Unity In Ukraine At Last?

Despite my feelings about any possible coalition between the Party of Regions and Our Ukraine, things seem to be moving forwards. Or are they still stuck in neutral? It's hard to tell with all the conflicting reports at the moment.

There has been much talk today of a National Unity Declaration - basically a document to be negotiated over and agreed to by all parliamentary sides - specifying and committing any future government to safeguarding freedom of speech, Ukraine's territorial integrity, liberal economic reforms, European integration efforts and support for a single national language, Ukrainian (it's a trap Yushchenko! See yesterday's post)

Basically the N.U.D will allow NSNU to join up with PoR in government under the cover of human rights. Listening to Roman Bezsmertny banging on about 'preserving the ideals of the Orange Revolution' had me in fits. Why would the Communists and Regions, who were opposed to the Revolution and everything that the Cabinet of Minister's has done in the past year and a half, suddenly do a U-Turn in the direction of European values? It's quite apparent Bezsmertny is talking sh*t and even the rubbish coming out of his mouth is said with little conviction.

So who can we expect in any government of National Unity? Well as I said yesterday, the Communists are here to stay, due to the large bribes they may have accepted to join the government. Either Our Ukraine puts up with that and joins the coalition (which I think they eventually will - I mean they're joining the PoR. Have they got any morals left?) or sit sulking.

As for who get's what post? Well Yushchenko already gets to nominate the Foreign and Defence ministries under the current constitution. Despite what some people are claiming, I can't see NSNU ever getting the Interior Minister portfolio under a Yanukovych government.

Looking at things logically Regions will currently have to split the main posts 3 ways - giving a power ministry to the KPU and Socialists, and leaving the rest for themselves. Regions will naturaly take the Finance/Economic portfolios, which leaves only the Interior post left. I don't think the Communists will be too happy if they are left picking up scraps such as Minister for Culture - therefore Our Ukraine can discount any chance of controlling the police (which would be the best chance to safeguard human rights).

So either Our Ukraine accepts a lesser post such as Justice or Health, or waits in opposition. As I outlined yesterday, Region's don't really need NSNU. They have their majority - all allegedly paid off and thus in their back pockets for the next 4 years. Therefore even if Yushchenko does join the government, expect his ministers to be out on their backsides as soon as they so much as disagree with Yanukovych.

It's a very sad situation but as always Yulia Tymoshenko is brilliant. She must clearly now accept that NSNU are as much traitors as Moroz - repeatedly saying no negotiations are happening with PoR and then 'chatting' to them by night. She most definitely has the quote of the day:

"In not a single democratic country in the world is it possible to unite all political forces." That's the trouble Yulia. Ukraine is looking less and less like a Democracy and more like a Oligarchy where parties can be bought off with each passing day.