The candidate for People's Deputy in the election district No.76 Iryna Liekh is perhaps the only woman of Zaporizhia standing for the Verkhovna Rada. The well-known in social networks, ambitious, and pro-European interviewee told OPORA about weak male politicians, her international experience as well as about her “dummy” and “pro-government” candidacy for the election.
They sat you work as External Advisor of the Governor and are a “dummy” candidate of the PR. Is this rumour, or is there any truth in it?
Yes, indeed, I have been working as External Advisor of the Head of Zaporizhia Oblast State Administration Oleksandr Peklushenko but for free. At his request, I have become an Advisor not only to inform on the state of small businesses, in particular, on the objectives, problems, opportunities but also to change something in this state for the better. To be frank, when I made a decision to stand for the election I told the Governor, “If I have to, I can leave the position.” But he replied, “No, you don't have to, we've already been working for a year, and will continue.” I think this is a position strong enough — not to avoid your opponents but to see them as your partners.
As to the talks about me as if of a dummy candidate of the PR, then the term “dummy candidate” has nothing to do with those who conduct the election campaign but those who have specific goals set by someone — to take votes from the competitors, or for some other reason. I don't do this. I certainly won't withdraw my candidacy, I've been conducting an active election campaign, and will continue to. I'm not talking about the fact that I don't like certain actions and decisions of the current authorities just now, before the election, I spoke openly about it long before that. I think that the “trick” about me as a dummy candidate was invented by my opponents who spread the rumour to discredit me and encourage people to vote for the others. However, consider my speeches — have you ever seen dummy candidates being that honest and daring? Even these facts suggest that I'm a real candidate. Moreover, I wasn't appointed — I've been nominated by people, they support me, fund my campaign, how can I betray them?
One can observe that you focus on your election campaign mainly on the Internet — you've started a blog, actively communicate in social networks; at the same time, you less than other candidates meet with voters face to face. Why have you chosen this method? Do you consider yourself a politician of the new generation?
I've recently met with the representatives of the younger generation, and we also discussed what a candidate should do for people to vote for him. To my surprise, it turned out that young people consider being up-to-date in one's professional activities one of the main criteria. This includes the use of international and Ukrainian experience in his work, use of information technologies in his activities (feedback, blogs etc), and knowledge of different languages. I was surprised by this in a good way as I have it all, which can't be said about most of my opponents in the district. I consider myself a politician of a new generation since I'm constantly striving towards development, growth and use of the best international practices in Ukraine.
The main criterion, in my opinion, is availability of a candidate, and later — a deputy. Here is an example. One of the candidates of my district came to open a children playground (not mentioning that the playground was built for the budget funds), and so, a woman wanted to approach him and talk about the problems of a kindergarten. Security of the candidate didn't let her to. How do think, will such a candidate — if elected for a Deputy — become more available? Such form of interaction with voters is horse and buggy era. And our era is the era of trust, and only that candidate will be successful who will inspire trust in his voters. I believe that only that campaign of a candidate will be successful which people talk about and which inspires trust.
In your election campaign, you focus on helping small and medium businesses. Why have you chosen this area? You won't forget about the youth and the retired, will you?
I won't forget about the youth, and taking care of them is a key point of my programme. They have to be given the opportunity of fulfilment as many of them would like to start their own business but they don't know how, they are afraid of all the difficulties and problems. Moreover, the youth should be involved in the authorities as much as possible since those people of the previous generations, sitting in the Rada and only pressing the buttons, will hardly make a difference.
The state, unfortunately, still has much to do to satisfy the social needs of everyone but the state must support disabled people and create conditions for those who can provide for their needs themselves. That is why support of the development of small and medium businesses, which in the countries of Europe provide for the creation of up to 80% of the GNP (in Ukraine, this indicator doesn't exceed 12%) has become my main objective. So far, our state really helps only oligarchs.
In the blog, you wrote that slander was launched against you. What do you think — will your ratings be raised or lowered by this?
You know, at first I was upset but then I realised that it was good they wrote about me. Recently, I was included in the Persons Section of one of the Zaporizhia websites; they wrote rumour had it that I could have been a dummy candidate. However, I'm OK with that; the media have to be objective — if such rumours have appeared it should be said.
In Zaporizhia, as in the oblast, only a few women stand for the Verkhovna Rada. Do you think women are afraid of discrimination, competition, or something else?
