Re-reprivatization again

I was pretty stunned when I read this headline: “UKRAINE'S TIMOSHENKO DENIES GOVT ONLY PLANS TO REVIEW 29 PRIVATISATIONS: She Contradicts statements by Vice Prime Minister Anatoly Kinakh and President Viktor Yushchenko.” But the statement below looks actually like a sane solution that is more in line with rule of law. And it might provide some clarity and finality to this thing that could reassure investors—depending of course on how the thing is implemented. But this is much more sensible rhetoric:

Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko denied that the government has a list of 29 companies whose privatisations are to be reviewed, indirectly denying the statement of a senior government official which was confirmed by President Viktor Yushchenko last week.

"It's not true, it (the list) does not exist. I stress that there is no list ... as that is not part of the government's duties, it is the job of the law courts, of the prosecutor's office, to see what has been done correctly and what has not been", Timoshenko said, cited by Interfax-Ukraine.

Timoshenko said the government has prepared a draft law which will enable the difference in prices to be calculated between the actual price and the sale price of the companies sold off cheaply under the former government. She added that she will give details of this procedure this week. The method of calculation will be fair for the companies involved as well as for their current owners, Timoshenko said. She has told the companies that they should repay the difference. (The Action Ukraine Report #486, no link.)

(I can't seem to undo the indent. Oh well.)

Those of us working here to attract investment to the country are frustrated--a euphemism for "pulling out one's hair--when we see comments coming from the government that makes our jobs all that much harder. A lot of us are here because we want to help. If we wanted to make the really big bucks, we'd be in Poland or Czechoslovakia or some other emerging-market-new-EU-member. But there wouldn't be anywhere near the satisfaction of knowing that you are helping to make things better for the people like there is working here.