Who will be the second person after Azarov in the government is the main intrigue so far. There are different candidates: Iryna Akimova, Valerii Khoroshkovsky and even Serhii Arbuzov. At first glance, firing Andrii Kliuiev from the position of the first vice-premier means demotion. There are a lot of reasons why president Yanukovych has been lately dissatisfied with Kliuiev’s work: scandals with the EU money, “turncoats” in the Verkhovna Rada, oppositionists chanting “Yulia” during the president’s speech in the parliament, etc.
All of this is probably true, however, we can say for sure that Kliuiev had serious tasks in the government such as preparation of the association and free trade zone agreements with the EU; according to Azarov, “under his management vital programs of domestic production development, import substitution and energy saving were designed.” That is why appointing Kliuiev to the position of secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine will definitely strengthen this structure. This job is not as lucrative (unfortunately, this category means a lot in the Ukrainian politics), however, it is development of another center of influence.
Saying goodbye to his former first deputy Mykola Azarov wished him success at his new position and emphasized that “it is difficult to find a better prepared and more responsible person for the position of secretary of the National Security and Defense Council.” Judging from these and other prime minister’s compliments, he is satisfied with Kliuiev’s work and the latter is just moved to a new important job. Closer to Viktor Yanukovych, by the way.
Raisa Bohatyriova’s appointments the minister of health and vice-premier for humanitarian questions is a certain victory of the “Donetsk” people. While presenting Bohatyriova, Azarov said that his old dream finally came true: “personally I am very happy that my dream came true and we will have a wonderful woman in the government.”
“It is quite a timid attention to the structure of the country,” political expert Dmytro Vydrin commented on the situation. “Appointing super-wealthy people to the positions that will make them use their personal resources accumulated with their ‘backbreaking toil.’ In all probability, we will see further precedents when people making part of Ukrainian financial super-elite will be charged with areas of work requiring to investment into the society, its intellect, education and new teams creation. That is why Kliuiev has been appointed to the position that was nearly neglected, especially for the past three or four years in human resources and financial aspect. Now significant efforts that the government cannot put but this person can are needed to restore this area.”
Actually, today many versions can be put forward (everyone suggests their ideas and guesses), we can speculate about which group was stronger this time and what the prospects of the recently appointed people are, in a word, read the tea leaves. People do not understand what is going on in power. This is the reason why they feel the chaos and uncertainty about their future. Finally, they do not have to get into all the reshuffles. People want to see and feel the result. The Party of Regions has always been a closed system. It took these anti-rules when the money is above the law and moral to the power. Fresh air could not penetrate into this closed system. That is why, regardless of all the reshuffles, it may collapse sooner or later. Besides, this funnel will swallow up not only the power but the society as well. When, who and how will wrap it all up into the rules?
COMMENTARIES
THERE WAS NO SEPARATION OF BIG BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT
Mykola KOZLOVETS, professor at Ivan Franko Zhytomyr State University, Ph.D. (Philosophy):
“Changes in government is a generally normal phenomenon and the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych has every right to make those changes because he bears the responsibility for efficiency of social and economic policy. But the problems that Ukrainian society is facing, given the internal challenges and external threats, including energy threat, require people with economic thinking, with new vision of ways to solve those problems. The question arises whether the people that are now assigned to certain positions are really of such type. Some of the appointments cause a great deal of concern, including the appointment of the head of the SBU and the Ministry of Defense. This is the evidence of strengthening power unit and increasing role of those organizations. Will it lead to strengthening of foundations of statehood and to democratization of life? For the new appointments, in my opinion, were disapproved by the majority of thinking people in Ukraine. It is clear that they will also affect the next parliamentary elections and the inner struggle in the Party of Regions because there was no separation of big business and government. It is possible that Andrii Kliuiev will lead the election campaign of the ruling party.
“The complexity of the situation is also in that the real reforms, if they are implemented, will cause the fall of Party of Regions rating and, thus, loss of its monopoly position, the status of ruling party in the parliament. And its leaders can not imagine this happening and do not want to let it happen. That is why the next parliamentary elections will be, in my opinion, characterized by the use of the dirtiest technologies and violations of the law. Some of the current leaders can be brought to account for their actions at their posts, as it was done to the representatives of the previous government.
“Such changes in government should lead to some compromises, appearance of figures approved by the majority of Ukrainian society and possibly accepted by it. But, again, the things that are taking place there are of secret nature.”
FREQUENCY OF MAKING UNEXPECTED DECISIONS WILL NOW INCREASE IN THE GOVERNMENT
Oles STAROVOIT, political expert, Lviv:
“No process in Ukrainian politics can be fully understood. What concerns the processes within the government, it is most likely that the chaotic personnel castling is done in order to remedy the situation that went out of control long ago at least partially. The political rating drops dramatically and most rapidly among the ‘specific’ electorate, in the foreign policy there is a failure both with Russia and with the West, this year’s budget will last only until the election time. In the situation when Yanukovych grasps at every tiny straw, or rather at every offer he receives. Therefore, the frequency of making unexpected decisions will now increase in the government.”
UKRAINIAN GOVERNMENT IS ABSOLUTELY CLOSED FOR THE SOCIETY
Dmytro OMELCHUK, professor at Tavria National University, Ph.D. (History):
“Those who must understand the government’s actions and those who implement the authority are in different spheres of life. The government’s actions are conditioned by pursuing one’s own interests, primarily, purely economic ones, when, for example, it concerns the redistribution of property, and they also are correlated, to some extent, with the self-preservation instinct. Ukrainian government is closed not only for experts, it is absolutely closed for the society. It has been very obvious lately. The evidence of that is the numerous regulations and laws adopted without broad public discussion, without social examination, on the hush. The same is with appointing new top-ranking officials. And only after everything is done they expect the reaction of people. If there is resistance, they make some adjustments as it was in case with the Tax Code and with the attempts to change status of certain social groups: Chornobyl disaster fighters, Afghan war veterans, etc. If there is no such resistance, as it was with teachers, medicine workers, and culture workers (this sector does not rebel at all!), the government does whatever it likes. I emphasize that the government has distanced itself and closed itself for any social influence and, thus, it can do the things that will benefit the authorities but will not be beneficial to the society in terms of both present situation and future prospects.”
Interviewed by Valerii KOSTIUKEVYCH, The Day, Zhytomyr; Tetiana KOZYRIEVA, The Day, Lviv; Mykola SEMENA, Simferopo
