Getting its action program to pass muster in Parliament is perhaps Viktor Yushchenko’s first serious test of strength. When forming the Cabinet, he received carte blanche from the President. Now the situation is somewhat different. On the one hand, Leonid Kuchma declared Yushchenko’s ouster is out of the question. On the other, he told the Cabinet it had to cooperate more with Parliament.
Apparently, some of the Deputies tried to use this latter opportunity to make changes in Cabinet membership. In this context Yushchenko’s words “give us your proposals, and we will consider them” were regarded by many as proof that the Premier found himself unprepared for the cold shoulder given his program in Parliament and was now willing to make concessions. Mr. Yushchenko, however, denied this: “I do not feel that cadre changes in government is an issue we should discuss today.” (Incidentally, the Speaker also spoke against the creation of a coalition government at this stage on March 22. “In order to talk about a coalition government for Viktor Yushchenko, we must have vacancies. There are none, so there is nothing to talk about,” Ivan Pliushch stressed.)
Deputy Speaker Viktor Medvedchuk’s allegation that the government is using political blackmail, saying it may have to resign, was described by Viktor Yushchenko as “a preemptive tactic that does not make our relationship any more constructive.” The Premier further stressed that “we understand our functions like this: if the government has to work without a program politically supported by Parliament, there will be no work at all.” Mr. Yushchenko believes that “the implementation of the President’s course can be secured by the concerted action of the political and executive wings. We cannot fly with only one wing. Without political support from Parliament we would be at an unfair disadvantage. We know what should be done and how, but we must have political support at the Verkhovna Rada. If we have it we will be prepared to make appropriate corrections in our performance. If there is no support and we continue to pretend to have it, we will find such logic unacceptable.”
Indications are that the Premier will not have to hold the fort much longer. The Verkhovna Rada grapevine has it that the program will be approved in the end just as Viktor Yushchenko was accepted as premier. The President will meet with the majority and ask, “Well, who exactly is against the reform Premier’s program?” It would be interesting to watch and wait for a single voice saying I am, Mr. President.
The Day asked several lawmakers to comment on the Cabinet program’s status in Parliament.
Volodymyr FILENKO: “The Cabinet program isn’t bad, but there is a group of fractions that want to draw some blood from the Premier, if you know what I mean. The program will be approved, but there are people who want to keep the government in suspense. That’s the essence of what’s happening in Parliament.”
Artur BILOUS: “The Left refusing to accept the government program is understandable. They are consistent in their anti-market stand. Resistance to this program by certain Right groups is disguised; they are stalling, saying let’s discuss it in a month, so this program can be studied by committees, and so on. Formally, everything seems quite correct. In reality, this response is caused by the frustration of certain factions whose leaders have come to be known as oligarchs. First, they did not receive enough Cabinet representation. Second, the objective economic situation and IMF requirements are weakening their control over the financial flow, thereby also weakening their influence. These factors explain their dissatisfaction with the government. The least one can expect from them is get on the Cabinet’s nerves. The most is get the Premier to make cadre changes — or let’s say they want to get the government to assist them with their own projects. This is precisely why the government program’s approval is being put off. Personally, I think it’s the best action program we’ve ever had in Ukraine. Finally, there is the factor of the socialist mentality of most People’s Deputies. They just don’t understand that Ukraine still has to pass through the stage of liberal reform. Just as they don’t understand that such reforms are a vital necessity for this country. The previous Cabinet worked with Verkhovna Rada using administrative and financial levers to pressure certain factions and certain lawmakers. From what I know, Viktor Yushchenko has never done any political bargaining in Parliament and I don’t think that he ever will. The program will be approved anyway (I think it will happen in the first half of April), after making certain corrections to which Mr. Yushchenko will have to agree.
