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But Mr Malev's journey was cut short like those of so many other prominent Ukraine politicians by a car crash.
ECONOMIST: Ukraine's politicians
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Indeed, Malev and Spainair, two fair-sized European airlines, have already gone bust.
ECONOMIST: Airlines stand to lose heavily should the euro collapse
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Likewise Wizz Air, a Hungarian low-cost carrier, also said it would expand its Budapest schedules to fill the gaps left by Malev.
ECONOMIST: Business travel
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Mr Malev's secrets may yet come out before this weekend's elections (toward which an opposition coalition had been sputtering, only to hit potholes dug by presidential hangers-on).
ECONOMIST: Ukraine's politicians
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The head of a parliamentary commission investigating Mr Kuchma's doings, Alexander Zhyr, says he has a recording of Mr Malev discussing the Iraqi arms deal with Mr Kuchma.
ECONOMIST: Ukraine's politicians
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Ultimately, it is Mr Malev who will be remaining quiet.
BBC: Analysis: From West's favourite to pariah
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The tape at the centre of the row, recorded in summer 2000, has the head of the Ukrainian arms exports agency, Valery Malev, proposing to ship four Kolchuga radar systems to a Jordanian intermediary in falsely labelled crates, and to send installation experts to Iraq on false passports.
BBC: Analysis: From West's favourite to pariah