Tymoshenko ill

Yulia Tymoshenko has been admitted to hospital because her flu has got worse. She has struggled for many days with flu and tonsilitis, and i.m.o. has not looked too well at all lately.

She's been under enormous stress too.

Yesterday Mykola Tomenko, deputy head of the BYuT fraction, in a TV interview, accused the president's secretariat, that in Russian-Ukrainian gas matters, they are "acting as Gazprom's press-secretary."

He considers Gazprom's aggressive rhetoric as a well-publicized defence of their own state and economic interests, significantly, days before the March 2nd presidential elections in Russia.

"..the president and the government, and all the Ukrainian authorities [should] have a consolidated position in Ukrainian-Russian negotiations..on the gas question," complained Tomenko.

Tymoshenko failed to attend a meeting Tuesday morning with the president during which, no doubt she would have been 'dressed down' yet again by the president, who had spoken with Vladimir Putin on questions of gas, the night before.
According to 'Obkom', out of the last 15 postings on the presidential secretariat's website, 10 have been critical of the work of Tymoshenko and her cabinet. In one and a half years of his premiership Yanukovych did not receive the 'kicking' that Tymoshenko has had to endure in just two months.

E.g. here is one: The banner is "The cabinet of ministers has done everything possible to give Russia grounds to stop delivery of gas to Ukraine - Baloha"

These words of the president after last Autumn's early parliamentary elections: "Finally, for the first time in history, a democratic majority has been created for the president", seem a long way away.

LEvko thinks its no surprise Yulka T feels sick. The attacks from the secretariat against someone who is supposed to be a political ally in a democratic alliance, are unprecedented.

Maybe Yushchenko just cannot forgive her for providing him with his place in Ukrainian history as leader of the the orange revolution. Arguably, without her, it may well have all 'fallen through' and ended in 'pshik'.

p.s. Details on Viktor Baloha's highly dubious background can be read on this respected journalist's personal blogsite.