Pre-term majoral and local government elections will take place in Kyiv at the end of May. No agreed joint candidate has been chosen yet to stand on behalf of the orange forces, but the boxer Vitaliy Klychko has put his name forward, and Oleksandr Turchynov's name has been 'pencilled in' also. Turchynov is currently deputy PM, and one of Yulia Tymoshenko's closest associates.
'Kommentarii' highlights the 'wheeling and dealing' and intrigues around who the orange nominee could be, if indeed a unified candidate can be found.
Yulia Tymoshenko and ByuT are ready to support Vitaliy Klychko, if the President agrees to their program of government, and also concedes on cadre changes in the State Property Fund, Securities and Stock Market Commission, and in the Anti-Monopoly Committee [i.e. so she can get her way on privatizations]. BYuT are intending to nominate their candidate on 11th April.
BYuT calculate that they will obtain a majority in the Kyiv city council independent of other partners anyway, so they will have control over any mayor that is not 'theirs' in any case. There are many important 'businessmen' trying to ensure that their man, whoever it may be, emerges victorious to provide a 'krysha' for their money-making schemes in Kyiv.
'Ekonomicheskie Izvestia' reports BYuT have referred gas disputes between the President and the government for resolution by the Constitutional Court.
VR deputy Andriy Portnov, one of BYuT's legal experts, and 52 of his BYuT colleagues have turned to the Constitutional Court to assess the fundamental law of some of the President Viktor Yushchenko's recent decrees on questions of "measures for the guarantee of stable functioning and development of the market for natural gas". In other words, to resolve who is really to be in charge of negotiations with Russia and Gazprom in these matters.
Portnov stated: "It is important to determine the differentiation of authority, [and] the distribution of authority, including [those associated] with resolution of gas questions," adding, "There is no politics here".
The words of the deputy are not persuasive against the background of continuous bickering since the beginning of the year between the Kabmin and the President's secretariat on the resolution of key state problems, not only on questions of gas, but also in the privatization and judicial system spheres.
'Kommentarii's" article doesn't make much sense - given what they write why should the Pres pay anything for BYUT's agreement on Klychko. He knows everything they do just as well. Besides given Klychko's popularity BYUT take a big risk running a candidate against him of their own. It looks really bad and besides they might lose.
ReplyDeleteI'm very interested to see how (and if) the CC deals with the gas issue. The vaguely-defined powers of Ukraine's semi-presidential system seem to be impeding many of the government's key issues. Progress on the gas sphere may help in other areas to, in terms of precedence. Of course, I'm not holding my breath...
ReplyDelete"The Verkhovna Rada has supported the decree “On the Address of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to President of Ukraine Victor Yushchenko on the President’s Decree Concerning the Dismissal of Suzanna Stanik from the Post of Constitutional Court Judge”.
ReplyDelete232 out of 423 lawmakers, registered in the session hall, have voted for this decree.
The faction of Our Ukraine – People’s Self-Defense abstained from voting. More than 10 members of the BYuT faction voted."
http://unian.net/eng/news/news-
245622.html
Prime Minister of Ukraine, BYuT leader Yulia Tymoshenko claims that her political force has intent to propose its own candidate for the post of the Kyiv Mayor, as the coalition agreement between BYuT and OU-PSD does not stipulate proposing a single candidate.
ReplyDeleteAccording to an UNIAN correspondent, Yulia Tymoshenko claimed this to a press conference in the Cabinet of Ministers today.
“I may repeat once again that our political force will propose its own candidate for the post of the Kyiv Mayor, because we are responsible people, and if Kyiv residents trust us, we have to propose them the policy that will meet their needs”, Yulia Tymoshenko stressed.
The Prime Minister confirmed that the BYuT political bloc will propose its candidate at a press conference Thursday.
“I hope Mr. Klitchko will support our candidate in the end of the electoral race”, Yulia Tymoshenko noted.
“We are ready to take part in the election with our own candidacy regardless of rules of electing the Mayor. I have said many times already that our coalition agreement does not stipulate the provision that we should propose a single candidacy for the post of a Mayor in any city of the country. Namely because of that I believe that we, being the biggest team in the democratic sector, and enjoying the biggest support of Kyiv residents, we have to propose our own candidacy”, Yulia Tymoshenko stressed.
The Prime Minister added she has intent to hold another meeting with President of Ukraine Victor Yushchenko to try to persuade him that the electoral legislation should be amended.