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November 13, 2009 (LPAC)— Yesterday the Ukraine's Central Electoral Commission completed preliminary certification of 18 candidates for the country's January 17 Presidential election (which may or may not be held, in view of the current emergency around high flu death rates). One is a businessman who changed his surname to "Protyvsikh" - Mr. "Against All", while two others are purely media creations. Each of them made the over $300,000 deposit, demanded by the CEC for a candidate to run.

Natalia Vitrenko, leader of the Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine, was not certified. Vitrenko offered a payment of 1,964 hryvnias, or about $250, and denounced the extortionist payment requirement as unconstitutional. Enumerating the violated articles of the Constitution, Vitrenko charged that "for the current Ukrainian authorities, the Constitution of Ukraine is a piece of toilet paper."

The same day as these events transpired, Vitrenko launched a new campaign, counterposing Lyndon LaRouche's economic policies to those of the International Monetary Fund. Her website published a headline: "Save the World from Onrushing Catastrophe - International Signature Campaign: The LaRouche Plan to Save the World Economy Must Be Placed on the Agenda." Under the headline is the full text of Helga Zepp-LaRouche's appeal, issued November 3 by the Schiller Institute. Vitrenko's November 11 statement, accompanying publication of the appeal and addressed to all regional organizations and members of her party, reads as follows:

"I ask you to be very active in gathering signatures to support the appeal to Stop a World Catastrophe.

"The liberal economic model, imposed by the IMF on the whole world, not only has led the world economy into crisis and is bringing on a global catastrophe. Neither the wealthy countries of the notorious G7, nor the G20, has developed effective measures to take the world economy and national economies out of the crisis. They are hiding from the essence of the problem in a cowardly fashion and are incapable of showing the political will to save humanity.

"We are obliged to demand, putting forward a specific plan of action, that they do so. On all the continents of our planet, people are beginning to gather signatures under this document.

"I hope that citizens of Ukraine will be especially active in this, understanding the civilizational tragedy which the reform policies, conducted in Ukraine according to IMF prescriptions for these 18 years, have brought to our country. Today's Presidential campaign is a rat race of greedy and ill-prepared candidates. Today it is more effective to fight to save the country through the mass collection of signatures in support of this appeal.

"I wish you success in this matter of importance for civilization."