Big Rock Candy Mountains

Yesterday I wrote about a special edition of Akhmetov's 'Segodnya' newspaper which supposedly included an article alleging Yuschchenko and his family had received huge sums of money from gas-trade intermediary companies.

Apparently the special edition was 'pulled' and recalled from newspaper stands once Yushchenko had agreed to nominate Yanukovych for PM.

Thousands of copies must have been printed. Have any come to light? Or was it a bluff? Or maybe the entire story is fiction.

As often happens in Ukraine, sensational accusations are glibly thrown around, but corroborating evidence is seldom produced. Eg Yuliya T made accusations in a radio interview that BYuT deputies Turchynov and Kozhemyakin are to be prosecuted...no evidence produced..and now the Prosecutor's office have denied it too.

ByuT deputy Oleh Lyaskho claimed to be in possession of tape intercepts where bribes to Moroz are discussed...and so on.

Even though there is good reason to believe the accusations have firm grounding, solid evidence is seldom produced. Is it because the Prosecutors are so corrupt that even if they are provided with 'rock solid' evidence nobody is ever charged?

Maybe that's the reason PoR have no problem with Lutsenko remaining Minister of Int Affairs.

"In the Big Rock Candy Mountains the jails are made of tin
And you can walk right out again as soon as you are in..

In the Big Rock Candy Mountains all the cops have wooden legs
And the bulldogs all have rubber teeth and the hens lay soft boiled eggs
The farmer's trees are full of fruit and the barns are full of hay
Oh, I'm bound to go where there ain't no snow
Where the rain don't fall and the wind don't blow
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains"

Harry McClintock