Ukraine Today - An Independent Political Review

Recent public opinion poll confirms what has been known for some time that both Viktor Yanukovych (20.7%) and Yulia Tymoshenko (17.9%) are front runners and most likely candidates to face off in a final elections for Ukraine's President Both of the main contenders do not have 50% or more of the vote but they are the two highest polling candidates and as such they will be the only candidates left standing for the second run-off ballot. All other election hopefuls lag far behind the two poll leaders and would not be in the race. Incumbent President, Viktor Yushchenko, is polling less then 4% is not expected to be re-elected to office. Elections for the President are due to be held by the end of next year.

Yulia Tymoshenko, Ukraine's Prime Minister has expressed concern that Ukraine's President, Victor Yushchenko is preparing plans to declare a State of emergency and install Martial law in order to prolong his term of Office. Effectually installing an authoritative dictatorship over Ukraine. The concerns expressed by Yulia Tymoshenko reflect warnings given by other Ukrainian Politicians. Taras Chornovil earlier this year exposed a plot by the Office of the President along similar lines. Tymoshenko noted that the Ukrainian Constitution envisages cancellation of all elections if the emergency rule is introduced in the country. Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said she wants to stop the process and prevent Viktor Yushchenko from installing a dictatorship in what would be seen as an act of desperation to prolong his term of office as President. Presidential elections are due to he held by the end of December 2009. Viktor Yushchenko had unsuccessfully tried to dismiss Ukraine's P

A recent opinion poll published in Kyiv Post shows that only 6 percent of those surveyed trusted Ukraine's president, Viktor Yushchenko, who had the highest level of distrust (34.1%) of all politicians listed in the survey&nbsp Name Trust   Distrust Viktor Yushenko 6.0% 34.1% Yulia Tymoshenko 21.2% 22.8% Victor Yanukovych 22.2% 20.4% Volodymyr Lytvyn 16.1% 5.5% Arseniy Yatsenyuk 16.7% 5.1% Viktor Baloha 0.2% 14.6% Petro Symonenko 11.8% 14.2% 31.8 percent does not trust anyone, 6.2% found it difficult to respond, and 11.5 percent does not know who to trust. The poll was held on Dec. 7-20. A total of 2,000 respondents took part in the poll.

The leader of the opposition in the Ukrainian parliament, Viktor Yanukovych, has indicated that the opposition will force a fresh election in Spring 2009. Under the terms of Ukraine's constitution the opposition have the right to force fresh elections of their choosing. In 2007 the opposition lead by Yulia Tymoshenko resigned on mass forcing fresh parliamentary elections to be held. Viktor Yanukovych has also called for the position of the President to be elected at simultaneous polls . "If we speak about the elections, both the parliamentary and presidential elections should be held simultaneously," he said in an interview with the Inter TV channel on Sunday night. Victor Yushchenko, Ukraine's President, has refuted the notion of holding simultaneous elections. Yushchenko speaking in an interview on Ukrainian Television "Inter TV" said that the presidential campaign begins actually in half a year and presidential and parliamentary elections should not be h

Yulia Tymoshenko, Ukraine's Prime Minister has called on Ukraine's President, Viktor Yushchenko, to resign . The latest salvo comes as Ukraine's President, former head to the National Bank, faces allegations of involvement in a conspiracy to undermine the value of Ukraine's currency. The prime minister demanded the resignation of Mr Yushchenko, and named Dmytro Firtash, the billionaire and Gazprom partner in the supply of natural gas to Ukraine and Europe, as a co-conspirator in the alleged currency speculation. “I believe the president of this country, who works according to the [principle] that whatever is worse for the country is better for me, who makes money out of the misery of people, must step down,” Tymoshenko said. The latest attack escalates sharply a long-running political feud between Yulia Tymoshenko and Viktor Yushchenko at a time when the country‘s economy is struggling. Ukraine's currency is currently trading at a record low of 9 hryvnya to one US

After months of indecision and political instability Viktor Yushchenko, Ukraine's embattled president, has back down on the threat of a snap poll. The announcement published in the Ukrainian media ( UNIAN ) comes after the decision of his party "Our Ukraine - Peoples Self-Defence (NUNS)" decided, against the president's will, to reform a governing coalition with bloc Yulia Tymoshenko and bloc Lytvyn. The president had called a snap election last October following the announced withdrawal of NUNS from the coalition in September. The president has been under pressure to cancel the election which up until yesterday he was actively pursuing. The reformation of a governing coalition and pressure from within the President's faction has forced a change of view. The announcement of the decision to cancel the election and move against the parliament is welcomed as Ukraine faces a serve financial crisis in the wake of the world economic recession. A fresh election and the p

