Few months ago on the political scene of Chernihiv region unexpectedly appeared the "most honest" player (http://despravda.com/v-chernigove-poyavilsya-samyj-chestnyj-kandidat/)
The majority of people thought that the loud promises of the young journalist from Chernihiv to get to the Parliament were a joke. However, on August 6 The Central Election Commission has registered the independent candidate (samovysuvanets) in single member constituency #205 - Volodymyr Leonidovych Andriichenko. The opponents of the latter are the vivid political weight-lifters - current Mayor Oleksandr Sokolov (the Party of Regions) and famous businessman Valerii Dubil (United opposition). At the same time Andriichenko is confident of his victory and confesses that he took a bank loan to pay the election deposit. The compliance of the "most honest" candidate with the criteria of "Chesno" ("Honest") was checked by the representatives of the Civil Network OPORA..
Being the "most honest" candidate confess whether you have ever encroached on someone's property, threatened someone's life or debased someone's dignity?
In principle, having worked as a journalist I had to debase dignity and to encroach on property of a great number of officials, who were involved in corruption and whose usual activity was to "tear up" the property of citizens on the local and national levels.
Have you been involved in corruption?
Unfortunately, I have never been involved in corruption. However, if I had caught at those corruption cases, I would have had millions by now and would have been nominated as a candidate from any current party or faction.
Now let's move to the point called "Lier". Does your lifestyle correspond to your declared income?
No, because in fact I have declared more - almost 90000 UAH. And here I "do not comply" with the criteria "Honest", because while earning this money I live in my Mom's one room flat and drive a rented car, because I do not have my own.
So where did you get money for the election deposit?
I have started collecting money in advance, because I was planning to run the election for a long time. In the NGO (with which I was connected) appeared an idea to create an "honest candidate" during the local elections 2010. However, being a journalist at one Chernihiv's printed media, the editors decided that I should not combine journalism and election campaign of the local level. Thus, the Parliamentary elections and the honest candidate are the continuation of the idea, which appeared in 2010. I do that to bring truth to people.
If you become the deputy will you practice the voting for the absent deputies? The "Honest" movement levels this point for those, who have never been the MP. However, this question is applicable to a person, who presents himself as the most honest candidate.
Sure. The reason is very simple - I will become a People's Deputy and a lot of opportunities will be opened for me. I need to go abroad at least once in my life. The status of the People's Deputy and diplomatic visa will open for me all the borders. Thus, my colleagues deputies will have to press the buttons instead of me. In our life it cannot be done differently.
The last criteria according to which the representatives of "Chesno" evaluate the candidate is "Absentee". Where have you worked and why did you shirk the work?
I would like to come to my workplace everyday but sometimes it is impossible. At the moment I am an independent journalist, registered as private entrepreneur. That is why I do not go to work all the time, but I still have to work every day.
To your point of view, what do your political opponents think about such ambitions?
I think at the moment they are laughing at me, but they are making a big mistake. It was frequently said that if you want to become a People's Deputy in single member constituency you have to spend from 3 to 5 million dollars. In reality, I think that this sum is exaggerated because it was named by the technologists in oder to enhance their reputation. Surely, it is impossible to do it without minimal expenses. But I am sure that the main thing is to have a good team, desire and inspiration to do something. There is one popular wisdom: while two monkeys were fighting for food, the third one ate it.
What will you use during the campaign? Which resources will you incorporate?
First of all I will use people. Around thirty people, consisting of my friends and acquaintances, decided to support me during the election process. For example, they agreed to distribute the leaflets or newspapers at least once, if certainly we manage to print them. It means that the work process will be organized on the basis of Ukrainian principle - "godparents help each other". The financial resource constitutes a problem, because everything that was gathered on the streets and from the acquaintances is already spent on the election campaign. Moreover, I had to take a secured loan. Less than 10000 UAH are left from that loan for the activity, which will last for three months. This sum will be enough only to rent a premise, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the reception room.
So what are you counting on?
I count on people and my work with them. They fool the people by saying that there is the government and opposition. When in fact this two unions are two sides of the same coin. They change their places from times to times but the life does not become better, unfortunately. Thus, there is an idea that we should not change their places, but we should change the system in general. Young people, who has their principles and do not have stereotyped thinking of the XX century, should enter the Parliament.
If one of your political opponents offers the "most honest candidate" cooperation, will you agree to withdraw your name from the list of candidates?
When I see in one sentence the words "honest candidate" and "withdrawal" I have only one thought: it is not me who is withdrawing my candidacy, it is others who have to withdraw theirs to support me. Because there is a chance to change something for better and it cannot be lost. Therefore, I think that, in order to solve the local problems of the citizens of Chernihiv, both the Mayor Oleksandr Sokolov and the businessmen Valerii Dubil will agree to withdraw their candidacies in favor of the "most honest" candidate. Nevertheless, youth and strength are on my side.
In order to solve local problems of the citizens of Chernihiv, both the Mayor O. Sokolov and the businessmen V. Dubil will agree to withdraw thier candidacies in favor of the "most honest" candidate
Are you really going to ask them to do this?
Sure! And I think that after seeing the ratings in October, they will do that. Because my young team will show the result of high quality. And then we will be able to talk about being in one camp, it will be the best example of democracy and care about the local citizens. Just agree that it would be great is Oleksandr Volodymyrovych remained the Mayor, Valerii Oleksandrovych as a businessmen continued helping the medical institutions and centers of education, and I, in the role of Deputy, facilitated the subventions fro Chernihiv region. It would be one of the best mixes, when the local government, business, and state government united for the sake of the common goal.
Some people say in privy that the "honest candidate" is a project of the current Mayor. How would you comment on that?
People are used to stereotype thinking: two people unite not for something but against someone. I cannot be equally good for everyone. The opposition calls me the henchman of the government, the other camp looks at me if I were a leper, because I do not fit their narrow minded frames. I can give only one advice to the scandal-mongers - you should better stay in the headquarters and think how exactly you will develop Chernihiv andUkraine, and do not invent nonsense.
How do you evaluate you chances for victory?
I think my team will not let me down. Vhernihiv has to become an example of the unity of government and opposition, when the candidates from both camps withdraw their candidacies in support of youth and future of our Chernihiv city.
Reference:
Civic monitoring conducted by OPORA - is a type of network activity, aimed at impartial assessment of the preparation and conduct of elections, as well as preventing violations through comprehensive civic action. Professional monitoring at all stages of the election process indirectly influences the quality of the campaign. The public opinion, both foreign and domestic is formed through gathering and spreading of information among the target audience. From a strategic perspective public monitoring of elections focuses upon improving the system and certain procedures. In 2012, during Parliamentary elections in Ukraine OPORA implements a large-scale campaign of long- and short term observation, organizes a statistical vote-count by the results of voting with the proportional component of the electoral system on a basis of representative selection, will provide 100% coverage of polling stations by observers in separate single-mandate majoritarian districts. OPORA observers will work in all 225 electoral districts, and 3,500 activists will join them on the voting day. Organization will use the latest means of spreading information on observation results, including infographics and interactive maps.