Renowned journalist Sergii Leshchenko presented his new book The American Saga of Pavlo Lazarenko at the Ukrainian Institute London on June 27, 2013.
AUTHOR
Ukrainian Institute London
Sergii Leshchenko, deputy editor of Ukraine’s most popular online publication Ukrainska Pravda, presented his new book The American Saga of Pavlo Lazarenko at the Ukrainian Institute London on June 27, 2013.
Mr. Leshchenko, a leading Ukrainian investigative journalist and civil society activist, specialises in anti-corruption investigations and political issues and is renowned for his articles published on Ukrainska Pravda. He has carried out journalistic investigations into the incumbent Ukrainian President’s lifestyle and the financial interests of the ‘new Ukrainian elite’.
The new book, a documentary work, is based on the investigation conducted into the former Ukrainian Prime Minister by U.S. law enforcement agencies. Sergii Leshchenko spent several weeks in the archives of Court Northern District of California, studying the case file.
Pavlo Lazarenko had every chance to become the third president of Ukraine. But greed and corruption, a curse of Ukrainian politicians, ruined his career.
Pavlo Lazarenko had every chance to replace Leonid Kuchma in 1999 and become the third president of Ukraine. But greed and corruption, a curse of Ukrainian politicians, ruined his career. During the book presentation Sergii focused on what lessons from history Ukrainian politicians can take from Lazarenko.
Mr Leshchenko is a founder of several influential civic initiatives in Ukraine, such as Stop Censorship and Chesno (Fair), a public campaign that monitors candidates and Members of Parliament. In 2010 he was one of the initiators of a lobbying campaign for the Law on Access to Public Information. In 2013 Sergii appealed to the European Court of Human Rights against Ukrainian authorities that refused to disclose important public information.
Photo: Sergii Leshchenko in conversation at the Ukrainian Institute London.
In 2006 Leshchenko was awarded the Oleksandr Kryvenko Prize for a series of journalistic investigations and in 2011 he was recognised by Poland’s Foundation of Reporters as the best journalist within the countries of the Eastern Partnership.
In 2012 Sergii was a fellow of the London-based John Smith Memorial Trust. In 2013 he was announced winner of the Press Prize established by Norwegian The Fritt Ord Foundation and German The ZEIT Foundation. He has also published stories about Ukrainian politics on the London-based site OpenDemocracy.net.
