Each month, The Observer visits a different Kyiv bar popular with expats to obtain answers to a common question. This month, The Observer visited The Drum (Baraban), and asked this month's Board of Drinkers:
"Who should be Ukraine's Man or Woman of the Year? This is the person, group or idea that had the greatest impact on the nation in 2005."
"Yulia Tymoshenko. Her influence on last year's 'evolution' was once again evident at this year's orange celebration. She is the only truly charismatic public person on the political horizon." As an alternative: "Groups like VV (Oleg Skrypka) and Okean Elzy (Slava Vakarchuk) have earned a place in my heart, as well as in the Orange Revolution's soul."
- Roman Shwed
Self-employed architect
11 years in Ukrain
"Yulia Tymoshenko. She appears to have more chutzpah toward straightening out this country than any of the male leaders. She also presents herself much better than any of the others, including President Viktor Yushchenko. She was unfairly fired before she had a chance to do anything.”
- Bill Atamanchuk
Romyr Consultants Corp.
3 Years in Ukraine"
"Yuri Lutsenko, for making the successful transition from Maidan activist to corruption-fighting 'Terminator' Interior Minister. As an alternative, President Yushchenko, for getting up in front of the UN and asking the world to recognize the Holodomor as genocide, and for subsequent Holodomor commemorations in Kyiv."
- Steve Bandera
Channel Five television presenter
7 years in Ukraine
"Lakshmi Mittal, for making the biggest statement on investment into Ukraine by purchasing Kryvorizhstal. It was a sign to the international community that you can do business in Ukraine, and at the same time demonstrated how much the former regime was stealing from the Ukrainian people."
- Paul Niland
Primeros Funds Group
3 years in Ukraine
"Viktor Yushchenko, if for no other reason than that he overturned the sale of the [Kryvorizhstal] steel mill, which secured another US $3.9 billion for his country. Took guts!"
- Steven Szumny
Author
2 years in Ukraine
"It is hard to compare 2005 with the events of 2004, and the Ukrainian people who refused to be robbed of their voice. This year, the most influential move was by Valentyna Semenyuk, the head of the State Property Fund, involved in the re-privatization of Kryvorizhstal and the subsequent resale of the plant in an open and transparent tender [to] Mittal Steel."
- Vasyl (Bill) Pavlowsky
Magister & Partners
6 years in Ukraine
"I think the press should be Ukraine's idea of the year. Freedom of the press has finally taken root in a new Ukraine this year - it is fast realizing its explicit capacity of advocacy and implicit ability to frame political issues - important for a country preparing for the March 2006 parliamentary elections. Certain individuals will invariably use the press as a tool to misinform and manipulate the public."
- Mark Rachkevych
Democratic Initiatives Foundation
4 years in Ukraine
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