Vera Ulyanchenko, a free-lance advisor to the president became a member of the Advisory Board of the Sofia Kievskaya National Reserve. Before Ms Ulyanchenko would say to Delo Newspaper, she was seeking for sponsorship funds following the order of the president for implementation of a range of cultural projects. She said she would negotiate with all large businesses in Ukraine and "no one refused to help".
The first meeting of the Board headed by Nikolay Zhulinskiy, the vice-prime-minister for Humanitarian Affairs in times of Yushchenko’s premiership, took place on 30th June.
The Board members believe their major goal is to find additional funds for maintenance of the reserve and restoration of its main facilities. Sofia saw the last comprehensive restoration in 1970s. Mr. Zhulinskiy says the council, first and foremost, intends to cooperate with Ukrainian benefactors and international foundations.
Benefactors in the Board will be represented by Anatoliy Zabolotniy, the director of Corporate SCM’s Foundation for the Development of Ukraine. Also, the Advisory Board includes representatives of scientific organizations and state restoration companies.
Nelya Kukovalskaya, the Director of Sofia Kievskaya National Reserve, informed the next three years require UAH 105m for renovation of the main facilities.
Today the sponsors’ contributions are being used to restore another historical site, the building complex in Baturin City of Chernigov Region, the former capital of Left-Bank Ukrainian Hetmanship. Getmanskaya Stolitsa, International Charity Foundation, has been established to collect money for restoration purposes. As Tatyana Rebrova, Museum Director in Baturin, says UAH32m were transferred to the foundation last year.
According to Ms Kukovalskaya, the Kiev City budget allocated UAH 10m for Sofia Kievskaya this year. However, she says, the reserve has not received anything from the expected amount.

Delo No. 165 of 3rd July, 2006
By Ekaterina Prishchepa