Europe and Lugansk businessmen are in one “boat” - policy features of the Party of Regions.

The head of All -Ukrainian association of businessmen of small-scale and medium business “Fortetsya”, the People's Deputy candidate from Udar party (number 4 in the party list) Oksana Petrovna Prodan tells about a pre-election situation in Ukraine in interview to the Internet portal “The world and we”.

- In what does your political force see the main shortcomings of actions of the existing power?

In Ukraine the complete monopolization of business and the power was made. The today's power does everything as if tomorrow they shouldn't live here – it is nothing to pity for them, there are no practices on prospect. Even that it was possible to make thanks to Euro-2012 for Ukraine for years forward, was made only to launder money first of all. I’m as the representative of small-scale and medium business has an understanding that we simply aren't necessary to the today's power. They not only support us, but we aren't necessary for them in general. Therefore the decisions are made, projects are prepared which simply would destroy us if we didn't resist.

- That is the power monopolization is the main reason of problems in economy and other spheres?

Certainly, it is interconnected. They monopolize the power in order that it was possible to use economic possibilities and country resources in the personal interests as much as possible. Already nobody puts money to the country, except them, because there are no guarantees of protection of any property right in Ukraine. Courts work at the powers that be. Therefore they have possibility to take everything they want. Three years ago in a situation when someone from the representatives of the central, executive bodies of the power violated the law, it was possible to address in prosecutor's office. There was no such centralization therefore it was possible to get support both in prosecutor's office and in court.

And now at problems appearance if business, using the legislation, addresses for protection to any authority by force of habit, it practically always appears ineffectual. Now there are “own” people there and take out the decisions according to interests of the powers that be. Therefore business has no protection today. Here are the problems in economy – some foreign banks already deduced money from Ukraine, closed the representations “just in case”. They left, understanding that there is no protection of their activity.

- Do you agree that Tymoshenko's case considerably aggravates the occurring pre-election fight – the Party of Regions put itself in a desperate situation by this precedent, when there is no place to recede, after all the same can be made with them?

They drove themselves into a corner and they have no exit from this corner. Yes, they created precedent which wasn't earlier in Ukraine – they applied justice in fight against political competitors. Thus began prosecution not on business cases as it periodically occurs not only in Ukraine, but also in Russia, but arranged the political prosecution in an open form. And now they understand that would be treated much more rigidly because there are things for what to make them answerable.

- How do you estimate a pre-election situation in the country? Do the voters more aspire to cardinal changes, including the elections in the Verkhovna Rada or more inclined to leave “everything as it was”?

Udar party does everything in order that the democratic majority was created in parliament. And when I go on regions, the basic for what I agitate is the main appeal: come and vote, don't leave your voice to the power because if you won't come. It would be a voice given to the party in power. We explain to people that the main thing is to vote for any of democratic forces and against the effective power.

And further, already we will find a common language in the Verkhovna Rada and we will work to cancel everything that was prepared and made by the Party of Regions.
Unfortunately, very big disappointment is in society, many people don't want to go on elections therefore the main thing from our party is to carry away, interest them to go on elections. Now the opinion is imposed that everything is already got on a string, bought, counted. But actually this opinion is imposed to the voters by the power.

Pro-imperious candidates-majority members distribute the money, use administrative resource and it means that they aren't sure of the victory. And that not everything is so counted there as it was told. It is possible and it is necessary to fight, but today the authorities do everything that people won’t go on elections and that they won’t feel the importance in fight for the future.

And the people who voted for the Party of Regions, Yanukovych become more increasing, but now they understand that the Party of Regions is not that force which will help to change their life to the best. Also it became especially obvious for the years of Victor Yanukovych presidency. Therefore many people, who voted for the Party of Regions, will vote now for Udar and other democratic forces. And only a small part dissatisfied with the members of the Party of Regions will vote for communists. Unfortunately, while they don't understand that it is almost the same. The anti-Ukrainian statements openly sound, in fact, an appeal from some representatives of KPU – if you are against Ukraine, vote for us, we are against too.

