Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Parties going through well-practiced motions

Yushchenko today called together the leaders of the parties entering the newly elected VR and told them they have five days to cobble together a workable ruling coalition.

Previous experience suggests the chances of success are slim.

Fault lines have predicably developed in NUNS, and 10-15 NU deputies may refuse to vote for Tymoshenko in her attempt to become PM again - she will need almost every one of those vote to be elected.

In an article to be published in a German periodical Yushchenko, again asserts that the representatives PoR must be appointed to government posts "from vice- premier to minister". He obviously envisages formation of a wide coalition, or 'shyrka', something that has already been ruled out by BYuT and many NUNS deputies.

PoR are not all 'singing from the same hymn sheet' either. Viktor Yanukovych considers coalition negotiations undertaken last week with prospective coalition partners by senior PoR figures Rayisa Bohatyryova and Boris Kolesnikov to be premature, and he sees only himself in the PM's chair.

He says negotiations on the creation of a parliamentary coalition should only begin only after the official announcement of the elections results.

Curiously, Yanukovych noted that PoR is not frightened of the possibility of working in opposition. "If this happens, the we will be in opposition," he said.

At least the attempts to 'square the circle' are thus far, being conducted in a civilized manner. Today Tymoshenko and Yanukovych even had a brief conversation.

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