BYUT to call SPF head on the carpet in Verkhovna Rada

May19200818:58

“BYUT will insist on a report in Verkhovna Rada of one of the two State Property Fund heads, Valentyna Semeniuyk. If VR gives in to BUYT demand and okays her dismissal, the president won’t be able to veto cabinet decision to appoint a new SPF head, Andry Portnov. I expect an uphill job tomorrow of trying to convince parliament to dismiss Semeniuk,” VR lawmaker Oleksa Hudyma told ZIK May 19.

There is no reason why BYUT would block VR tomorrow, Hudyma says. We were not surprised by the incumbent’s order to the prosecution to open a criminal case against Portnov. Portnov is a lawmaker and has immunity against prosecution, he added.

Commenting on the probe against Portnov, Hudyma called it part of Pres Yushchenko’s tactics to coerce the cabinet and disrupt the implementation of budget 2008 [SPF is responsible for the sell-off of state-owned assets, with revenues going into the budget, but Valentyna Semeniuk has sabotaged privatization]. Yulia Tymoshenko won’t be cowed by the president, Hudyma opined.

Finally, Hudyma advised the incumbent to call an early presidential election. “I heard comments on the present situation by former Ukrainian presidents and premiers, Leonid Kravchuk, Valery Pustovoitenko and Leonid Kuchma. They all advise Ukrainians to check who is at the wheel. To realize this, Ukrainian leaders must be put to the test of early elections in the fall, both parliamentary and presidential. Given the incumbent’s rapidly shrinking support, Yushchenko is better face the election and gauge the trust of Ukrainians in this way,” the lawmaker said.

Comment by ZIK

May 19, Prosecutor General Oleksandr Medvedko reported in person to the president that a criminal probe against Andry Portnov has been opened today.
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Comments

03:5620.05.08 Nestor
- Missing from the report is the basis of the alleged criminal charges made against the incumbent. If there is a case to answer then yes the matter should be addressed in an open court, but this could also be another tactic by the Office of the President to pervert tegh course of justice and undermine the activities of the government. The ownus is on the President and Ukraine's media to provide more information as to the allegations under review.