Vladimir Gusev President of Freedom Voice  Lawyer

 I grew up in the family of lawyers. My grandfather, Vladimir Gusev, worked for 11 years as the Mayor of Kiev and during that time he had done many good things for the city.

In 2001 I graduated from the Kiev Institute of International Relations and earned Master of International Law degrees. In 2004, I took an active part in the Orange Revolution events, served on the panel of activists and provided the legitimacy of elections in Sumy region, where it was necessary to “fight” for each election district.

After the graduation from the Institute, I worked in various international companies. The last five years I worked as a project manager in the field of alternative energy in the German company. The plan was to build 5 wind power plants in Ukraine; the total capacity of them equals to 1,000 megawatts.

When I was working on projects in foreign companies, all the time I encountered one problem - on the one hand, foreigners require everything to be executed under the law and do not want and do not have the right to give bribes. On the other hand, our officials do not understand how something can be done without bribes and often just laugh at "stupid foreigners" beard.

The second strategy of our "authorities" is to create artificial problems for companies and then extort money for “solution” of these problems.

As a result, the projects, even strategically important for the country, stop to work, the companies are tired to leave money on the table – the project is closed or suspended, the same situation was with our wind power stations.

After 2 revolutions, I feel nothing has changed, just bribe rates increased, and officials began afford outrage against companies and start to take forcedly everything, that they couldn’t take before.

Therefore, we decided to unite a group of like-minded people and found non-governmental organization, which will provide information, legal and organizational support to those companies and individuals who have suffered from lawlessness of officials in Ukraine.

The chaos that rules in Ukraine provoked the creation of "Voice of Freedom". We display professionalism and responsibility to every project, every case. I believe that our approach and knowledge will help us in the fight against "outrage".

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“The sleep of reason produces monsters, inaction creates even greater outrage. To ignoreevilis tobecome accompliceto it” Martin Luther King. In childhood I decided, when I will grow up, to become a diplomat, whose mission is to represent and protect the interests of the native country and its citizens. I became a master of international law, graduated from the Kiev Institute of International Relations.

Then the events of that time made changes in the life of the country, including my life. The main priorities were changed, but, still, in the matter of protection of rights.

I became a lawyer and practiced law for about 19 years. I have seen a lot. I observed the formation of the Ukrainian business from its first days. Protecting the interests of my clients, I repeatedly faced with the arbitrariness of the authorities, the imposition of invariably unlawful decisions of courts of different instances. But our failures are more instructive than our successes are.

I will never put up with and will continually struggle with that, that officials are looking for the victim by intent and specially create problems, and then start extorting money for person’s own decision. Such a situation is contrary to my inner principles and beliefs.

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Iosyf Laliani Vice President of  "Freedom Voice"  Businessman, Lawyer

«If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter». George Washington

When I was a student, I realized that there was nothing more important for everyone than freedom of speech, the ability to honestly and openly express opinion, to act according to conscience, guided by fundamental human values such as honesty, the pursuance of truth and justice. Since then, I decided to use in practice knowledge obtained at the university, specializing on protection of freedom of speech and personality.

From 2000 to 2005 I participated in the implementation of various social projects, implemented by international non-governmental organizations such as Mercy Corps, UNISEF and UN on the territory of Georgia, Syria, Jordan, Egypt and others.

In 2005, in Ukraine, I founded the company «Global Vision». During 9 years I have been its general director, have given jobs, both in Ukraine and in other countries, as we are engaged in the implementation of projects not only in Ukraine. Things that happened in our country in recent years and continue to occur until now - the war, devastation, economic and political crisis, total unemployment - made me remember that I am not only a businessman but also a lawyer. I want to help people the way I've done it before again. I want to help where and when it is really necessary - to protect those, who are prisoners of political situation in the country, who faced with corruption and violation of human rights; I want to support those, who are fighting against injustice or become its victim. It's time not to look, it’s time to act as active as it is possible to stop being dumb and silent with those, with whom you can be treated like a herd.

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“Prosperity cannotbe restored by raids upon the public Treasury” - Herbert Hoover.

“Private sectoris apart of the economy controlled by the government, and public sectoris apartof the economy, not controlled by anyone” - James Goldsmith.

While working in the tax authorities of Ukraine from 2008 to 2014, I realized that nothing is more important for the owner than security of his business, the ability to work honestly and pay taxes, being guided by fundamental human values such as honesty, the pursuance of truth and justice. Since then, I decided to use the skills and knowledge of the law on practice, directing them to the protection of taxpayers - businessmen.

By developing business in our country, we get new workplaces.

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Boris Derebas        Head of the Supervisory Board        Financial expert, Entrepreneur

"I believe that any earnings must be due to the development and creation, rather than result of inhibition and artificially created problems"

In 2002 I graduated from Kyiv National Economic University, Credit and Economics Faculty, specialty «Finance and Credit». The main experience was in the banking sector. I started working as clerk; I was climbing up the career ladder and in time worked as head of Corporate Business in Commercial Bank. The last five years I’m caring on my own business.

During my career building, especially in the role of the businessman, I constantly had to deal with the bureaucratic system of government authority shot through with corruption. The problem is not only that it is necessary to pay constantly for the solution of various issues to the government, but also how much time you need to spend to achieve a legitimate result. Daily, exercising their civil right, thousands of Ukrainians face barriers and obstacles that are artificially created by officials, bureaucrats. It's hard to imagine the extent to which the development processes in our country are inhibited and what place in the world economy our country could hold, if civil servants would work for the benefit of their citizens, or at least just wouldn’t make obstacles.

My main goal is to find ways, levers to create the conditions of the state bodies in which the officials will be stimulated not only to create bureaucratic "barriers" for the sake of their own and "corporate" mercantile interests, but also to solve issues legally, constructively and quickly!

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Olena Khirna       Editor-in-chief of "Freedom Voice"         Historian-philosopher.

Change what I can change; Reconcile and accept what I cannot change; Be wise to know the difference.

The first article of the Human Rights Declaration states the following: “All people are born free and equal and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood”. From the moment we are born into this world, everyone of us already has indelible rights - the right for life, health, home and a piece of land under the sun. Traps, however, are waiting for us on every step we make, be it our chiefs, state officials, people who envy us, slanderers, usurers or bouncers. It is extremely difficult for a person to fight alone. That is exactly why I am here, in this community-based organization “Voice of Freedom”. My goal is to defend the freedom of people in all its manifestations and to claim the rights of people, who need them to lead a full life. Why? Just because we cannot develop and realize our human qualities, intellect and abilities as well as satisfy out spiritual needs without rights. Much can be told both about the freedom of voice and the democracy nowadays, but what really matters is the understanding of the fact that the freedom of each person is unlimited only until it affects the freedom of other people. Only those people who bear responsibility for their own words and for other people have this freedom. This means that democracy in our country will exist only in case all the decisions are adopted by conscientious, responsible and literate people. That is why I will try my best effort to use my knowledge and abilities to build the law-governed state in Ukraine step-by-step. As an outstanding Charles-Louis Montesquieu put it, “injustice in relation to one person triggers threat to everyone”. Let us remember that. 

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Born on February 11, 1991 in Kiev

Graduated from the Kiev University named by M.P.Dragomanov with distinction (specialization “Psychology”)

Has publications in the editions of the State Commission for Academic Degrees and Titles

Visits international conferences in her specialization

Takes active part in the life of her native town and country as well as in social programs. Social programs are connected with offering help to retired people and single mothers who wish to send their children to recreation camps.

Conducts psychological courses for children in families during her free time.