We continue the series of interviews with the governors of Ukraine's regions. The young and energetic governor of Volyn, Volodymyr Bondar, seems to have taken the right position from the very beginning: supporting tolerance, peace and calm in the region, he nevertheless launched a genuine investment revolution. Every now and then foreigners come out of his office. And each one - with a full portfolio of plans for joint production. \nThe governor is ready to cooperate with everyone in the multi-ethnic and party-saturated region - his approach to restitution issues, which bring concrete benefits to Volyn residents, deserves every respect... Our correspondent spoke with Volodymyr Bondar in Lutsk. \n \n- Volodymyr Nalkovych, how does one become a governor at such a young age? \n \n- During my university years I headed local youth organizations. We managed to unite the majority of active youth public organizations, which became the beginning of a public movement in Volyn. \nThen I worked in executive authorities, in the department for youth affairs, then in the city executive committee I headed the youth department. Then active party life began - I headed the "Reforms and Order" party in Volyn. \nI worked in the department of internal policy in the state administration. I took part in the "Ukraine without Kuchma" action, because of which I had to leave the civil service, since Kuchma said that everyone who does not share the position of the authorities should honestly leave it. Then I went into politics. In 2002 I became the only people's deputy of Ukraine from the city of Lutsk. \nI headed Viktor Yushchenko's headquarters in the parliamentary and then presidential elections. And when the President offered me - and I was already a people's deputy of Ukraine - to head the regional administration, I agreed, because I am used to working in a team. \n \n- And which party are you a member of today? \n \n- The President's party. I believe that one must act honestly in all matters. We called for the creation of a single party. Viktor Andriyovych spoke about this. And when Yushchenko said that such a party is "People's Union Our Ukraine", I left the PRP and became a member of NSHU. And today we must ideologically unite the part that declared itself Yushchenko's platform or Yushchenko's team. And this is not so much done for the leader. This is a certain ideological group, a certain ideological platform. \nWe must come out to the people with a certain ideology and say: "This is our party, our foundations are such and such..." This is an objective process. I remember how Viktor Andriyovych first united ten parties, and everyone said that it was impossible to unite what cannot be united. But then I saw that these ten parties, or at least seven of them, honestly worked for the presidential elections, saw how people gave themselves not for a place on the list, but to establish elementary constitutional order in the country. And I understand that there is not that much that divides us, on the contrary - there is more that unites us. \n \n- In your opinion, does political reform have prospects? \n \n- I would like to approach reform systematically. Does Ukrainian society need political reform today? It does. In essence, this was our political slogan, and it remains so now. We cannot concentrate such great powers in the center and deprive the regions and local communities of these powers. This does not exist anywhere in the world and should not exist in Ukraine. \nIf Ukraine has chosen the democratic path of development, then it must understand that this is the only path. Not only local government but also the organization of power in the center requires reform. But the expediency of reforming and the time of reforming must be chosen by society. And I would like there to be a concrete business-like conversation in the Verkhovna Rada, so that we set aside the right and the left, so that we set aside "ours" and "not ours", so that society forecasts a plan for the development of the state and says: "For this period we need to concentrate the maximum of powers in one pair of hands in order to carry out the same reform faster!" \nBut after this period we need to gradually move from one goal to another. And when there is such a public plan, then, I think, we will come to an effective model of organizing power. \n \n- What is the situation in Volyn today with party life? \n \n- There has always been active political life here. The traditional players in Volyn, of course, are those parties that won the elections - "People's Union Our Ukraine", "Our Ukraine" (PRP), "Batkivshchyna", the Ukrainian People's Party, the People's Rukh. The left wing is represented more weakly, although the Socialist Party is quite active. \nI think the Communist Party, by the age of its members and the electoral field of activists, is already fading. There are extreme right-wingers, but they are few. As for the opposition, we have never had strong united social democrats here. Neither their politics nor their leaders took root. The Party of Regions and their ideology also did not take hold. There are individual representatives, but I believe that they do not have a particular influence on the social and political situation. \n \n- Are you criticized? \n \n- Of course, and that is right. There is something behind every criticism. A reasonable person should always listen to criticism and find the rational grain in it. \n \n- You said that you have a truly unique region, lakes, very beautiful nature, but you are first of all a manager, you are the governor and you deal with industrial production. And in this sense, what do you need to do as a governor today? \n \n- First of all, of course, we must bring investment here - and not only into industry and tourism. I am convinced that every dollar, euro or hryvnia that comes here must work for the territorial community, bring benefit and bring new jobs. Because that, in fact, is what our work is aimed at. \nThe dynamics of industrial development in Volyn are normal. Volyn ranks fourth in terms of development and growth of industrial production per capita in Ukraine. As the head, this makes me very happy. I hope that we will increase this dynamic through attracted investment. \n \n- Volyn has always been a calm region. Fortunately, there are no conflicts here - neither interethnic, nor interconfessional, nor inter-national... \n \n- This is thanks to the patient character of Volyn residents, their friendliness. Living here, you understand that this kindness of people is decisive. People of many nationalities live in Volyn, and there are also many religious communities. Volyn residents have always had enough wisdom to be tolerant both in interethnic and interreligious relations. \n