Ukraine Today - An Independent Political Review

With Viktor Yushchenko finally removed from office. not before he managed to make some rather controversial appointments in the days before his departure, the president's party Our Ukraine-Peoples' Self Defence have signaled that they will be entering negotiations with Party of Regions and Boc Lytvyn to form a new governing coalition .  Our Ukraine try to resurrect 2006's failed negotiations for a boards coalition and again on their terms. A new governing coalition can only be formed with the support of either Bloc Tymoshenko or Our Ukraine Peoples' Self Defense. (Article 83 of Ukraine's Constitution limits formation of a governing coalition to factions not individuals)  This has given both parties considerable power and influence in the "new" government.  Our Ukraine are demanding a new premier and have proposed that they hold the prime minister's position.  They have effectively revisited their actions of the past.  In 2006 Our Ukraine triggere...

A sign of things to come Victor Yushchenko offers compromise to support a new governing coalition, if  Party of Regions gives up Language and the Russian Black Fleet . Our Ukraine but not Peoples' Self Defense would join Party of Regions in a coalition without the Communist Party. ITARTASS reports : " Viktor Yushchenko, the outgoing Ukrainian president, promises always to be a partner for the new president." - interview with the Kiev-based Inter TV Channel on Sunday. This coming from a party that rejected and refused a compromise to allow the Socialist Party's Olexandr Moroz to hold the Speakers position back in 2006.  A decision that signaled the end of the Orange revolution. Yushchenko goes on reported as saying " Ukraine needs political stability, the pragmatic creation of a parliamentary majority and the formation of a government as soon as possible. " ... " I have three things to advise you: unity, unity and again unity, both in politi...

If anyone had any doubts about a deal cut between Yanukovych and Yushchenko should take note. Lexisnexis has reported that a coalition agreement has been drawn up between Party of Regions and Our Ukraine - details of the terms of the agreement have not been made public. QUOTE: "The opposition Party of Regions, whose leader Viktor Yanukovych won Ukrainian presidential elections, and the Our Ukraine - People's Self Defence pro-government bloc drafted a coalition agreement, the Zerkalo Nedeli (Weekly Mirror) writes on Saturday. The draft document was submitted to parliament speaker Vladimir Litvin and faction members. First vice speaker Alexander Lavrinovich represents the Party of Regions in talks." Lytvyn has issued a press release that a statement on the governing coalition will be made on March 2 . Under the terms of Ukraine's constitution a governing coalition must comprise factions (not individuals)  who represent a majority of the parliament. (Article...

Tymoshenko has withdrawn her legal challenge to the Ukrainian 2010 Presidential election paving the way for Yanukovych inauguration on February 25. Tymoshenko was never going to win the court battle and her allegation of corruption in the court process is another example of how one day she places her faith in the people of Ukraine and the system only to reject that faith when it is obvious she was not winning. Tymoshenko has suffered a loss as a result of her actions the question is to what extent. With February 25 out of the way and Yanukovych instead as President the next challenge she will face is a vote of no confidence in her government. A number of factors will come into play not the least that if fresh parliamentary elections are held Ukraine will once again enter into a period of instability and political campaigning.  many existing members of parliament will not be returned if fresh elections are held. Lytvyn runs the risk of falling believe the 3% representation t...

International reaction Yushchenko’s decree has caused turmoil and provoked a strong reaction not only in Ukraine, but also abroad. Even Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the awarding of the Hero of Ukraine to Stepan Bandera as unacceptable: “Any glorification, recognition given to the people who participated in vile actions against people, innocent people, my own people, is something we cannot accept,” the Israeli prime minister said in an interview with Interfax and Kommersant daily.

Yushchenko Facilitates Yanukovych’s Election and Buries the Orange Revolution   Taras Kuzio Two major myths promoted by President Viktor Yushchenko in Ukraine’s 2010 presidential elections were that there was no difference in policies between the two main candidates, Viktor Yanukovych and Yulia Tymoshenko, and that both were “pro-Russian.” These myths helped defeat Tymoshenko by 3 percent in an election where every vote counted. Several pieces of evidence point to the Yushchenko-Yanukovych alliance that facilitated Yanukovych’s election. For instance, the lack of criticism by Yushchenko of Yanukovych preceding the elections (Ukrayinska Pravda, February 10). Yushchenko never criticized Yanukovych’s pro-Russian policies on energy (gas consortium, return to non-market subsidized prices, and revival of the corrupt RosUkrEnergo); Russian as a state language; the extension of the Black Sea Fleet base beyond 2017; opposition to NATO membership, and the Party of Regions allianc...

  Interfax-Ukraine Moscow, February 17 (Interfax) - The awarding of the Hero of Ukraine decoration to Stepan Bandera is unacceptable, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. Any glorification, recognition given to the people who participated in vile action against people, innocent people, my own people, is something we cannot accept, it's simply unacceptable," he said in an interview with Interfax and the Kommersant daily. On January 22, Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko, who lost the election, awarded the Hero of Ukraine to Bandera, the leader of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, accused by many of abetting the Nazis during World War II.