The Ukrainian currency (the hryvnia/grivna) has increased value against the US dollar . Yesterday the hryvnia dropped to a all time low of 10-10.5 . Earlier today it was selling at 8.5-9.0 to the US dollar. Less then six months ago the Ukrainan hryvnia was trading around 4.85 to the US dollar After years of robust economic growth, Ukraine has sunk into a deep recession, pressured by a drastic fall in the exports of steel, the core of the economy. A lack of confidence in the banking system, coupled with constant political turmoil under President Viktor Yushchenko has spurred a sharp devaluation in the national currency The collapse in the value of the local currency has prompted allegations of insider trading and speculative involvement by Ukraine's National Bank and the Office of the president Prime Minister of Ukraine, Yulia Tymoshenko, has indicated that she will call on international organizations to investigate into laundering illegally acquired money if the central bank of U

Kyiv: Kyiv Post Editorial by Alina Pastukhova President lost control of his faction in parliament, a portentous development as more of his allies are fleeing his camp to back Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko lost control of his faction in parliament, a portentous development as more of his allies are fleeing his camp to back Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. Also, two upcoming leaders started new political movements in a country that already has 159 officially registered political parties. Bucking their nominal leader, Yushchenko’s parliamentary faction Our Ukraine – People’s Self-Defense signed a formal coalition agreement with Tymoshenko’s and Rada Speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn’s factions on Dec. 16. After several days of intrigues, 37 out of 72 Our Ukraine members joined the coalition, forming a coalition of 213 deputies – still short of the 226 majority. The signing of a new coalition deal caused a bitter split in the faction and resignation of its

In a surprise attack on Ukraine's democratic process Viktor Yushchenko, Ukraine's beleaguered President, is seeking revenge on those members of his party that supported the reformation of the so called democratic coalition. Ukraine needs more then anything political stability to help weather the worst of the current economic crisis. Instead of helping to restore stability,Victor Yushchenko is trying to pull it apart. Ukraine has suffered political instability since the forced reelection of Ukraine's Parliament in September 2007 elections. Victor Yushchenko and members of his staff pulled out of the governing coalition in September this year with the President seeking to call another round of Ukraine's parliamentary ballot. The destabilisation of Ukraine's political governance has taken its toll on Ukraine's economy with Ukraine suffering from the global financial crisis more then any other country in the region. Ukraine's currency has been devalued and is no

Our Ukraine - Peoples Self Defence (NUNS) have signed the agreement with Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko and Bloc Lytvyn to reform a Governing Coalition and in the process has sidelined Victor Yushchenko and his head of staff Viktor Baloha. The decision to reunite the factions was opposed by Ukraine's President who continued to advocate the Parliament's dismissal. Had fresh parliamentary election been held,based on current public opinion polls the presidents party Our Ukraine would have been decimated and ran the risk of losing representation in the new parliament. By reforming the coalition NUNS hopes to provide stability and remain in a position of infulgence as opposed to being sidelined on the side benches. The Party has struck out in opposition and declared independence from its former leader and President of Ukraine, Victor Yushchenko. There is wide speculation that NUNS no longer believe that Yushchenko or his secretariat are acting in the countries best interest. Yushchenko had

Kyiv Post have reported that the Our Ukraine and People's Self Defence faction have formally decided to re-form a governing coalition with Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko and Bloc Lytvyn to the desperate cries of dissatisfaction from supporters of Ukraine's embattled President Victor Yushchenko. The decision of the President's faction is a clear sign that Yushchenko's policies of division and undermining of Ukraine's Democratic government have taken their toll. Had Ukraine been forced to another round of Parliamentary elections Our Ukraine, who had slumped in public opinion polls to below 4%, ran the risk of losing representation in the new parliament. The determination of the faction to support a realignment with Ukraine's governing party promoted the resignation of the leader of the Our Ukraine-People's Self-Defense Bloc faction, Viacheslav Kyrylenko, and his deputy Roman Zvarych. Both had played a crucial role in undermining the government's success. Roman Zva

