Ukraine in Focus March 24 - 30,
2008
The Democratic Initiatives Foundation is closely following the
political events in Ukraine in order to monitor the pre-election
promises of the country’s most powerful political forces that won
seats in parliament in the snap elections on September 30, 2007.
The monitoring is being conducted within the framework of the
“Where are politicians leading us?”
March 24
The Central Election Commission approved a decision to recognize
the election of 15 new members of the Kyiv City Council according
to the electoral list of the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc. Recall
that in accordance with a decision of YTB 15 deputies of the KCC
were stripped of their deputy authorities for abandoning the YTB
faction in the KCC.
The leader of YTB in the KCC Tetyana Melikhova, from this point on
there is a stable majority of 61 voices in the KCC and YTB demand
the convocation of a session of the council in order to elect a
provisional leadership in the nation’s capital.
The Parliamentary Committee on Issues of European
Integration is drafting a program for informing the population of
Ukraine concerning NATO for the period 2008-2011. Iryna
Herashchenko, a member of the committee and deputy, announced this
during the round table Prospects of Euro-Atlantic Integration of
Ukraine: the Estonian Experience. In her opinion, the position of
the government on this issue is extremely passive. The government
has not taken any further steps other than submitting the infamous
letter to the NATO leadership about Ukraine’s joining the
Membership Action Plan (MAP).
March 25
Russian President Dmitri Medvedev said in an interview for the
Financial Times that he is categorically against Ukraine and
Georgia joining NATO. He said that Ukraine’s (and
Georgia’s) membership in the Alliance poses a threat to European
security. However, Russia’s new leader failed to clarify exactly
what it is the Europeans have to fear. Medvedev’s first interview
for the western press showed that he is continue to ascribe to the
policy initiated by ex-president Vladimir Putin, who was
categorically against NATO enlargement.
Minister of Finance Viktor Pynzenyk noted in his report
that the best his ministry could achieve over three months was to
maintain a zero budget deficit, reduce VAT debt arrears and
considerably increase the revenues of the customs
authority. At the same time, the package of
anti-inflationary measures has thus far not produced tangible
results. On that note, inflation this year is forecast at a fairly
optimistic 9.6%.
The President Secretariat is criticizing the government for
the current inflationary processes in the country. The
presidential body proposes to raise the subsistence wage by UAH 20
as, according to its calculations the average Ukrainian cannot
survive on the current level of UAH 592. While the president
proposes to increase the subsistence level through amendments to
the budget, the government is in no hurry to agree to this. The
term of submitting amendments to the parliament expired on March
1.
March 26
Premier Yulia Tymoshenko gave a report on the results of the first
100 days of the government’s work. Tymoshenko named
accession to the WTO, ridding the gas market of intermediaries, a
growth in industrial production and an increase in budget revenues
from customs duties among the achievements of the new
government.
Besides that, the Cabinet of Ministers managed over this period to
restrain the decline in GDP, put a stop to smuggling and shadow
privatization, raise incomes of Ukrainians by 25% and implement
around 50 social programs. Tymoshenko feels her greatest
achievement is payout of compensations for lost deposits in
Oschadny Bank.
The premier named the low level of proceeds from privatization to
be one of the major flaws. Besides that, Tymoshenko promised that
within a half year the government will overcome inflation. She also
complained that to this day the parliament has failed to approve a
government program.
The Presidential Secretariat called the self-assessment of
the Tymoshenko government somewhat exaggerated. The
secretariat was not pleased by the fact that the Cabinet of
Ministers is taking credit for Ukraine’s accession to the WTO.
Representative of the opposition Party of Regions and ex-Finance
Minister Mykola Azarov stated that the government of Yulia
Tymoshenko gave incorrect data on the state of the economy.
Meanwhile, Azarov believes the growth of GDP should be credited to
the previous government under Viktor Yanukovych.
Today the official campaign for the elections of the Kyiv
mayor and deputies of the Kyiv City Council – nomination
of candidates for the post of the city’s mayor and the KCC – kicked
off today. Legislation stipulates the term of the elections expires
on April 15. The elections will be held on May 25.
March 27
Yulia Tymoshenko stated at a meeting with diplomats that Ukraine
hopes for a positive decision of NATO regarding its joining the
MAP. Besides that, the premier announced a breakthrough in
the “gas” talks with Russia and assured that the Cabinet of
Ministers plans to approve by the start of autumn a long-term
agreement on the supply of natural gas to Ukraine.
The former members of Our Ukraine – National Self-defense
(OU-NSD) formed a new party called Yedyniy Tsentr (Single
Center). People’s deputy Ihor Kril was chosen the head the
party. The newly formed party has positioned itself as a new
pro-presidential force. Kril said the party will support the
president in all his actions and convictions. Recall that a part of
the people’s deputies and members of OU-NSD oriented towards the
head of the Presidential Secretariat Viktor Baloha withdrew from
the Our Ukraine party in order to form a new party.
Premier Yulia Tymoshenko is atop the list of deputies to
the Kyiv City Council in the snap elections. She announced
this news live on the air during the program “Ya tak dumayu”
(That’s My Viewpoint) on the 1+1 TV channel. The premier is
convinced that this move is a show of her accountability before the
city of Kyiv for the quality of the list and for each deputy.
March 28
President Viktor Yushchenko once again stated that Ukraine’s
outstanding gas debt to Russia is more than US $2 billion.
The president is demanding that the government resolve this issue
in order to avoid a “gas war” with Russia. A day earlier Premier
Yulia Tymoshenko stated on the program “Ya tak dumayu” (That’s My
Viewpoint) on the 1+1 TV channel that Ukraine’s debt for gas
delivered by Russia since the beginning of the year is nearly US
$900 million.
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