by Damozel | In a development apparently triggered in part by the Georgian conflict (BBC News2 9-16) , the Ukrainian Ruling Coalition has now officially collapsed. (BBC News 9-16) In August, President Yushchenko accused Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko of working in Russia's interests in a bid to become president (BBC News 8-18)). Now, apparently, "[a]ny notion of co-operation, or even civility between the two rivals, has long since vanished." (BBC News 9-16)
Together, the two led the "Orange Revolution," displacing "the fraudulent presidential election victory of a pro-Moscow candidate, Viktor Yanukovych."(BBC News2 9-16) Since then they've been locked in a power struggle, which has now come to a head.
Prime Minister Tymoshenko called Yushchenko's presidency "[a] dictatorship of stupidity, irresponsibility and chaos." (BBC News 9-16) He's accused her of "high treason" for siding with Russia in the Georgian conflict. (BBC News 9-16)
[T]he conflict in Georgia appears to have been the trigger for Ukraine's political realignment, earlier this month.
Firstly, the prime minister's faction blocked a motion condemning Russia's recent actions in South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Then her MPs sided with the opposition Party of the Regions, to vote to curb the powers of the president .(BBC News2 9-16)
That was the last straw for Yushchenko's party, "Our Ukraine.".(BBC News2 9-16) The Speaker of the Parliament has declared the coalition officially over.
"I officially declare the coalition of democratic forces... in Ukraine's parliament dissolved," parliament speaker Arseny Yatsenyuk announced on Tuesday.
"This has been long expected, but for me it is extremely sad," he told the chamber.
"I would not call this a political apocalypse, though it is true that it is another challenge of democracy. I hope we can overcome it.".(BBC News 9-16)
President Yushchenko has been threatening since earlier this month to call a snap election. (BBCNews 9-4)
"A political and constitutional coup d'etat has started in the parliament," Mr Yushchenko said in a televised speech.
"I will use my right to dissolve parliament and decree early elections if a new coalition is not formed within 30 days," he said....
Under Ukrainian law, parliament has 30 days to form a new coalition after one is dissolved, and another month to put together a cabinet. Until then, the previous government continues its work.(BBCNews 9-4)
The coalition evidently broke up over Georgia, with the president supporting Saakashvili and the prime minister being hesitant to condemn Russia for its support of independence for the Georgian separatist enclaves..(BBC News2 9-16) Some infer that this was a ploy to get support from Moscow for a bid to become the president..(BBC News2 9-16)
Back in August, her unwillingness to criticize Russia or get behind Georgia was seen as implied support for the Russians. (.BBC News 8-18) The president's spokesman called this a betrayal of national interests in exchange for political power.(.BBC News 8-18)
President Yushchenko has accused Russia of fomenting separatism in the Crimea (where there is a large Russian population), and thereby destabilizing the Ukraine. (NYT) And he's warned them against any scenario such as, according to him, was enacted in Georgia:
Yushchenko said Ukraine was too big and strong to give in to threats from Russia or a repeat of the war in Georgia, which resulted in Russia invading the country, routing its military and occupying large swaths of its territory. Moscow has recognized two breakaway Georgian regions as independent nations.
''Will they repeat the Georgian scenario?'' Yushchenko asked. ''For sure, no.''
''Ukraine is not Georgia,'' he said. ''I think that today to deal with a country like Ukraine in such an inconsiderate manner ... is not a good idea for anyone.' (NYT)
He says that the Russians have done in the Crimea what they did in the separatist enclaves of Georgia: give Russian passports to Crimeans to stir up their separatist sentiments. '(NYT)
Many Ukrainians "feel a strong bond with Russia." (BBCNews2 9-16) That doesn't mean that they want to be Russia's next project.
Some in Kiev fear that parts of their country could be next in Moscow's sights.
The Crimean peninsula is seen as particularly vulnerable. It has a large ethnic Russian population, and is home to the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
The Ukrainian president has made it clear he wants all Russian ships out by 2017, when the current agreement expires.
The Russians say they want to stay, and the issue has become one of the flashpoints in the increasingly fraught relations between Kiev and Moscow. (BBCNews2 9-16)
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Kharkov is going to host Euro-2012 games. The city will accept ten thousand fans from Europe. And none of them knows, that during 2007 year 10423 tuberculosis infected persons have died in Ukraine. Many of them have forgotten, that illness. Germany, Finland, Austria, Italy do not inoculate their citizenzs against this lethal disease.
Unfortunately, funds became insufficient and the Kharkov authorities made an original decision. Keeping within the limits of Euro-2012 preparation Kharkov reduces the number of tubercular departments. So, by March, 15th 345 places of 545 available will be reduced in the first Kharkov’s antitubercular clinic №1. But do not worry, it is a temporary situation: liquidation of last two hundred places and complete liquidation of the whole clinic will occur till the end of this year.
http://ua-ru-news.blogspot.com/2009/01/shvonders-struggle-with-crisis.html
Posted by: Alex | February 09, 2009 at 03:43 PM