Professional leaves government
On Feb. 13, 2009, the Verkhovna Rada received the letter of resignation from the Minister of Finance Viktor Pynzenyk. This move was predictable after the sensational memo (immediately called a ‘secret letter’) he wrote to the prime minister and the government was given wide publicity in late January. In this letter he dared tell the truth about the impact of the world financial and economic crisis on Ukraine’s economy and the consequences Ukraine will have to face because of the government’s success in railroading an essentially unrealistic budget through parliament.
After this Pynzenyk remained silent. He did not meet with the press, and it is not even known whether he was permitted to participate in the negotiations with the IMF mission, which has recently finished its work in Ukraine. Was this the reason why the sides “failed to reach constructive dialogue,” as President Viktor Yushchenko noted?
Meanwhile, Yulia Tymoshenko, who received carte blanche for her further work after the no-confidence vote failed in parliament, decided to change the composition of the Cabinet of Ministers. Strange as it may sound, but Pynzenyk was not mentioned among those ministers who were to leave. Most likely, the prime minister needed him as a precious cover for her ideas and initiatives. One of The Day’s experts who has known Pynzenyk for a long while said, for good reason, that he was the sole professional in the government. Until he remained in the government, his name would secure one loan after another. His resignation is a huge loss for the government.
In an explanation of his voluntary resignation published on the Ministry of Finance’s website, Pynzenyk said: “This is not my first time in the government. I have always stood for a professional position. I have always been guided by the principles of having a well-balanced budget, minimal deficit, limited debts, financing the deficit from sources other than currency issue, etc.” He further added: “In the current conditions the professional position of the minister of finance has become hostage of politics. The minister of finance is not able to change this situation. Nor can he abandon his professional approach.”
I think that the minister has revealed a lot, but not everything. Apparently, he accepted the outcome of the IMF mission’s work in Ukraine as his personal professional defeat, although it appears that he has done everything he could in order to break through the government’s iron-hard, populist stand on the budget.
Tymoshenko promptly commented that it is the “weak” who drop out and not everyone can shoulder the burden. A replacement will be found and the unity of the coalition will remain intact. Is this really so simple?