After months of political instability and division the on again off again coalition is back on. Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko has reunited with Our Ukraine People's Self Defence and Bloc Lytvyn. KyivPost In what can only be seen as a back down by Ukraine's beleaguered President, Victor Yushchenko and his fledgling party Our Ukraine. Back in September 2008 The President's faction withdraw from the governing coalition which sparked another round of cat and tail constitutional political crisis. Yushchenko tried to dismiss the parliament but was unable to get his way. Fresh elections were seen as a disaster for Our Ukraine who were languishing in the polls and if forced to face a new election ran the serious risk of being ousted from office. The President made a serious blunder and no one within his party and beyond supported his actions. Not the least members of Ukraine's Parliament who continued to support confidence in the Tymoshenko govenment. To add to Yushchenko's trouble

Looks like a rebellion is brewing NUNS (Our Ukraine and Peoples'Self Defence) are having second thoughts about the strategic direction that Yushchenko has taken Ukraine. Foreign Notes reports Representatives of six of the nine political forces that form NUNS have responded to President's statements that NUNS deputies do not want to renew the democratic coalition with BYuT, and that parliamentary elections remain the only way out of the crisis. They declared: "We, the leaders of the majority of the political forces on which the NUNS bloc and fraction is based, are extremely surprised by the president's assertion about "the absence of trust in Yulia Tymoshenko" and about the disinclination of the NUNS fraction to return to the democratic coalition." They accuse the NUNS leadership of avoiding party meetings because: "the puppet-masters from Bank Street [pres's secretariat] are fearful that at the first sitting of the fraction a decision will be ap

There was an interesting news report on the voting of finances for the election. If you have not got the money then you can not hold an election. It appears that although there is not a majority of members of Parliament prepared or able to support the formation of a parliamentary majority government, a majority are also not prepared to support the holding of fresh elections at this present time. The President's faction OU-PSD are not united in supporting Yushchenko's destabilization plan. There is nothing new about minority governments. As long as Julia has the support and vote of confidence of a majority of the Parliament Yushchenko is caught between two different points of reality. The Constitutional "Imperative Mandate" and the will of individual members of parliament In 2007 we saw Yushchenko unconstitutionally dismiss the parliament because individuals were being lobbied to support the government's proposed constitutional reform which would have enabled Ukra

Recent events have concluded what has been an unfolding saga of betrayal and destabilisation initiated by the Office of the President of Ukraine, Viktor Yushchenko. We take an independent look back over the last three years of Victor Yushchenko reign of terror and the consequences of Ukraine's political instability since 2004 and the tumultuous collapse of the Orange Revolution eventually leading to serious economic decline and loss of public confidence in the democratic process. The implosion began in 2005 when Viktor Yushchenko dismissed Yulia Tymoshenko as Prime Minister in what was seen as the first betrayal of his supporters who help him get elected as President, replacing her with his own nominee. Our Ukraine fails to sign up and form a governing coalition Immediately after the 2006 Parliamentary election Viktor Yushchenko's party "Our Ukraine" who received only 14% of the vote refused to commit and sign up to a coalition agreement with his former Orange Revolut

The Human Right Organization has come out and published a scathing report criticising Ukraine's President, Victor Yushchenko for his political interference in the independence of Ukraine's judiciary. This criticism comes following Yushchenko's dismissal of another judge that ruled against his presidential decrees. “As president of a democratic country, Yushchenko should observe and respect the independence of the judiciary, and not interfere with courts when they issue rulings he doesn’t like,” said Allison Gill, Moscow office director at Human Rights Watch. Referring to Yushchenko ordering SBU agents to oversea the Courts deliberations “It’s one thing for the security services to provide protection for judges,” said Gill. “But it’s quite another when they’re actually in chambers during deliberations. At a minimum, this creates the appearance of potential intimidation or even interference with a pending decision.” Nihilism on high Kyiv Post has also published an editorial

The Kyiv Administrative court has issued a injunction suspending the Presidents decree dismissing Ukraine's democratically elected parliament. In what is reminiscent of events unfolded last year, Victor Yushchenko has again interfered with the independence of Ukraine's judiciary . In April 2007 the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe ( PACE ) passed a resolution in consideration of a report titled Functioning of democratic institutions in Ukraine . (Items 13 and 14) stated: “The Assembly deplores the fact that the judicial system of Ukraine has been systematically misused by other branches of power and that top officials do not execute the courts’ decisions, which is a sign of erosion of this crucial democratic institution. An independent and impartial judiciary is a precondition for the existence of a democratic society governed by the rule of law." The associated explanatory report under the sub-heading of Pressure on the courts expressed concern that &qu

