Ukrainian opposition leader alleges bribery attempt in parliament
20 March 2007
Published in RFE/RL Newsline
Yuliya Tymoshenko, head of the eponymous political bloc, said during consultations between parliamentary leaders and President Yushchenko on March 19 that a group of unidentified persons in parliament is working to expand the ruling majority into a constitutional majority of at least 300 votes by way of bribery, Interfax- Ukraine reported. "I can tell you that I spent this weekend talking to deputies," Tymoshenko said. "Each of them told me that groups had been formed at the parliament, and from $3 million to $8 million had been offered alongside official positions for family members.
Yuliya Tymoshenko, head of the eponymous political bloc, said during consultations between parliamentary leaders and President Yushchenko on March 19 that a group of unidentified persons in parliament is working to expand the ruling majority into a constitutional majority of at least 300 votes by way of bribery, Interfax- Ukraine reported. "I can tell you that I spent this weekend talking to deputies," Tymoshenko said. "Each of them told me that groups had been formed at the parliament, and from $3 million to $8 million had been offered alongside official positions for family members.
They are offering everything, and 300 votes are
being actually handpicked. Is this democracy?" she
added. Parliamentary speaker Moroz said earlier
this month that a majority of 300 deputies will be
formed in the Verkhovna Rada in two months. The
Ukrainian parliament currently has five caucuses:
the Party of Regions (186 deputies), the Socialist
Party (31), and the Communist Party (21), which
form the ruling majority; the Yuliya Tymoshenko
Bloc (186) and Our Ukraine (79), which are in
opposition.