In Lutsk, People's Deputy of Ukraine, Chairman of the Committee on Combating Corruption and Organized Crime, and Chairman of the Christian Democratic Union party, Volodymyr Stretovych, was present. For some reason, his visit was shrouded in mystery; Volodymyr Mykolayovych himself explained this by saying that he primarily sought to communicate with fellow party members. Nevertheless, many Volyn journalists also attended the conference of the regional organization of the CDU party, in addition to its members.
In his speech at the conference, Volodymyr Stretovych set out his vision of the current political situation in Ukraine and his views on the new round of investigation into the case of Heorhiy Gongadze's murder. He stated that for now his party does not intend to join the newly created People's Union "Our Ukraine." There is talk of possible contacts and an alliance with Leonid Chernovetsky's Christian Liberal Party and Mykola Porovsky's Republican Christian Party. As for the activities of the NSHU [People's Union "Our Ukraine"], they will still be observing it; everything will be decided after September 26, 2005, that is, in the last six months before the next parliamentary elections.
Volodymyr Stretovych answered journalists' questions, and told his fellow party members about the party's development and strategy in the near future. Actually, the Volyn Christian Democrats had gathered because the head of their regional organization, Mykola Didukh, had moved permanently outside the region, to Kyiv. The organization was entrusted to be headed by entrepreneur Vyacheslav Shardin. Delegates to the CDU congress were elected.
Volodymyr LYS