WSJ: Ukraine looking for who " ate " the Golden baton

The overwhelming majority saw the so-called Gold Loaf only in the pictures, but This did not prevent him to become almost a national legend, a symbol of uncontrolled enrichment and helpless country.

last year the head of Viktor Yanukovych fled his mansion in Mezhyhirya estate. Then activist Alexander Aronets crawled into the house through the ventilation shaft and photographed abandoned Ukrainian leader luxuries: Steinway piano, music box Reuge carved mammoth Tusk, and lying on the shelf in one room of gold jewelry in the shape of a loaf of bread in full size.

It wasn't the most extravagant item in the residence, however, It soon was called "the symbol of bribery" that prevailed in the country. Golden Loaf became popular: there are souvenir magnets for refrigerators, the same antinegro for the most vulgar musicians, designers have created a headdress based Golden loaf. That's only the Baton so no one saw - He disappeared without a trace After their master, says the magazine. The image of a loaf left on the photo.

Photograph the trinket Kyiv regional people's representative Alexander aronets assures that the subject in the form of a baton lying on the shelf. He was gold, but was very slight - apparently hollow. Activist Tatiana Chornovil, who was together with him, suggests that the concrete could be fake or plated. Another activist who identified himself as " Santa ", said that the product could be made of papier-mache or gold foil.

Prosecutors and the Museum Staff, who organized the Exhibition objects of Mezhyhirya, declare that the Baton has not been seen.

"Carved it up and ate it," joked chief custodian of the funds of the National art Museum of Ukraine Yulia staged.

"The disappearance of the baton has given it a new value, turning It into a symbol of the inability of Ukraine to clean up a corrupt and dysfunctional state, which has left behind himself to Mr. Yanukovych, and return huge sums of money, according to one version stolen by the former President and His accomplices," writes the WSJ.

"The baton Is a legend, a symbol of bribery. It is just the icing on the cake and corruption compared to the rest is worth nothing. Just a very expressive Way, " says the people's Deputy Dmitry ancient Turkic, head of the parliamentary anti-corruption Department.- Okay, Baton, but Where is everything else? According to conservative estimates, every year stolen 10 billion. Where are they?".

The ancient Turkic initiated the proceedings of the disappearance of the stick, which took the Prosecutor's office. At the same time, the Ukrainian media conduct its own informal inquiry and make the most incredible version - for example, that Baton was sold to someone from the leaders of the nationalists to repair roads in the West of Ukraine.

"Once the Baton even as if he had declared. In March, the network has posted a video in which a similar object was seen quite close with a bottle of Irish whiskey in a home bar accused of bribery of a bureaucrat. This theme appeared in popular political cartoon, in which " the head of Petro Poroshenko ", announcing that He has found, than to fill an empty Treasury, sings: "Golden, Golden, Golden Baton," and peeping in the window "Viktor Yanukovych" exclaims: "My precious!".

Victor Yanukovych the existence of Golden baton refutes.


sections: Politics