation of the citizens to the cemetery. Demchak’s Regional Development Fund contributed financially to the reconstruction of the square in Lypovets city and equipped it with free Wi-Fi. Similarly to other potential candidates, R. Demchak supports the hospitals, equips the playing grounds for children, created a newspaper right before the elections, which is distributed among the district dwellers for free. He does not show yet any political leaning or closeness to any political party. However, the news, that someone prevents Demchak’s team from allocating the billboards and that the people responsible for scenario of the holiday, which took place on the square, renovated by Demchak, received an “oral reprimand” for having given the floor to the candidate, is spreading around the district.
“Not all the billboards are equally useful”
Another “black horse” reported the incident of the oppression by rayon authorities (surely, the Rayon State Administrations are governed by the representatives of the Party of Regions). It was the former Head of Investigation Department of the Security Service of Ukraine General Vasyl Vovk. At the moment he does not show his political leanings, although it is known that he is close to Volodymyr Skomarovskyi, a businessman, former People’s Deputy and former Head of the State Customs Service. However, the establishment of NGO “Community15”(“15 Hromada”), where V.Vovk is the leader and the activity of which coincides with the lines of voting district # 15, eloquently proves the intention of General Vovk to become a candidate for the Parliamentary elections.
The representatives of Vasyl Vovk’s team informed that, while putting up the billboards with the photo of Vasyl Vovk and information about his NGO in Tomashpil rayon, they were detained and taken to the police station to give the explanations. Soon afterwards the images were stripped down by the “unknowns”. Some connect this incident with the attempts of local authorities to create “a green corridor” for the Deputy Head of Vinnytsia Oblast State Administration Ivan Movchan, who is a possible candidate from the governing Party of Regions. The candidate is connected with the private enterprise “Kriazh”, which mainly deals with the trade of asbestos-cement products, import of asbestos, production of agricultural products, food processing and marketing, etc. And a considerable amount of assets of the enterprise is concentrated in this voting district. We will see whether the authority representative I. Movchan will become a candidate from the Part of Regions or whether he will decide to be an independent candidate.
It is possible that the former People’s Deputy from the Socialist Party of Ukraine Mykola Melnyk will also join the competition in the same district. He was the Head of agricultural enterprise in Lypivka village, Tomashpil rayon, and in 1994-1996 he was the Head of Oblas Council and Oblast State Administration. However, it is unlikely that the Socialist Party, which supports the government, will venture to compete with the representative of Party of Regions in this district. Also, it is not a surprise that the famous opposition member form Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc Volodymyr Yavorivskyi (born in Teklivka village, Kryzhopil rayon) will take part in the election as a candidate in the district # 15. At the moment he is the Head of Verkhovna Rada Committee on Culture and Spirituality and former Head of the Writer’s Union of Ukraine.
It is hard to decide to which category – governmental, oppositional or “black horses” – belong the candidates, who are connected with the Ministaer of Economy Petro Poroshenko. But actually it is too early to define the possible leanings of Poroshenko if he decides to take part in the elections. The ability of Poroshenko to keep his position in the Government will be the determinant factor. Currently Hryhorii Zabolotnyi (former Head of Oblast Council and Oblast Council Deputy from the Unity party),who is close to Petro Poroshenko and who is a potential candidate in the constituency #17, is in sharp confrontation with the local authorities from the Party of Regions. Namely, with the Mayor of Ladyzhyn - Valerii Kolomieitsev, who has recently rejected H. Zabolotnyi’s request for the premise for meeting with voters and for the live broadcast on Ladyzhyn city radio. Also he has put obstacles for the organizers of the disco financed by Zabolotnyi. The Mayor of Ladyzhyn and the member of the Party of Regions V. Kolomieitsev did not show any desire to become the People’s Deputy. However, he is definitely “cleaning up” the area for Mykola Kucher, who is the Head of Zernoprodukt MHP and Oblast Council Deputy, who got his seat as the member of Ukrianian People’s Party and shortly afterwards became the member of faction of the Party of Regions. Both rivals – Zabolotnyi and Kucher – present themselves as “people of farming and agriculture”. H. Zabolotnyi is a de facto leader of NGO “Zamliaky” (“Fellow Countrymen”) and promotes his revival program called “Ridne selo” (“Native village”). In turn, Kucher created Mykola Kucher Charity Fund and organized a number of village feasts. Moreover, he is a big landholder, who fixes roads and transmission facilities, and builds another big poultry plant of Nasha Ryaba.
