This was exactly how candidate Speaker Oleksandr Bandurka assessed the situation in Parliament (he is the next record-holder with 222 ayes, beating Comrade Symonenko's 221).
After the rest of the contenders (Messrs. Lazarenko, Surkis, and Bilorus) withdrew, Mr. Bandurka remained the only alternative. After the monitoring vote-counters representing the interested factions came up with 234 ayes (on purpose or as information leak), because this was precisely the number of ballots cast, word spread backstage that at long last the dye had been cast. A quick analysis and visual observations gave reason to assume that Rukh, after long hesitation, had given forty-something votes. An informed source reports that already during the vote Mr. Bandurka signed an agreement with Vyacheslav Chornovil on Yuri Kostenko as First Deputy Speaker.
NDP's Volodymyr Semynozhenko told The Day's Iryna Havrylova that it will not be NDP but at least five factions to nominate the Speaker in the next round, and that the fifth faction will determine the winner. As to which faction it will be, Mr. Semynozhenko suggested the Communists, Hromada, or United Social Democrats.
Photo by Valery Miloserdov, The Day:
Parliament's leading vote-getters: Oleksandr Bandurka (NDP with 222 votes) and Petro Symonenko (CPU with 221)







