Asked by journalists last Friday about the negotiations Serhiy Tyhypko announced between the Our Ukraine (OU) and For United Ukraine (ZaYedU) blocs, OU’s political coordinator Roman Bezsmertny told a joke, “‘Hey, cousin, come in!’ ‘But you’ve got a vicious dog.’ ‘So have I.’ ‘There’s so much talk about a likely alliance (with For a United Ukraine — Author), but I say to cousin, ‘So have I’,” Mr. Bezsmertny summed it up.
When asked about the progress of ongoing talks with ZaYedU, the OU coordinator said he cannot and has no right to call it talks. According to him, “these are consultations,” because the politicians only tentatively discussed with Labor Ukraine leader Serhiy Tyhypko the possibility of talks. “There was no question of concrete programs, actions, or representatives — we only touched upon general things,” Mr. Bezsmertny said. However, it follows from Mr. Tyhypko’s comments that the “general things” discussed were in fact of a more concrete nature. In particular, the politicians discussed the offices their political forces lay claim to in the Cabinet of Ministers, Verkhovna Rada, and regional administrations, Mr. Tyhypko told 1+1 Television late last Thursday. Yet, the Labor Ukraine leader refused to name the offices sought by the two blocs, “We agreed not to divulge this information because our talks are still in progress.” Mr. Tyhypko simultaneously noted that the final decision would be made by bloc leaders and councils. In his opinion, the office of prime minister will be the issue most discussed. “It is clear to all how important this office is. Everybody understands that this office could be useful for those wishing to run for president,” the party leader said. Mr. Tyhypko repeated For a United Ukraine’s position that the office of premier would not be a bargaining chip in this situation. Noting the current stable economic situation in this country, he emphasized, “We would not like to make too drastic changes in the government. We did and do say we would like to see Kinakh as prime minister, but we are absolutely ready to accept any changes and combinations in the government.”
Mr. Tyhypko was skeptical about the possibility of forming a parliamentary majority on the basis of For United Ukraine and SDPU(o), i.e., without Our Ukraine. “I do not think this option will help form a stable majority.”
In sum, one can assert that the two blocs, which polled a little more than a third of votes between them, are trying to secure a leading position in parliament as a whole. Simultaneously, there is very scanty and contradictory information about the principles and goals of this process. In other words, the voters are still unaware of what kind of parliament they have elected.
The situation with the Cabinet of Ministers is more or less clear. That the governmental lineup is not the subject of the ongoing talks was also confirmed by the president who said the government will “by no means” be replaced. But, Leonid Kuchma told journalists in Kyiv on April 12 that “there will surely be changes inside the government depending on the parliamentary majority’s configuration.”
Asked whether the Cabinet of Ministers will remain intact, Pres. Kuchma emphasized, “We have the Constitution, so let us obey the Constitution.” The head of state said he would agree to consider the formation of a coalition government only if relevant provisions were entered into the Constitution. “Who can guarantee that this government will not break up a month or two later? Then the president would have no levers to control this process. I’ve had it. Stability is the main thing today in Ukraine, and I see this stability in the Cabinet of Ministers,” he said.
Speaking of the cabinet ministers who won the parliamentary elections (six out of eight candidates — Ed.), the president noted they must choose on their own whether to work in the parliament or cabinet. Incidentally, as far as Presidential Administration Director Volodymyr Lytvyn is concerned, Mr. Kuchma thinks the For a United Ukraine leader should work in the parliament. At the same time, the President stressed it would be “difficult to find a replacement” for Mr. Lytvyn.
Coming back to the press conference, let us note that, answering The Day’s question about the present whereabouts of Viktor Yushchenko, Our Ukraine’s spokesperson Iryna Herashchenko denied the reports of some online publications that the Our Ukraine leader is in the US. Yet, she refused to say where he is vacationing. “Mr. Yushchenko wants it to be a surprise, so he himself will tell you this,” Ms. Herashchenko said. In her words, Mr. Yushchenko, now on vacation, was due back in Kyiv on Monday, April 15. As Mr. Kuchma told journalists on April 12, he plans to receive the OU leader after he returns.
Thus, the consultations on the new parliament’s configuration continue. This raises a number of questions. For example, why do the talks (or consultations) still touch upon “general things” while Verkhovna Rada is to be convened so soon?
