Communist to head preparations in Verkhovna Rada for its first session

Following lengthy debates and numerous voting attempts, Communist Party of Ukraine (CPU) representative Adam Martyniuk was elected to head a deputy work group set up to prepare for the first session of the new Verkhovna Rada. Viktor Musiyaka (Our Ukraine, or OU) and Valery Konovaliuk (For A United Ukraine, or ZaYedU) were elected his deputies, and Socialist Party of Ukraine (SPU) representative Stanislav Nikolayenko as secretary. Such was the decision of deputy group members, with the motion supported by 26 out of 48 members present at the meeting.

Earlier, four candidates were put up to head the deputy group, Oleksandr Karpov (ZaYedU), Adam Martyniuk (CPU), Viktor Musiyaka (OU), and Stanislav Nikolayenko (SPU). During the voting, the largest support was given to Karpov, 22 ayes, followed by Martyniuk with 15, Musiyaka with 20, and Nikolayenko with 18. Then three motions were voted, with the one proposed by the CPU winning the vote.

Commenting on his election as group head, Adam Martyniuk noted that the voting results do not imply that the same lineup will be preserved during the formation of the parliamentary majority. In his opinion, every parliamentary party or bloc will play only on its own behalf, adding that his election was a kind of reconnaissance in force showing what will happen when Verkhovna Rada begins its work. Answering a question on whether he has an eye on the speaker’s chair, Martyniuk said, “We shall see what we shall see.” The deputy group will be divided into three subgroups, he said, with the first subgroup dealing with the opening ceremony, rules, schedules, formation of legislative bodies, and procedures for media coverage of the first session. The other subgroup will deal with electing the leadership, forming a majority, fractions, and committees. The third subgroup will provide logistical support for the work of Verkhovna Rada and its structures. As stressed by People’s Deputy Vyacheslav Kyrylenko in his interview with ForUm (www.for-ua.com), 90% of newly elected lawmakers wished to sign on with the second subgroup.

Martyniuk also said that the conclusions made by his deputy group will be merely recommendations and the only decision will be passed on the disposition of Solons’ seats in the session hall and on logistics support for lawmakers.

Although the deputy work group succeeded in electing its leadership, representatives of various political caucuses in the new parliament view the creation of a stable majority with skepticism. In his interview with Interfax-Ukrayina the Monday before last in Kyiv, the newly elected deputy representing Labor Ukraine (one of ZaYedU member parties) Yuly Yoffe expressed an opinion that temporary unification might take place, for example, during the distribution of major offices. He did not rule out the repetition of the so- called velvet revolution.

Commenting on the candidature for a new speaker, one of the leaders of the Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc Oleksandr Turchynov said that the candidacy will be put forward by the majority. If, however, a majority is not created, any chance person could become speaker, he added.

By contrast, a representative of the leftist opposition SPU Ivan Bokiy is of the opinion that the lack of a parliamentary majority will be a benefit to Verkhovna Rada as it will be a short-lived one, anyway. Creating a majority based on ZaYedU and OU is not the best way to set parliament to work and might have the same pitiful end we witnessed during the velvet revolution. Considering the fact that ZaYedU and OU both have their nominees for premier and will soon conflict over the issue of the presidency, he does not believe in any such unification, Mr. Bokiy stressed. In his opinion, a temporary majority on certain issues and not electing Volodymyr Lytvyn or Viktor Yushchenko as speakers will be the best scenario for new Verkhovna Rada.

Explaining, he argued that Viktor Yushchenko will not be able to organize the work of the legislature and any failure as speaker will only hurt his image. On the other hand, being used to the apparat style of work providing for discipline and strict subordination Volodymyr Lytvyn will never overcome this apparat syndrome in dealing with lawmakers.