It’s all in the signature …

Deputy Prime Minister asked businesses to give money to the Party of the Regions

Deputy Prime Minister in Viktor Yanukovych’s government, Volodymyr Rybak, has confirmed that he sent a written appeal to the heads of businesses asking them to donate money to the Party of the Regions. The information was originally circulated by the newspaper “Komersant – Ukraine”,

The story came out after journalists received a copy of the letter sent by the public official to the management of a major south-eastern business.

“I would ask you to consider providing non-returnable financial assistance to the political Party of the Regions in order for it to carry out its activities as per its Charter”.

This was the main substance of the letter which provided a bank account in the Kyiv branch of the First Ukrainian International Bank which has Donetsk roots.

In confirming that he had turn to the management of business, Volodymyr Rybak said that he saw no abuse of his official position, i.e. corruption, since he had signed his letters not as Deputy Prime Minister, but as the Head of the Political Council of the Party.

Rybank denied that the appeal suggested that the Party had begun preparing for elections since the donor money for the Party which has as its members a number of the wealthiest people in Ukraine, he has personally collected for ten years and, just as other leaders of the Party of the Regions, he considers the practice to be normal.

On the other hand, the Opposition have called the appeal an office which the Prosecutor General should take an interest in, if only because there could be elements of corruption in letters asking for financial support for a party signed by the Deputy Prime Minister.