Defectors put pressure on coalition
10 June 2008
Published in
Inform
issue #74
See the full issue here.
Last Friday the democratic coalition lost its slender majority in Ukraine’s 450-seat Verkhovna Rada (parliament) when two lawmakers gave notice to quit the coalition. The departure of Ihor Rybakov of the Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko (BYuT) and Yury But from the Our Ukraine – People’s Self-Defence (OU-PSD) bloc puts the democratic coalition at 225 seats.
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, spoke for many by saying, “a kind of treason has taken place."
Some political pundits suggest the defections could be a prelude to the break-up of the governing coalition, with the Party of Regions entering as power-broker in a new coalition. One of the first acts of such a coalition would be to replace Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
Such a scenario has been debated for several months in Kyiv’s cafes, as President Viktor Yushchenko and his premier clashed repeatedly over issues ranging from privatisation to constitutional reform.
It is widely believed that the head of the president’s secretariat, Viktor Baloha, has been plotting to topple the Cabinet of Ministers and inveigle himself as prime minister of a coalition involving the rump of the pro-presidential OU-PSD and the Party of Regions. The refusal of Yuriy Lutsenko, leader of the People’s Self-Defence faction, to back the scheme resulted in trumped up charges levelled against him and another of his bloc’s leaders, Davyd Zhavnia (see page 3 article: ‘Lutsenko Charges Declared Illegal’).
Interestingly, the two defectors only gave notice to quit the coalition and not their respective blocs. Had they done the latter, they would be replaced by members positioned lower on their respective bloc’s lists, and the democratic majority would resume.
See the full issue here.
Last Friday the democratic coalition lost its slender majority in Ukraine’s 450-seat Verkhovna Rada (parliament) when two lawmakers gave notice to quit the coalition. The departure of Ihor Rybakov of the Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko (BYuT) and Yury But from the Our Ukraine – People’s Self-Defence (OU-PSD) bloc puts the democratic coalition at 225 seats.
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, spoke for many by saying, “a kind of treason has taken place."
Some political pundits suggest the defections could be a prelude to the break-up of the governing coalition, with the Party of Regions entering as power-broker in a new coalition. One of the first acts of such a coalition would be to replace Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
Such a scenario has been debated for several months in Kyiv’s cafes, as President Viktor Yushchenko and his premier clashed repeatedly over issues ranging from privatisation to constitutional reform.
It is widely believed that the head of the president’s secretariat, Viktor Baloha, has been plotting to topple the Cabinet of Ministers and inveigle himself as prime minister of a coalition involving the rump of the pro-presidential OU-PSD and the Party of Regions. The refusal of Yuriy Lutsenko, leader of the People’s Self-Defence faction, to back the scheme resulted in trumped up charges levelled against him and another of his bloc’s leaders, Davyd Zhavnia (see page 3 article: ‘Lutsenko Charges Declared Illegal’).
Interestingly, the two defectors only gave notice to quit the coalition and not their respective blocs. Had they done the latter, they would be replaced by members positioned lower on their respective bloc’s lists, and the democratic majority would resume.
“The fact they haven't resigned from their parties is
more than suspicious,” said a Kyiv-based businessman.
BYuT lawmaker Valeriy Pysarenko, argues that the departure of the two lawmakers did not affect the ruling coalition as parliament by law stipulates the replacement of a lawmaker resigning from a ruling coalition by a party list member.
Others interpret the law differently. It appears the law is not entirely clear on this issue.
Hryhoriy Nemyria, Deputy Prime Minister for European integration, who was attending a meeting of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in Amsterdam, commented, “The timing of this is very curious given that it coincides with parliament’s move to replace the head of the State Property Fund. We don’t think this is a coincidence.”
Last week the majority coalition submitted a motion to dismiss State Property Fund Chairwoman Valentyna Semeniuk, who has doggedly blocked the government’s privatisation plans. Ms Semeniuk was away on holiday, causing Mr Yatsenyuk to call her to parliament. Her imminent dismissal, it is believed, prompted Mr Baloha to pull the trigger in an attempt to scupper the coalition.
Mr Nemyria did not believe the defections would cause the break-up of the democratic coalition or result in the dismissal of the government. This view is shared by most politicians who, according to a Reuters report, “saw little reason for alarm.”
President Yushchenko said on his presidential website, “There are no legal grounds to say the coalition has collapsed. The parliamentary majority is fighting fit and carrying on with its work.”
BYuT lawmaker Valeriy Pysarenko, argues that the departure of the two lawmakers did not affect the ruling coalition as parliament by law stipulates the replacement of a lawmaker resigning from a ruling coalition by a party list member.
Others interpret the law differently. It appears the law is not entirely clear on this issue.
Hryhoriy Nemyria, Deputy Prime Minister for European integration, who was attending a meeting of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in Amsterdam, commented, “The timing of this is very curious given that it coincides with parliament’s move to replace the head of the State Property Fund. We don’t think this is a coincidence.”
Last week the majority coalition submitted a motion to dismiss State Property Fund Chairwoman Valentyna Semeniuk, who has doggedly blocked the government’s privatisation plans. Ms Semeniuk was away on holiday, causing Mr Yatsenyuk to call her to parliament. Her imminent dismissal, it is believed, prompted Mr Baloha to pull the trigger in an attempt to scupper the coalition.
Mr Nemyria did not believe the defections would cause the break-up of the democratic coalition or result in the dismissal of the government. This view is shared by most politicians who, according to a Reuters report, “saw little reason for alarm.”
President Yushchenko said on his presidential website, “There are no legal grounds to say the coalition has collapsed. The parliamentary majority is fighting fit and carrying on with its work.”