Zabolotnyi’s team-members say that the events they organize are supported by Petro Poroshenko Charity Fund. And apparently, the owners of Myronivsky Hliboproduct give green light to the nomination of Mykola Kucher as a candidate from the Party of Regions for the Parliamentary elections. Probably, they were also in favor of Kucher, when in due time he became the Head of oblast organization of Ukrainian People’s Party and later joined the faction of the Party of Regions in Oblast Council. The voters may ask whether Poroshenko will be with the Part of Regions or against it, if Kucher (the representative of the Party of Regions) and Zabolotnyi (the representative of Poroshenko) start competing with each other. If Kucher unexpectedly becomes a candidate from the Ukrainian People’s Party, which together with Our Ukraine party, Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists and Ukrainian Platform Sobor creates “the Right Wing” (which is already accused of enticing the voters of United opposition), will it be a proof of cooperation between Ukrainian People’s Party, “the Right Wing”, and the Party of Regions? By the way, Anatolii Matviienko (born in Bershad city), the People’s Deputy from Our Ukraine - People's Self-Defense Bloc and the Head of Oblast State Administration in 1996-1998, is already a familiar candidate in this district. He has also created his own charity fund and at the moment openly distributes the presents and uses the methods of “black PR”.
Entire families run for elections
The interests of Poroshenko’s and Kaletnik’s teams or, better said, families may clash in the constituency #16. Here one of the most possible candidates is Oleksii Poroshenko (the father of Petro Poroshenko, Hero of Ukraine, Oblast Council Deputy from the Unity party), who is the Head of Open Joint Stock Company Agroprodinvest, which gives a lot of workplaces and rents a big chunk of land in the district. Another candidate is Oksana Kaletnik (Yelmanova), the member of the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council of Ukraine, Chairman of the Fatherland (Batkivska Zemlia) charity fund Board, niece of the People’s Deputy from the Party of Regions - Hryhorii Kaletnik and the cousin of his son - Ihor Kaletnik, who is the Head of State Customs Service and the representative of the Communist Party of Ukraine. Oksana Kaletnik was born in 1972 inKhmilnyk city, Vinnutsia oblast, and in the age of 19 became the Head of Advertising Department at Roksolana Company. In a year she became Dali Advertising Agency President. In 1994-2003 she was General Manager and co-founder of Master Video Company; in 1995-1996 – co-founder of Alkom Kyiv Law Firm; in 1996-2003 – Vice-President of BM Group Building Corporation; in 1999-2006 – the Head of the Office of Danish Invest Holding Dannmar Scandinavia Aps; in 2003-2010 – the founder and general manager of FIM Company group. She is an Honored Jurist of Ukraine. And starting from June 29, 2010 she became the member of the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council of Ukraine. That same year the Korrespondent Magazine published the ratings of the richest people ofUkraine with the income of 30 million USD, were Oksana Kaletnik was on the position #100.
Oksana Kaletik Fund has already given few thousands of medical smocks and forty Telecards to the local hospitals. O. Kaletnik financed a number of local holidays and contests. Moreover, she has even rented a house in one of the picturesque villages of the district to be able to visit the events with the rayon authorities and appear in local media more frequently.
In turn, Oleksii Poroshenko, not very young Oblast Council Deputy, who was yet not very active in media, was not giving any sings of his intention to become a candidate for the elections. However, after the photo of Poroshenko Senior (the image where he is wearing a national embroidered shirt and is surrounded by the girls in flower wreaths for Ivan Kupala Festival) appeared recently in the newspaper (which is supported by the government), we can guess that his election headquarters has already started to work.
Charitable lottery and milk
The confrontation between Viktor Zherebniuk, who is the candidate from the governing party, former Mayor of Zhmerynka and current Head of Desna Rayon State Administration in Kyiv city, and Ivan Melnychuk, who is the owner of the souvenir markets network and Oblast Council Deputy from the Fatherland (lives in Lityn city) is expected in the voting district #14, with center in Zhmerynka. Here Vasyl Onopenko is called "a hidden power". He is a former Head of the Supreme Court of Ukraine, who started his carrier in 70s in Lityn city, which belongs to this constituency.
Viktor Zherebniuk conducts an active PR campaign of his Charity Fund "Podillia - XXI Century" (even by using SMS) and organizes every-ticket-wins lottery with different prizes in the villages. In turn, Vasyl Onopenko financially supported Lityn city Anniversary Day celebrations and promised to use his connections in the capital in order to "improve the life"of the citizens. Malnychuk, the member of Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc, supports the gifted youth. The Head of Ukrainian Association of Oil Producers Oleksandr Shpak, who has already taken part in the Parliamentary elections in this district, was noticed while visiting the constituency... At the moment it is not clear who exactly will become the main candidate from the government: whether it will be a government official with connections in Zhmerynka - V. Zherebniuk or it will be O. Shpak - oil producer and friend of Kaletnik, the Deputy from the Party of Regions.
Also, it is not known which political power will join the potential candidate V. Onopenko, who is a former member of the Social Democratic Party of Ukraine (united) and of the Fatherland.
The voting district #13, with center in Kalynivka city, was called the patrimony of Mykola Katerenchuk, the leader of the European Party. During a long period his offices of free legal assistance were functioning in the district. However, after he has joined the United opposition, Katerynchuk was noticed less and less frequently in Vinnytsia region, probably because of his hopes to get good place on the party list.
