Tatiana Melnichuk, "Vseukrainskije Vedomosti"

Transnational Radical party is known in Europe a long time, mainly due to its founder and honorary president, outstanding Italian politician Marco Panella. Secretary Emma Bonino, member of Europarliament, directs now the party's headquarters that is situated in Rome. Due to her, more and more radical organizations appear in many countries of the world like mushrooms after the rain. Those organizations function by one coordination program. Radical party Kiev office was established at the end of 1991, and they began to talk about "Ukrainian phenomenon" -- unexpectedly Ukraine became on the third place by number of radicals "per person". Now the stir around the party is down, as well as the political ardor of our fellow-citizens. However, radicals do not worry and continue to work. We suggest you an interview with Alexander KOSTRITSKI, coordinator of Transnational Radical party in Ukraine.

T. M.: Alexander, I haven't found your party in the list of parties registered by Ukrainian Ministry of Justice. Please, explain that fact.

A. K.: They have refused to register it. We attempted to register our party just three years ago, when the party office was established. We have found, that according to Ukrainian legislation, registration of parties, main headquarters of those being situated abroad, is forbidden. So, those three years, juridically speaking, we do not exist: our party is illicit and illegal.

T. M.: Does that make some difficulties during your work?

A. K.: A lot! The only thing that redeems us is that our initiatives are always supported by influential persons -- outstanding politicians, state officials. Due to them, we manage to avoid great troubles. For instance, this Summer our activists have gathered signatures under the petition to UN Security Council on the Maidan Nezalezhnosti square, the petition with a demand to create International Tribunal on war crimes in countries of ex-Yugoslavia. Militia men have come to take us with them that time. You know what did rescue us? The signature of Leonid Kosakivski. He was one of the first people who have signed our petition, so his "autograph" has become somewhat non-official permission to carry out the action. Due to that we have successfully finished it.

T. M.: Did this action produce practical results?

A. K.: Of course. The decision on foundation of the Tribunal was made by session of UN General Assembly. Judges are appointed, the appointment of Prosecutor is expected next days. Since October the Tribunal starts its work. After the first step, we have decided to go ahead. Now we begin to gather signatures under the petition to UN Security Council on foundation of permanent International Tribunal on war crimes that are committed now in many countries of the world.

T. M.: Do not probable encounters with protectors of law and order stop you?

A. K.: We gather signatures by phone.

T. M.: ?!!

A. K.: Yeah, don't be surprised. We call outstanding citizens -- politicians, figures of art, science, and education. We explain them the essence of our initiative, and if they agree to sign the petition, we mail it them to their home address. People's deputies of Supreme Council Pavlo Movchan and Petro Osadchuk, instructor of Kiev University Jevgeni Pashchenko, president of society "Ukraine- Croatia" Jury Khudiakov, and others have signed our document in such a way.

T. M.: By the way, about people's deputies. I know, that 13 deputies of Ukrainian Supreme Council of last convocation were members of your party. For not a numerous party, moreover, for not officially registered one, that number is essential. What are your relations with the new Parliament?

A. K.: We just have started our work with them. Usually we initiate various non-violent actions, that we realize on ground of understanding and support of outstanding persons. From that point of view, the close contact with people's deputies is extremely important for us. Now there is no such contact, however, the new Parliament is just elected. People's deputy Pavlo Movchan is the only member of Radical party (the party membership is to be confirmed every year). However, we plan initiatives that must involve the people's elects.

T. M.: If it is not a secret, what are those initiatives?

A. K.: We plan an action that is grounded on abolition of death penalty in Ukraine. Do you know, that the Ukrainian Criminal Code in force includes 22 "shooting" articles in it? Soon a new Criminal Code should be discussed on the session of Ukrainian Supreme Council. Do you think it is more humane? The new Ukrainian Criminal Code extends the list of crimes that are punished by death penalty to 26. That's why during the period when the question of adoption of the new Criminal Code should be discussed in the Supreme Council, many popular political leaders, members of Europarliament, deputies of Italian Parliament -- adherents of abolition of death penalty plan to visit Ukraine. That massive "landing" would be undertaken to convince Ukrainian members of Parliament in necessity of amendments of penalties in "shooting" articles. A society that aims at humanization and democracy can not have in its arsenal such a non-humane argument as a deprivation man of his life, even if that man is a criminal.

T. M.: Alexander, all your actions are exclusively significant in the whole people, humane aspect. But is not it too little for a serious political party? Your initiatives are too concrete and have a single character. It is not done in "a large politics".

A. K.: You know, we are more a social organization than a party in the main point. We do not take part in elections to bodies of power in those countries where we work. To the point, it would be impossible in Ukraine, but in other countries, including Russia, members of our party could really ballot to be elected to parliament and local governing bodies. We do not do that, because transnational radicals is the only party that does not aim to taking power. Politics in common understanding does not interest us. You have noticed it right: we deal with concrete actions that make benefit for people. Of course it's a pity, that Radical party is illegal in Ukraine. We live and work, while officially we do not exist. However, such circumstances won't stop us. We will wait for change of Ukrainian legislation, but closer to work now!

Translated into English by A. Prishchenko, 27.09.94