Sunday, July 15, 2007

PoR's internal divisions

More on the internal disputes in PoR in an article from the current 'Kommentarii' [a serious and polished politics and business weekly linked to Hayduk/Taruta]

"The lengthy inter-party discussion on what principles places on the PoR party list are to be distributed ended with the full and unconditional victory for the somewhat renewed doctrine of Akhmetov. The new situation promises Viktor Yanukovych, who had hoped to push into parliament a whole cohort of people loyal to himself, nothing good - at best the PM may be able to hang on to those positions which he held on the eve last year's elections - at worst today's mini-defeat may signal the end of Yanukovych as a politician [!]

It's true there is one further possibility for the head of the KabMin - he could detach himself from the guardianship of Rinat Leonidovich to swim free in the political sea.."

Akhmetov had demanded that those who want a good place on the list should pay a 'tariff' i.e. make a substantial financial contribution. Those incapable of doing this would be provided with 'credit' by him.

Apparently Yuriy Boyko [of Naftohaz Ukrainy etc.] promised to finance the entire PoR campaign in exchange for the election campaign manager's post, but rumour has it that Yanuk declined the minister for fuel and energy's offer, suspecting that Boyko was aiming for the PM's chair too. In the event it was Boris Kolesnikov, a close associate of Akhmetov's, who will be the PoR election campaign manager.

Is this all 'over the top'?
Maybe I'll post more tomorrow on this fascinating speculation..

1 comment:

DLW said...

Please do...

Either way, if PoR becomes more Akhmetov-like, geared to attracting Western Capital, or splinters, it wd seem to favor a significant change in Ukrainian politics, with Yanuk's star and style of politics permanently diminished.


dlw