Mykola Tomenko: After the Elections, the Authorities may narrow the Main Functions of the Local Self-Government down to the Organization of the Birthday Parties, Anniversaries and Funerals
Giving an interview to Channel 5, Mykola Tomenko, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, was asked what election returns of the local elections the opposition expected. He responded: "The strategy of the opposition is not confined to the fighting for majority in city or regional councils, although we are going to form a strong opposition to the acting authorities."
M. Tomenko is convinced that "should the attitude of the acting governors towards the local self-government remain the same, the functions of the local councils would be narrowed down to those popular in the Soviet times, i.e. organization of the birthday parties, anniversaries and funerals."
"There is a distinct possibility of it, as the absolute majority of the regional administration leaders occupy first numbers in the list of candidates from the Party of Regions. Thus, they will obviously protect the interests of one party instead of the whole territorial community", he emphasised.