At first I hesitated whether to enter or not to enter politics as there is such myth that politics is a male field, and a woman belongs in the kitchen, or at best, in the field of culture or education. I'm grateful to Yuliia Tymoshenko that she shattered that myth since after her coming to politics women started taking it differently. Men told me they would support me at least for my courage. I've seen statistics which proves that women don't want other women to represent them in the authorities that much. However, I keep meeting women who say that a female politician will certainly take care of children and disabled people, and at least won't fight in the Rada. I think that at local elections, there will much more women in a two years time.
By the way, many people write in my blog, and most authors are women. They write about problems of the country and the city, and I'm very happy that they are concerned not only about their homes but about the state of society in general.
It has been already predicted that the election won't be held fairly as the President has recently assured us at the summit in Yalta. What do you think should be done for them still to be democratic?
I very much hope for democratic election. I've recently met with international observers, and in our conversation, we concluded that the situation with the election in Ukraine was rather disturbing— many things done by the party in power are in conflict with the law. I was concerned about the case of the human rights defender Serhii Vlasenko in Kharkiv — he was thrown brilliant green into his face several times but he can get neither truth nor protection from the police and the court. The fact that the opposition candidates don't have equal rights in placing outdoor advertising is also disturbing. At the same time, representatives of the Party of Regions hang their advertising, for example, on houses next to children playground opened with the participation of pro-government candidates, or on stage during the City Day — everybody sees that but none respond. However, if a candidate of another political force will do this the response will be instant and strong. The law must be the same for everyone: if a person violated it, at first he should be warned to remove the deficiencies, and then — withdrawn from the election.
Do you think there will be electoral fraud?
To what extent the results will be falsified, I don't know. However, the predictions on the Internet are pessimistic — in big cities, a 10% to 20% fraud is predicted. Can you imagine what gap a candidate should have to win?
Will you provide observers with work?
Yes, we are planning to have observers at every polling station. They will work voluntary — we will take care only of their meals. This is the way it should be because when a person becomes an observer only for money one shouldn't expect real defence from him since he can always be bought off again. Now we are negotiating with a few parties to unite in different areas and stand against fraud together since it will be very difficult to observe. We have one goal — fair election.
Let's assume that you will get into the Verkhovna Rada. Which position are you more disposed to — the PR or the opposition?
There is no doubt that I will join the democratic forces. I hope that in the next composition of the VR, there will be more of them, and that they will create the majority coalition. And the Party of Regions and the communists will be the opposition.
It is known that you intended to stand for the election in UDAR Party of Vitalii Klychko but then, for some reason, decided to stand independently. Do you think it is easier for a self-nominated candidate to get into the Parliament?
It was not only my decision — it was decided by those who have nominated me, and they are the representatives of small and medium businesses of Zaporizhia. I respect UDAR Party of Vitalii Klychko and consider it one of the main democratic forces of today. Another thing is that their candidates are not that strong in all the districts. As they were chosen at the last minute before the Congress. Though there are such strong candidates as Bohdan Vasylenko (election district No.75). I think UDAR is lucky to have him. In my district, I've been competing with the candidate of this party as I don't find him stronger than me.
You say that the youth is the biggest passive voting group. Do you encourage the youth to vote, and how?
First of all, on the Internet — this is the most efficient and productive as a lot of young people use it. On Facebook, I have now about 300 friends, people add me, which means that they are interested in me as a person. It is also surprising that among them, there are young people from other regions of Ukraine. For instance, a self-nominated candidate from Ternopil wrote me that my beliefs appealed to me and offered to unite with similar candidates as us, who have experience in civic activities, are well reputed, and have no business. We have already found eight such like-minded people and signed a Memorandum. There would have been much more but not everyone meets our criteria — especially, many having their own businesses. We believe they will lobby the interests of their businesses in the Rada.
Moreover, I get a lot of messages from young people, and they are asking how they can help. Recently, a pressure group of observers of the election district No.76 contacted me — they offered to provide objective information, which was found in open sources) on each candidate of out district in an interesting form. I have supported their initiative, I'll see what they will do.
Do you think the parliamentary election 2012 will change anything in Ukraine?
I very much hope for that. Otherwise, it will get much worse than it is now. We know for sure that all moratoriums on inspection of small businesses will end, and after 1 November we'll see the real picture of the attitude of the authorities towards businesses and the society.
This election is a chance to change things for the better — perhaps, not as fast as we would like to but this is a chance, and we should use it. Otherwise, blaming anyone afterwards will be barking at the moon.
Pictures from Iryna Liekh's personal archive
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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 is carrying out a large-scale campaign of long- and short term observation, organizing 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.