Victor Yushchenko's dismissal Ukraine's Parliament and the holding of another round of Parliamentary elections will single the death of the President's Political Party Our Ukraine. The Our Ukraine - People's Self-defence faction is no longer. Representatives of Peoples-Self Defence are expected to vote on withdrawal from the President's faction over the weekend. All expectations, assuming the President will not falsify election results, is that Party of Regions will secure a majority in the next convocation of Ukraine's Parliament. The President's Party, Our Ukraine , is struggling to maintain over 3% support necessary to secure representation and there is no natural alliance or political partners that would be willing or prepared to enter into a coalition with the fledgling Presidential party. Already members of Our Ukraine are engaged in negotiations to abandon association with Our Ukraine and are seeking a safe haven and support of other political facti

The President Viktor Yushchenko loses support with representatives of People's Self-defence Party abandoning the Pro-presidential faction preferring to go to the polls alone.

"The Democratic Coalition in name alone was destroyed by one thing – by human ambition. By the human ambition of a single person. By thirst for power, divergence of values, priority of personal interests over national interests." The coalition agreement and coalition concords are destroyed, economic reforms are not conducted, election-aimed calculations transformed into lust for presidential absolute power that yielded the highest inflation rates in Europe and deterioration of social standards – wages, retirement payments and many other social programs. Block of Yulia Tymoshenko and Ukraine's Parliamentary government have become hostage to the President. Yushchenko is ready to sacrifice everything: language, security, European integration in order to cling on to power. Last night Viktor Yushchenko sacrificed the idealism and faith of those that supported his election and the Orange revolution. His party Our Ukraine have betrayed that revolution and Ukraine's quest for

Viktor Yushchenko has dismissed Ukraine's Parliament in what is a planned execution and power play in a battle of supremacy - President versus Parliament struggle for power. Yushchenko has undermined Ukraine's parliamentary system of governance from day one. His latest attack on democratic values came minutes after the President meet leaders of the parliamentary factions. In what was a calculated and deliberate blow to the "democratic alliance" and ideals portrayed by the Orange revolution Viktor Yushchenko's party, Our Ukraine, exposed their true persona and colors. Yushchenko has turned on his former revolutionary comrade and previous supporter, Yulia Tymoshenko, and hammered in the last nail in the Orange Revolution's coffin. There is no turning back and there will be no reunited push for change. As long as Yushchenko remains in office Ukraine will never be a true democratic state. Link to Yushchenko's pre-recorded speech (Russia Today) A Case of the t

UKRAINE AND GEORGIA IN NATO NOT SEEN TO BE IN U.S. INTEREST Former U.S. ambassador to Moscow Jack Matlock said on Tuesday By Susan Cornwell, Reuters, Washington, Tuesday, September 16, 2008 WASHINGTON, D.C. - NATO membership for Georgia and Ukraine is not in Washington's or the alliance's interest, former U.S. ambassador to Moscow Jack Matlock said on Tuesday as he and other ex-U.S. envoys decried the poor state of ties with Russia. At a gathering of five former U.S. and Russian ambassadors, Matlock, the last U.S. envoy to the Soviet Union, questioned a central tenet of Bush administration policy: its firm support for the NATO membership bids of both Georgia and Ukraine. Some European countries have doubts about the policy, and some U.S. analysts have blamed it for helping provoke the brief war last month between Russia and Georgia over the breakaway region of South Ossetia. Since Russian troops crushed Georgian forces in that conflict, U.S. ties with Moscow have plummeted. &qu

Notional seats based on poll results   Parliamentary Seats   Publication Date   19-Sep-08 04-Sep-08 27-Aug-08 21-Apr-08 30-Sep-07 Poll Dates from 01-Sep-08 15-Aug-08 08-Aug-08 11-Apr-08   to to to to Election Results 07-Sep-08 27-Aug-08 08-Aug-08 17-Apr-08 30-Sep-07 Poll Source   Kyiv International Institute of Sociology   FOM-Ukraina FOM-Ukraina Ukrainian Center for Economical and Political Studies   CEC PoR 180 189 164 162 175 BYuT 186 158 189 171 156 OU-PSD 29 28 37 51 72 CPU 29 38 37 35 27 LPB 26 36 23 31 20 SPU