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Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

Communists Offer Budget Votes

15 December, 1998 - 00:00


Last Thursday began in Parliament with a scandal. The Communist faction
refused to register unless the issue of Ukraine's accession to the CIS
Interparliamentary Assembly was brought up for a vote again. The "rally"
in the audience was staged in keeping with the set scenario: blocking the
speaker's platform, shouting accusations, the works.

Rukh Leader Vyacheslav Chornovil, outraged, declared that he understood
now why Vitrenko and Symonenko (birds of a feather!) needed the Union.
The Progressive Socialists made no secret that they wanted Siberia back
(Mr. Chornovil said), so they could send Rukh nationalists there!

The Communist leader was further accused of open blackmail; his faction
promised budget votes in return for CIS IA. In fact, Comrade Symonenko
spoke into the mike, announcing that the Communists would block the budget
vote until the CIS IA issue was settled.

Oleksandr Moroz suggested, with a crafty edge, that accession to the
CIS IA was difficult because the President, favoring it in principle, had
not made his stand official.

Amid shouted accusations one could discern voices about dissolving Parliament.
Although anything but a fresh idea, one should perhaps bear in mind the
popular joke about things being planned by PA and coming out of Vyacheslav
Chornovil's mouth, for Mr. Chornovil warned that the budget's destiny was
tied to that of Parliament. ("You will get around to voting on the budget
when ordered to vacate the premises.") This warning is probably additional
evidence that history goes in circles. It remains to be seen what the players
in this game are really after: populist budget, a virtual reality one,
a hybrid, or none whatsoever. One thing is clear: Parliament will be responsible
for the outcome in any case.

 

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