But those voters who want to live in well developed economically and socially Ukraine, will vote for “Udar”, instead of Party of Regions or communists. In particular it concerns the representatives of small-scale business. And the businessmen from Lugansk and Donetsk regions are most categorically incited against the members of the Party of Regions. I regularly meet them and I can ascertain it. In due time they gave the maximum support to the members of the Party of Regions and now, after all actions of the power directed against business, they feel the most deceived.

- What do you think of opinion that not ideological opponents, but, first of all, competing financial and oligarchic clans faced in the current election campaign?

Many years I am engaged in public work and never could defend fully the interests of small-scale and medium business. We are constantly protected, first of all, from actions of oligarchic clans. So it is developed that they are at the power long ago, but in recent years they don’t let somebody to be engaged in business – they clean, reduce a circle of the elite.

Therefore there is a task before me personally and I see possibility of its realization through “Udar” - to strengthen the fight for the rights of businessmen and to begin active influence at legislative level on a situation with the development and growth of small-scale and medium business in Ukraine. Therefore the basic is not the features of participation in pre-election fight of oligarchs, but aspiration to hurt this vicious circle of monopoly for the power for realization of these tasks. One of the main objectives of “Udar” is to give the chance to representatives of small-scale and medium business, middle class to influence the decisions which will be accepted in parliament. As I understand, it is that for the sake of what they invited me in the first five of Udar party. After all I am the unique representative of public organizations, small-scale and medium business in the first five among all parties which have real chances to be in the Verkhovna Rada of the following convocation.

- Is it true that the quite serious blow was struck to middle class during activity of the Party of Regions in Ukraine, that the layer of middle class was considerably reduced?

It was much considerably reduced. And it was reduced first of all de jure, because, about 1 million of businessmen left in “shadow” after the tax code adoption. After that they automatically became politically inactive. Because when you out of the law, you can't make something. Even when we left this year on protest action, for example, under the Cabinet against the new initiatives in the Tax Code, the people working illegally couldn't leave for protection of the rights. And it is terrible – the state doesn't leave a choice for them by their actions, forces to go to “shadow”, but besides they also lose possibility to defend the rights. That, it is probable, it is one of the purposes of actions of the authorities directed against businessmen, against their workers and against all consumers.

I consider that the first purpose of the “reforms” which have been carried out by the members of the Party of Regions was to raise money as much as possible and the second purpose – most to clamp and minimize the threat from middle class. Because the Orange revolution of 2004 was carried out exactly by the middle class, by the representatives of small-scale and medium business. Because these people are independent, can give any money, can leave, having left work, and not to be afraid to be indignant because they are legal. Here they were fought against from the financial and political side during “reforms” in order to make impossible the same events in the future.

- From the point of view of structure of small-scale and medium business in Ukraine with what of the parties there is more interaction – with the CIS or with Europe and in what direction is more perspective to develop cooperation at the state level?

The choice should be one – all foreign policy actions of the country to make from the point of view of economic interest and always to be guided by this principle. And then everything will be normal. Nobody will refuse the contracts and work with Russia because, really, it has a lot of export deliveries there. But we don't want to live in the past. We want that the standard of living of our people was better, than was yesterday and it is the European standard of living. Therefore it is not necessary to choose, actually - Ukraine signed the agreements with the WTO, the set of actions is undertaken and regulations are adopted in order that business had possibility to enter the European foreign markets. Therefore it is not necessary to “dash aside” - it is necessary to estimate everything by the economic interest of the country, economic interest of each citizen.

- That is the main priority in foreign policy activity for Udar party is, first of all, the economic pragmatism, instead of a political commitment?

When there is a political commitment, so the citizens of Ukraine always lose because the politicians defend only their interests in this case. Unfortunately, very often recently in Ukraine the interests of politicians don't coincide with interests of citizens of Ukraine. Therefore “Udar” goes to big-time politics, to the Supreme Council not to be in the power, but to change a today's situation in the country to the best for all inhabitants of the country.

