Smear campaign against presidential candidates to pick up steam

November13200920:16

“I have learned that a hefty influx of compromising materials will soon be targeted against Viktor Yanukovych. It concerns his third conviction on a different and more serious charge, not rape as was widely believed. His opponents have a bomb this time,” the expert warned.

Premier Tymoshenko has also been targeted for smear.

“They will try to use “Lazarenko is coming” hoax against the premier,” Bondarenko said.

“Lazarenko will squeal on his accomplices” scenario will also be used. It will draw fire to Tymoshenko as her initial career was closely linked to Pavlo Lazarenko,” the expert continued.

“There’s enough evidence for me to tell that Viktor Yushchenko, assisted by influential circles in the US, is set to closely cooperate and eventually join forces with Viktor Yanukovych. The former adversaries are in league against Tymoshenko,” Bondarenko opined.

Kost Bondarenko also commented on the specifics and trends of this year’s presidential campaign.

“This is the first presidential campaign where local tycoons and foreign players have no roles as RinatAkhmetov, Viktor Pinchuk, Serhij Taruta, Russia and the USA have declared a neutral stand with regard to the election in Ukraine,’ Bondarenko said.

“Second, the hot presidential favorites do not divide Ukraine into Eastern and Western, as they did in 2004. Instead, they say they are out to unite the country,” the expert noted.

Answering a question on the roles of such candidates as Arseny Yatseniuk and Serhy Tihipko, Bondarenko said it pained him to speak about Yatseniuk as he had spin-doctored his tactics last year.

He advised Yatseniuk to concentrate on his numerous mistakes.

As for Tihipko, Bondarenko said that, according to his inside information, part of heavyweights in the Party of Regions had offered Tihipko to lead the PR.

“Everyone realizes that Yanukovych chances will dim after the election. If Yanukovych becomes president, he will have to resign as PR leader. If not, no one will put his money on him after his fourth failure,” Bondarenko said. The Regions will be on the lookout for a younger and dynamic leader with a future, he added.