Ukraine Vote Also a Referendum on Tycoons

[NoPasaran]

DONETSK, Ukraine — When groundbreaking began on the edge of a city park early this fall for a new world-class soccer stadium, the first step was to transplant trees that would be uprooted by the $200-million megaproject, the first of its kind in Eastern Europe.

"I've always liked trees," remarked the stadium's developer, billionaire businessman Rinat Akhmetov.

When Akhmetov says he likes trees, trees happen. Akhmetov ordered the planting of 100 new pines, firs, limes and birches near the stadium at Prospekt Mira, and city officials quickly announced they would plant 2,800 more, enough for a new forest.

A few years earlier, Akhmetov said Donetsk needed a luxury hotel. In May, his $25-million Donbass Palace opened, offering crystal chandeliers, an indoor pool with an artificial sky and $2,500-a-night suites in a grimy industrial town where coal miners make less than $200 a month.

This year, Akhmetov said he would like Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich to be president. But in a sign of how quickly the political landscape of Ukraine is changing, it appears that the powerful east Ukrainian oligarch might not get his wish.

-more-

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-oligarchs8dec08.story

[papau]

1. victory for the opposition candidate would be a blow" to tycoons! - Yep

but then oil interests are backing both sides -

just different oil folks.

[NoPasaran]

2. Yes, sadly there really are no good guys in Ukraine

Just bad guys and badder guys.

[savistocate]

3. But a closer look at the candidate getting support of the

people opened my eyes. Their passionate support stems from
concrete advancing of democratic processes and transparency.
I hope this link works. A banker, insider yet may well be an exceptional man.

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/10340645.htm
If not still there -it was from Knight-Ridder.