Who to listen to?

Tracking events in Ukrainian politics is often confusing because of conflicting and contradictory reports and comments given by the media, and by leaders and spokesmen from different political parties.

From the time of formation of the anti-crisis coalition, PoR spokesmen have frequently 'talked up' the possibility of NSNU, and some BYuT members joining their coalition, maybe to show that it is they that are now dictating the pace of events and have 'the momentum'. Generally speaking, NSNU has been much more cautious and vague in their pronouncements, giving the impression of bewilderment and rudderlessness.

E.g. PoR spokesman Aleksandr Yefryemov in this week's 'Stolichiye Novosti', says, "Part of BYuT is already ready to join our coalition..There is a good perspective that in the near future, when Yanukovych is appointed PM there will be not only a majority, but a constitutional majority."

PoR's Yevhen Kushnaryov, quoted today in "Ekspres', "We are approaching mutual understanding [with NSNU], and are writing out all the points...NU will have the possibility of proposing changes to the coalition agreement. After this, the new edition of the coalition agreement will be published, and possibly the new composition of the coalition."

In the same piece, [2004 election fixer] Andriy Klyuyev says that in discussions with NU, dissolution of the existing Anti-crisis coalition is not being discussed, but "we are talking not of dissolution, but of union."

In an interview with leading press agencies and TV channels today President Yushchenko, made some firmer statements. He said there are two ways of solving the problem in the VR: "agreement, or dissolution of the law-making organ." So he is not eliminating the dissolution 'variant'. According to Yushchenko, "It will bring additional confrontation, but as an answer, it can exist."

Another solution to the crisis, would be the formation of a different coalition, "which would give an answer to all political challenges...negotiations are proceeding in this direction, there is progress, but at the moment [this] is insufficient to remove all questions."

But perhaps the truest picture of how NSNU-PoR negotiations may be going is described in the Donbass 'Ostrov' website, which quotes the head of NSNU's analytic department, Anatoliy Lutsenko.

"Systematic statements by the Party of Regions's leaders about mythical negotiations of this political force with 'Our Ukraine' are nothing other than inventions."

"The press service of 'Our Ukraine' has reported this on numerous occasions, however, the 'Regionals' stubbornly continue talking of swift changes in the negotiation process. Each day Ukrainians get the wrong information from [PoR] 'speaking heads' who are like actors in their invented play,' he said.

Oleksandr Moroz's melodramatic and 'over-the-top' TV statement a couple of night's ago, recalling events of Russia in 1993, when a standoff with the federation's Duma resulted in hundreds of deaths, shows that in his eyes, the threat of VR's dismissal by pressa is still real.

Rinat Akhmetov is taking an ever-more important role in the negotiations with the president.

The poker game continues.. Some say Rinat Akhmetov started his spectacular career as a highly successful gambler and card-sharp..

Yanuk & Rinat [Photo: Ukr Pravda]