Last night the phones at the editorial office never stopped ringing with people asking one question, How is Marchuk?
The Friday before last, NSDC Secretary Yevhen Marchuk had a road accident on the way home. The car skidded off the ice-bound highway and turned over.
That night New Channel and STB were the only television studios to report the bad news. On Saturday, a number of channels started their news with the accident, yet information about what had actually happened and Mr. Marchuk’s condition was scarce. Over the weekend, the Ukrainian public learned practically nothing new about who got injured, how badly, etc. One of the reports, about Mr. Marchuk’s driver allegedly losing control of the car, blinded by an oncoming vehicle, sounded rather strange. What vehicle? Why? The road accident was surely out of the ordinary, involving a prominent politician, yet no details.
Such fragmentary, contradictory information against the background of NSDC’s resonant steps to carry out the decriminalization program in the key economic sectors raised a lot of questions and doubts in people’s minds. “An Accident Against the Backdrop of an Attack on Underworld” was the title of a publication carried by the Kievskie Vedomosti . A statement issued by the Social Democratic Union reads, “Certain events of late make one question the assumption that the road accident Friday night, involving NSDC Secretary Yevhen Marchuk, was just that, an ordinary road accident.” Similar views are expressed by those calling and sending telegrams to The Day .
Yuri SAYENKO , head of the department for social expert examinations at National Academy’s Institute for Social Studies, had this to say:
“The information we have is quite scarce: just official findings saying it was a road accident. That’s all. In any Western country an accident involving a government official of this caliber would make headlines followed by lengthy commentaries on all channels. Most often, such information is presented as interviews with all persons somehow or other concerned with the event. And with the police, of course. Nothing like that is happening in Ukraine. This makes me feel surprised and worried.”
The Internal Affairs Ministry’s PR department told The Day’s Viktor VORONIUK that Mr. Marchuk’s driver, Vasyl Burkotas of the NSDC motor pool, lost control of the car and its turned over. When asked whether any other versions of the accident were being considered, the ministry’s spokesman said an investigation was in progress.
Meanwhile editorial phones continued to buzz as anxious readers wanted to know about Yevhen Marchuk. Mykhailo ZAKHARASH, MD, head of the Security Service’s medical department, says: “We heaved a breath of relief as the patient’s state was found satisfactory. There is no threat to his life, although the situation is rather complicated. But Mr. Marchuk is a courageous man and he is cooperating. The diagnosis is a pelvic bone fracture. Fortunately, the type that doesn’t call for surgery and no internal complications. Now the main course of treatment is to support all vital functions, to keep the cardiovascular and respiratory systems working. Complete quiet and immobility. Mr. Marchuk will have to spend a long time in bed — well, more than a month at best. We all hope he will be all right. He will spend another week in intensive care, to make sure there are no further complications. I expect him to be able to return to work in a month’s time.”
Now the main course of treatment is to support all vital functions, to keep the cardiovascular and respiratory systems working. Complete quiet and immobility. Mr. Marchuk will have to spend a long time in bed — well, more than a month at best. We all hope he will be all right. He will spend another week in intensive care, to make sure there are no further complications. I expect him to be able to return to work in a month’s time.”
There are times when every noted person feels vulnerable. The editorial staff wish Mr. Marchuk a quick recovery so he can get back to work. Hard and dangerous work aimed at providing conditions in which the entire country, every citizen will feel safe.
While still in intensive care, Mr. Marchuk kindly agreed to a brief interview.
The Day : There are a lot of versions born of scarce information we can rely upon. What do you think actually happened that Friday night? Was it an accident or foul play?
Y.M.: I am not sure, because I don’t know the results of the investigation.
The Day: We received a lot of phone calls today. People want to know how you feel. We promised we would ask you first thing. We have heard your physician. What about you?
Y.M.: I would like to thank all those people making calls and sending telegrams and letters here at the hospital. This is very important for me.
The Day: What was the reaction of your colleagues and political leadership?
Y.M.: I spoke with President Kuchma, Viktor Yushchenko, and Volodymyr Lytvyn, also with a lot of colleagues. They all wished me well. Of course, such things are quite stimulating, and I think I’ll return to work soon and with fresh enthusiasm.
How do I feel? Not bad, all things considered. I am in one piece and my head is working, which is the main thing. Soon we’ll start preparations for a new NSDC sitting. The topic will be Off-bank Monetary Turnover and Shedding Light on Shadow Capital in God’s World.
The Day: It seems a pretty informal agenda?
Y.M.: I think I can allow myself this while in the hospital.
