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Viktor Yanukovych: 'I adhere to the policy towards Europe'
03.02.2006, 13:02
- Judging by the polls the Party of Regions is leading the parliamentary race. Is it possible for Viktor Yanukovych to become Prime Minister having his opponent Viktor Yushchenko the President?
- We get over 30% and that is more than Yushchenko's 'Our Ukraine' and former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko's party together. But it is too early to say who we will form a coalition government with. Anyway, they will not be 'orange revolution' leaders. They had promised a lot to the people but then betrayed them.
- In other words, you are not going to unite with Tymoshenko as you did recently when Yuriy Yekhanurov government was forced to resign.
- No, there will be a coalition neither with Tymoshenko nor with 'Our Ukraine'. Nevertheless, after the elections we will have to gain our key objective that is the consolidation of Ukraine. There are enough sensible people among 'orange' politicians. So far, they have simply not dared to object the false political course of their top officials.
- Will you abandon the Yuschenko's pro-European policy?
- No. It is not Yuschenko's policy, it is Ukraine's policy and mine in particular. Though travelling around the world and begging, as our president regularly does, would be naive. We need a sop neither from Moscow nor from Brussels, nor from Washington. We are eager to have equal strategic cooperation with Russia, EU and the USA.
- Early this year there was a fierce conflict with Russia that stopped gas tap to Ukraine. What was your response?
- We understand that gas prices for Ukraine should gradually achieve the world market level. And not in the last place, because both Russia and Ukraine hope to join the WTO. However, after our victory at March parliamentary elections we should restore our gas agreement with Russia dated 2004 (with the gas price of $50 not $95). Then, we will approach world prices in the five-year-transition period. Nowadays we will not be able to cope with such a steep price rise.
- Do you count again on protectionism and state assistance?
- No. We should create modern infrastructure and welcoming environment for investment. Thus, we will promote new technologies and improve the processing depth, first of all in the steel industry. We need liberal economic policies and further tax reduction as far as economy allows.
Mathias Bruggmann, Handelsblatt | |
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