Sylovyky to be under Pres's control in orange coalition

BYuT and NUNS have not yet submitted their coalition agreement to the president, but should do so Monday or Tuesday.

Whether the Orange BYuT-NUNS coalition will garner 226+ votes required in the newly-assembled VR is a different matter.

However, is seems they have now managed to 'divvy up' the ministers chairs and 'spheres of responsibility'.

The proposals will make grim reading to many. BYuT will get the economic and fuel and energy portfolios, whilst the 'sylovyky' organs have been 'bagsied' [called dibs] by Yushchenko and NUNS.

At the moment Lytvyn and his boys seem to be out of the equation entirely, but it looks as if the vice PM responsible for fuel and energy may be Vitaliy Hayduk, a wise choice.

By retaining control of the 'sylovyky' Yushchenko can be sure no one will be 'sniffing around' suspect deals involving him and his closest circle, or deals he may have made with the Kuchmistas during the orange revolution. The primary reason for Yushchenko sacking PM Tymoshenko in September 2005 was SBU head Oleksandr Turchynov's investigations into RosUkrEnergo and its links to the president's closest confidantes. Turchynov is probably Tymoshenko closest partner. A reminder of what this was about here.

I also recommend an article by Tetyana Chornovil [in Ukr] from 'Obozrevatel' about Viktor Pinchuk, former president Kuchma's son in law, and his 115 hectare estate - a former rehab and convalescence complex which was acquired by the most dubious of methods. He has even managed to wangle a no-fly zone over it, something even the president does not have over his 'pile'. The no-fly zone also covers Pinchuk's neigbours the Klyuyevs, and the Kolomoyskis.

After the O.R. when Tymoshenko was PM, she and Minister of the Interior at that time Yuriy Lutsenko tried to get to the bottom of how this estate came into Pinchuk's hands, but failed, probably because the alleged immunity granted to Kuchma by Yushchenko also covered his close family.

Pinchuk, one of Ukraine's richest men, has now morphed into global philantropist, in the words of the song "friend of stars, presidents and the pope in Rome." More on the great man from his own foundation site here . His family tie up with Kuchma does not merit a mention - obviously completely insignificant in the growth of his business empire.

Tatyana Chornovil, who during her investigations was seriously 'leant on' and threatened by Pinchuk's security goons, ends her article: "Interestingly, when on the second day after the elections Yushchenko made his baffling declaration on the necessity of creating a broad coalition, there were boisterous celebrations at Pinchuk's estate. On that day nearly all political leaders were disorientated, angry and troubled, but at the Pinchuk's and Kuchma's there were salutes.
I'll bet there were...