Ukraine needs changes! Real changes. A new President means a chance for change. We, Ukrainians, cannot allow the next opportunity for change to be lost.
Today we call on the winner of the Presidential election to address the people in a Public Forum, initiated by the New Citizen Public Campaign, to tell Ukrainians how, when and what he will do to overcome the crisis and to develop Ukraine.
We ask the newly elected President, on the first Friday after the Inauguration, to answer the most important questions concerning Ukraine. We realize that in voting in the election, we are hiring a new person to the Presidential post. We, Ukrainians, are paying his salary. Therefore, we demand answers from the new President to the most important questions concerning Ukraine's development:
-How will you overcome pervasive state corruption?
-How do you plan to reform the economy?
-What is your plan for foreign and security policy?
-How do you plan to reform the healthcare system?
-How do you plan to build a competitive system of education and science?
-How do you plan to make courts honest and accessible?
-How will you perfect the electoral system as well as modernize political governance?
-How will you ensure an adequate defense capability for the country?
-How will you lead the country out of the ecological crisis?
-How will you reform the government's youth policy?
-How will you create favorable conditions for the development of civil society?
Every Ukrainian citizen can post his or her question to the new President on the Ukrainska Pravda website, under the section "Ask the Newly Elected President."
We are convinced that the new President, for whom millions of Ukrainians will give their vote, understands the importance of maintaining direct communication with society. We are offering the new President an opportunity for the direct dialogue.
We are collecting signatures in support of this Forum. Our goal – that the Forum becomes the newest tradition in relations between society and government. This initiative is already supported by community representatives, journalists, experts, cultural leaders, scientists, and student groups.
We also appeal to the media. There is a real opportunity to unite people through the power of the media. In appealing to the political authorities, and in publicizing this initiative to all levels of society, we need the support of journalists – this is absolutely necessary. Reprint this letter. Publish it in your newspapers and post it on your websites. Publicize it on your television programs. Air the Forum on your headliner programs. We are ready to engage with all mass media that is interested in participating in or publicizing the Forum.
The result of the Forum will be the beginning of a constructive dialogue between the newly elected President and society. The leader's publicly-stated answers to these questions will define the parameters of a new vision for the country's development, and will become the basis for civil monitoring in the future.
The organizer of the Forum is the New Citizen Public Campaign. This is a non-biased, politically independent civic initiative www.newcitizen.org.ua. Its members include over 30 independent, well-known civic organizations.
