Ukraine Today - An Independent Political Review

"In addition, Ukraine has successfully written its own constitution and established democratic mechanisms for the distribution of power and election of representative officials."   - Kyiv post opinion Ukraine's Constitution unlike other successful former USSR states took 5 years to agree to and unfortunately retained the autocratic presidential system of "rule by decree" governance, Ukraine has never been a democratic state.  It came close in 2004/5 not by design but as a compromise arising from the Orange Revolution,  Ukraine managed to adopt a Parliamentary system of government.  It was a step in the right direction but it did not go far enough.  It retained provisions that allowed Viktor Yushchenko to wreck havoc and deny Ukraine the rights of self governance. Yushchenko continually undermined Ukraine's democratic development by refusing to allow Ukraine to complete the transition for autocracy to democracy. His hatred of d...

Report1 Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) Co-rapporteurs: Mrs Renate WOHLWEND, Liechtenstein, Group of the European People's Party, and MrsMailis REPS, Estonia, Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Summary The Monitoring Committee welcomes the increase in legislative activity in Ukraine in the wake of the 2010 Presidential election, and especially the priority given by the new authorities to honouring Ukraine’s remaining accession commitments. However, the committee is concerned that the current relative stability is fragile, as the underlying systemic causes of the instability that has plagued the country in recent years have not been addressed. Moreover, it is concerned that the hasty manner in which the authorities are implementing the reforms could negatively affect respect for proper democratic principles and, ultimately, the quality of the reforms themselves. In support...

"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...

Ukraine's new Parliament two months after the September 30 election meet last week. Our Ukraine and Yulia Tymoshenko "Democratic in Name alone" The election was won by the "orange coalition" which has renamed itself and now calls itself the "Democratic coalition", although its policies and deeds are far from democrartic. Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko with the support of Our Ukraine People's Self Defence bloc, who together represent 45% of the electorate, hold a slender two seat majority in the new parliament. Prior to the president's controversial and arguable unconstitutional dismissal of Ukraine's previous parliament, Ukraine had a degree of political stability undly to be undermined by Ukraine's President, the new convocation is already showing signs of instability and unsustainability. The extent of instability became evident when Parliament failed to support Victor Yushenko's nomination of Yulia Tymoshenko for Prime-minister with two m...

TAMMY LYNCH, the Institute for the Study of Conflict, Ideology and Policy (A US Boston University "Think Tank") has published an opinion piece on the Universities web site. (Copy below) Ms Lynch in this article makes her assessment in relation to recent political events in Ukraine in relation to the resignation of Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Borys Tarasyuk, and the government's "Law on Cabinet of Ministers" which Tammy Lynch claims the Parliament is usurping the President's authority. Her assessment is based on a number false assumptions which brings the content of her article into question. Borys Tarasyuk, the former Foreign Affairs Minister, resigned following a vote of no-confidence in his role of Ukraine's Foreign Minister. The vote of no-confidence was supported by over 2/3rds of Ukraine's elected Parliament. the Parliament effectively sacked Borys Tarasyuk, removing him from the post of Foreign Minister, and for good cause. Under Ukraine...

Interfax-Ukraine reports Yushchenko as saying there will not be a rerun Parliamentary election. This send the wrong signals given that the President's Our Ukraine Party have just stated that negotiations on the formation of an Orange coalition have failed. Could Ukraine become a dictatorship with Yushchenko at the helm? If there is no working coalition formed before June 25 then Ukraine will enter a catch 22 constitutional Crises leaving Victor Yushchenko and the former Government in control. As previously reported unless this situation is resolved quickly then Ukraine will begin to suffer economically. Ukraine will suffer a loss of confidence, the one thing business does not like is uncertainty. Our Ukraine appear to have been edging or trying to find excuses to not form a government. Their demand first for Yulia Tymoshenko to not be re-appointed Prime-minister failed to attract support, now they are looking to shift responsibility to the third coalition partner, The Socialists, ...

Ukraine's Parliament is scheduled to meet tomorrow May 25, This will the beginning of who is telling the truth. nearly two months since Ukraine went to the polls to form a new Parliamentary Government and still there is no indication as to who will partner who. Viktor Yushchenko's Ukraine is playing hard ball trying to stare down Yulia Tymochenko in the fight for the Prime Ministers position. The Orange coalition has already been delivered a serious blow with a loss of confidence and public support. Any further delay in forming a working coalition will only add to Our Ukraine's continued decline in the public poles. We wait with baited breath as Ukraine faces the true test of democracy. The formation of a working government. If a government can not be formed soon the overflow will so on begin to effect Ukraine's economy to its detriment. The fact that it has not already had an impact is an interesting question but for how long can it withstand the pressure build up - no...

The Ukrainian Parliement today took a step backwards in refusing to protect the democratic rights of minorities by refusing to undertake a recount and verification of the elections results. In teh west preliminary recounts of votes is a common practics to verify the results of the election. It should be a matter of course and part of the responsibiles and duties of the electoral commission. The fact that the outgoing Parliament is called on to pass judgement is of concern itself. under normal circumstances Parlaiments go out of office on teh eve of the election and any caretaker administrative responsibilities are the responsibility of the President or Head of State. To date the election process was well conducted but the same can not be said for the process of counting the ballot. There is serious doubt as to the accuracy of the count with allegations of possible fraud and deception. The failure of the Ukrainian electoral commisison to undertake as a matter of course a recount of the ...

With less then one week until the March 26 Poll democracy is alive and well in Ukraine. from my observations from within Ukraine each and every party has been afforded free search and the right to complain openly for support in the lead-up to the March 26 vote. Each of the Major political parties have organised major public rallies and have maned information tents distributing information thought the country. There has been not report of organised intimidation or violence from either side. All TV channels have carried a variety of Party messages and there is a host of campaign advertising broadcast. Under Ukrainian Electoral Law voting intention Polls are baned 2 weeks before the election. This has some advantage and merit but never the less the limited restriction of publication of voter intention does not effect the internet or international media. The Polls to date have Party of Regions on around 26%, Yulia Tymoshenko at around 22% and Our Ukraine on 16%. There is speculation that t...