The Head of South Western Railway and Oblast Council Deputy - Oleksii Kryvopishyn (the Party of Regions) and Yurchyshyn brothers (Mykola Yurchyshyn - Oblast Council Deputy from the Lytvyn Bloc and the Head of Rodon health resort in Khmilnyk city together with Perto Yurchyshyn - Oblast Council Deputy from the same bloc and the Head of Vizyt agricultural enterprise) are increasing their activity in the constituency.
O. Kryvopishyn works intensively to improve Koziatyn city infrastructure, where he has recently appeared in media with city and rayon authorities on the occasion of water supply system reconstruction. Mykola and Petro Yurchyshyn are working actively for charitable causes in the district. Together with rayon and oblast authorities they appear in different events. For example, recently P. Yurchyshyn made a gift to the participants of children's festival in Kalynivka city in form of 10 stereo systems. Soon afterwards, in the form of dairy products tasting, took place a distribution of the same products produced by Yurchyshyn's agricultural company. However, whether the brothers will run for elections and which party they will join, will depend on their political "patron" Volodymyr Lytvyn.
Another candidate, who appears in this district with gifts for the hospitals and concerts for the peasants, is Yurii Haidaiev - People's Deputy from the Communist Party of Ukraine. Oleksandr Dombrovskyi, former Head of Oblast State Administration and the President of Global Transformation Institute, is also considered to be a possible candidate.
Vinnytsia city: "Who is against the fountain?"
The voting district #12, which includes part of Vinnytsia city and surrounding villages, is a traditional patrimony of Petro Poroshenko. In is precisely this district where he was elected to the Parliament for two times in 1998 and 2002. Here is situated his Confectionery Plant Roshen and the quay with a big fountain, reconstruction of which was financed by Poroshenko. Nominally, his possible competitor in this district is the leader of oblast organization of the Fatherland and Oblast Council Deputy Liudmyla Scherbakivska. In fact, the billboards and leaflets are filled with the images of young owner of the sport club - Borys Maksymchuk, the “pupil” and fellow of the President of Pedagogical University Oleksandr Shestopaliuk, who is the former member of People’s Democratic Party and current fellow party member of V. Lytvyn. It is clearly seen form the bill boards that in response to the opposition candidate Scherbakivska and “black horse” Maksymchuk, the government can present an alternative candidate.
The attitudes of the voters in district #11, which include the right bank of Vinnytsia city and part of Vinnytsia rayon, can be noticeably influenced by the position of Petro Poroshenko. In addition, the strong influence in the given district and district #12 possesses Vinnytsia city Mayor Volodymyr Hroisman. Although the Mayor, who is supported by the dwellers of Vinnytsia, says that he has no desire to run for elections, his support of Oblast Council Deputy form the Front of Change and the leader of the oblast organization of this party Serhii Kudlaienko (who is his subordinate and the Head of the Department of Administrative Services of Vinnytsia city Executive Committee) can influence the results of the elections in the district. Interestingly, the achievement of another potential candidate from the United opposition Nataliia Soleiko, who is the Chief Physician at city hospital #1 and Oblast Council Deputy from the Fatherland, are popularized on the billboards, which are situated in this part of the city. Lately, there was even a conflict between Soleiko and City Executive Committee (thus with the Mayor Hroisman). The parties could not decide who will be named the initiator of the renovation of one of the school stadiums... Some people say that Oleksii Furman, the Head of Svoboda oblast organization is also going to try his luck in this district. And the struggle between the opposition candidates will be even stranger, if the former “orange” Governor of Vinnytsia region Oleksandr Dombrovskyi (“Poroshenko’s man” and predecessor of Hroisman on the position of Mayor) becomes the candidate in the district #11 and not in his native Kalunivka district #13. In this situation, it will be even easier for the government’s representative Nataliia Dobrynska, who is the Olympic champion and Oblast Council Deputy from the Party of Regions, to win in this district.
Up to this moment the list of the potential candidates in the voting district #11 also included the owner of Mostobud Company Volodymyr Prodyvus. It was hard to predict his political affiliations because in 2002 Prodyvus successfully competed with Viktor Antemiuk, the member of the Party of Regions, in the given district. And this year he was noticed in Vinnytsia during the joint events with the authorities of Oblast State Administration, Oblast Council, and with Viktor Korzh, who is the former People’s Deputy from the Party of Regions and former Minister of Youth and Sports. (They jointly financed the beauty contests, supported young sportsmen and hospitals.) However, during the last months the activity of Prodyvus in Vinnytsia region has decreased and the billboards with his image have disappeared as well. In contrast, People’s Deputy from the CPU Valerii Bevz (the former Head of Oblast Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine) was noticed more often (personally, in media and on the billboards).
In the conditions of volatility and variety of political parties, it was always an uneasy task for the voters to make sense of the situation. After the candidates got the right to be nominated independently from the parties, it became even harder to make sense of the majoritarian candidates. In case the independent candidates win, some of them will change their political leanings after the elections. And it would be nice if their self-determinations were based on the will of voters and not on the desire to gain personal benefits. It would be also good if previously independent candidates did not convert into the lickspittle politicians, who support the political powers which act against the people, and if they fulfilled the will of the people.