Deputy Andriy Shevchenko appeared in NYC to appear at U Penn

Summary by Bohdan Oryshkevich, Founder of the USA/USA Program

Verkhovna Rada Deputy from BYUT, Andriy Shevchenko, appeared in the East Village of New York City on Saturday November 1, and met with members of the Ukrainian American community and with USA/USA students from Ukraine who came from as far away as Johns Hopkins and the University of Pennsylvania. His appearance created a lively afternoon with sharp questions and an enthusiastic response for the openness of the forum if not for the responses obtained. Mr. Shevchenko made three essential points:

First, there will be no basic reforms in Ukraine until after the Presidential elections in 2009.

Second, the Verkhovna Rada will remain corrupt and inert until its deputies are elected on an individual basis rather than through party lists.

Third, Mr. Shevchenko pointed out that with the recent confusion in Ukrainian politics, Ukraine has lost all the credibility it had with reference to EU and NATO integration.

For another summary of the meeting go to: http://www.ukrainianscholarships.org

Mr. Andriy Shevchenko is in the USA for four month stay as a Yale World Fellow.
http://www.yale.edu/worldfellows/