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  […] Moldova, Ukraine: Floods A Fistful of Euros writes about “huge floods across southeastern Europe” and the lack of reliable information in English from this region. […]

  5 August 2008, 6:00 am
• John L. Kachelman, Jr

  ANYONE PLEASE HELP ME overcome the Ukrainian bureaucratic beasts!!!
  Immediately after news of western Ukraine’s floods was announced the USA government made available SIX cargo containers of flood relief items. One of these is filled with NEW medical supplies from a military warehouse in Germany. For the past 7 days we have been sent on ridiculous tasks by officials in Ukraine’s Humanitarian Aid Commission where we are told by one person to talk to another person who tells us to talk to another person…. I have emailed officials in Ukraine but have not received any replies. The USA Embassy in Kyiv has contacted Ukraine’s government and was given assurances of instant approval BUT we still have no approvals. We are being told conflicting directives—no one in Kyiv wants to take the lead and help us get this relief assistance approved and we are told to go to Ivano-Frankivsk officials. Were the President and Prime Minister really sincere in saying they will help get relief items into the flooded areas? I believe they were but perhaps the question should be asked “WHO is in charge and able to get relief items into the west?” Can anyone help us conquer Ukraine’s Ukrainian bureaucratic beasts in order to help those suffering in the west? While Ukraine’s bureaucrats are sitting in dry offices, living in dry homes, wearing dry clothes, and not concerned about the security of everything they have gathered together in their lives being washed away, thousands in west Ukraine are living in misery!

  We have offered to help the flooding disaster in western Ukraine. Immediately following catastrophe both Ukraine’s President and Prime Minster made a statement that relief aid would be expedited and those hindering such would be fired from their positions. The USA government is committed to shipping containers of flood relief items that will be distributed in cooperation and direction of Ukraine’s Emergency Ministry. Our efforts have resulted in nothing but irritated frustrations. We have been told one thing by one person and a contradictory thing by another person. We have been made to appear as foolish as a dog casing its own tail. I have communicated directly with members in the Humanitarian Aid Commission but have not received any personal response but my colleagues have received conflicting reports or have received no reply at all. The US Embassy asked that these approvals be expedited and talked with a man named “Alexander” in Kyiv’s HAC but now this man will not return calls or communicate. We have communicated through personal emails, through telephone calls, through the USA Embassy in Kyiv, and through COUNTERPART INTERNATIONAL.
  CAN ANYONE PLEASE HELP ME overcome the Ukrainian bureaucratic beasts and get relief assistance to those suffering in western Ukraine?!

  5 August 2008, 20:25 pm

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