Vyacheslav Brukhovetskiy, the 58 y.o. President of the National University of "Kyiv-Mohyla Academy" and Miroslav Popovich, the 76 y.o. Director of Skovoroda Philosophy Institute, joined the Board of the Foundation for the Development of Ukraine headed by Rinat Akhmetov, a 37 y.o. MP from the opposition Party of Regions.

The NGO was established by its parent company System Capital Management and Shakhtar FC last year. The Foundation will finance socially important projects in education, health care, and cultural fields.

Cooperation between the prominent representatives of the national and patriotic think-tank with Rinat Akhmetov caused ambiguous comments. Vyacheslav Brukhovetskiy, an MP from the pro-government Our Ukraine party explained his agreement to join the foundation as follows:
 
- The activity of the foundation is focused on the development of Ukraine. And this is a very important aspect.
The assumption that the foundation was allegedly founded as a money laundering instrument he commented in a half-joking way:
 
- Mr. Akhmetov is a too talented person to resort to such elementary ways as creating a foundation.
Answering the question of our newspaper, Mr Miroslav Popovich underlined he is an "absolutely orange revolution supporter just like Mr. Brukhovetskiy".
 
- But you have to look forwards, - said the philosopher - You have to seek and find common grounds not influenced by political limits and standards. I’ll be happy to commit money on useful causes.
At the same time, Miroslav Popovich doesn’t approve political compromises and ingratiating of the "orange team" with the "white-and-blue" opposition:
 
-  I would be deep cut if Our Ukraine formed a coalition with the Party of Regions.
Mr.Popovich emphasized the membership in Akhmetov’s foundation doesn’t benefit him, because the condition for his activity in the NGO was "a complete absence of material interests".

Gazeta po-Ukrainski
By Vira Pertsova

23.05.06