PRESS RELEASE
Economist Vitrenko
To Run for President of Ukraine
Nov. 4, 2009 (EIRNS)—The Special Congress of the Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine on Oct. 31 nominated Natalia Vitrenko as its Presidential candidate. In her speech, the candidate pledged to take Ukraine out of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Trade Organization, if she is elected. Vitrenko has repeatedly warned in the past of the genocidal effects of IMF policy, in terms of overall poverty, collapse of living standards and net population reduction. Her warnings are now dramatically underscored by the effects of the pandemic in Ukraine, an order of magnitude larger than in other European countries.
Vitrenko's electoral platform, she said, is centered on "radical change in domestic and foreign policy, as required to save the nation." It also outlines commitments to the development of science and education, energy, including nuclear power, agriculture, and machine-building, as well as social support and promotion of family formation.
The banner above the podium at the Congress pictured economist Vitrenko speaking recently against the backdrop of her 2000 Presidential campaign poster, in which she points to Lyndon LaRouche's Triple Curve pedagogical graphic, contrasting the collapse of the physical economy to hyperbolic financial asset and monetary growth.
On Oct. 18-19, Vitrenko keynoted a seminar in Germany with Lyndon LaRouche and Helga Zepp-LaRouche, during which she presented the total devastation of Ukraine's economy, since the country joined the IMF in 1992 (See article in EIR of Nov. 6), and even more so since the so-called Orange Revolution of 2004. Based on discussions at that seminar, Zepp-LaRouche and Vitrenko drafted a new appeal, "Implement the LaRouche Plan!"
On the eve of the PSPU congress, Ukraine's Parliament finally passed an increase in the minimum wage and social security guarantees for the population. In her Oct. 18 presentation, Vitrenko pointed out that this hotly debated measure means a increase of $20 in the monthly income of Ukraine's poor—from $75/month to $95/month, or from $95/month to $115/month. Even such a paltry measure was adamantly opposed by IMF managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who said he was "worried" by it. The IMF has hinted that it might even scrap the fourth tranche of its $16.4 billion loan to Ukraine, negotiated last year.