- How does Udar party position - as left-or right-centrist?

We have a social and liberal party. Also what “Udar” distinguishes from all other parties – we don't give any populist promises. We say – first of all, we will create conditions in order that the economy developed actively. If the economy will develop, so business will work – tax revenues will increase, the state and social spheres will be developed. We will create conditions when people will have normal income and a worthy way of life.

- Having considering that your party has a pragmatic, centrist position, do you equally critically treat the extreme poles of the Ukrainian political range – communists and All-Ukrainian Union “Svoboda”?

Today the communists are accomplices of the Party of Regions in that crime against Ukraine which now occurs. Therefore today we have completely negative attitude to party of communists. All-Ukrainian Union “Svoboda” is in one side with us in fight on cleaning of the Party of Regions from the power now. Therefore it is not identical - it is different relation.

- You said that the main priority of your political force is the economic pragmatics. But the All-Ukrainian Union “Svoboda”, possibly, not absolutely answers this criterion - their sharpest ideological position contradicts a sensible pragmatism. Even if it is favourable to cooperate with Russia on a set of the directions, they reject these possibilities, proceeding only from political and ideological reasons. Does your party have a contradiction with this political force here?

There is an arrangement between the opposition parties– you won’t hear any bad word about somebody from Batkivshchyna or Svoboda. That is the position of our party and that is my position. We are at war today first of all against the Party of Regions. But it is not the end in itself for “Udar” - it is a way to country change.

The first step is the Party of Regions discharge from the power, but it is not the last one, it is only the first step. There is the whole set of simple and not so simple decisions in the form of drafts of laws which will allow to change the existing corruption system to service system of the citizen by the state.

-Do you feel the support of the West in this fight, considering that number of sharp statements which become today at the international level concerning the present Ukrainian power?

We always would like, that this support would be more. But really the last statements of the international organizations of the different countries, that there are political prosecutions and observed violations in election campaign in Ukraine, give us a certain encouragement in our fight. But while we don't see that the power reacted to these statements.
It seems to me that the Party of Regions needs more radical actions from the international organizations. If the USA make that declared, will selectively apply sanctions to individuals according to lists, that, I think, they should react to it. And we have such example – when “purse” was taken away from Lukashenko, he reacted to it very quickly. Therefore, I think, we should have the same reaction.

- Why does the West so critically treat the present Ukrainian power, considering that the Party of Regions consistently approves the European integration as a priority of foreign policy and shows full loyalty to the western political structures?

And the European integration from the Party of Regions and support of small-scale and medium business and fight against corruption are absolutely identical – one is told and absolutely is done. In the first year of Yanukovych presidency, the Europeans really supported the members of the Party of Regions. It was amazing how they were met there, congratulated, hold events. But then Europe saw what decisions move ahead in Ukraine and this support was sharply reduced. The concrete example is the market of the excisable goods, alcohol and tobacco. These are two large markets. But alcohol is connected with the Ukrainian business, which in the majority already under control of the Party of Regions. And the tobacco factories almost completely belong to the European, foreign investors. Excise duty of alcohol practically doesn't rise. And the tobacco industry keeps a low profile as never was before.

For example, the last bill which is brought by Cabinet in the Supreme Council plans to raise excise duties in 2 and more times, creates problems with brands and many other things. The owner of the tobacco enterprises is not Ukrainian, it is impossible to press him with the help of “standard” methods, therefore such decisions are used. And the Europeans see it very well. Not to mention the state purchases, that law which started to act from August and which deduced billion gryvnas from competitive fight which simply were divided among themselves. These are the concrete examples when one is told and absolutely another is done. Time passed, the Europeans saw the concrete actions – here is such reaction and the arisen trust to opposition.

Strange as it may seem, but the Europeans appeared in the same situation in a case with the Party of Regions as the deceived Lugansk businessmen, they appeared in one “boat”, without expecting that.