Will New Administration Head Be a Master Schemer?

The former top aide confirmed that the President's "vector of actions is a sum total of all those vectors of pressure on him coming from different political forces." This statement can be regarded as an admission that those both the NDP and Mr. Kushnariov were squeezed from those same quarters with influence on the President. Incidentally, he further admitted that while he was running the Administration, it had stopped acting as "an agent provocateur of the sociopolitical situation," and that no one could blame him for engaging in intrigue. Mr. Kushnariov thus confirmed that under the circumstances Mr. Kuchma does need a master of political intrigue. When asked who he thought would succeed him, he declined comment, saying that the President will sign an edict naming his new Presidential Administration Head in a matter of days, and that his replacement will be a "well-known and powerful figure not belonging to any of the political parties." (Some sources pointed to Ihor Sharov who has two major advantages: an ability to work with the opposition so that it stops opposing and closeness to the Communist Party).

Yevhen Kushnariov denied the allegation that his quitting the Presidential Administration was just another transfer, a promotion in the election campaign hierarchy. "To say that I will take care of Mr. Kuchma's election campaign would be an overstatement," he declared, "but I will do my best to persuade the NDP to back Leonid Kuchma in the campaign." And if the party decides differently, he will "think what to do under the circumstances." Observers believe, however, that after the second round of the NDP convention he will not have to bother looking for a job.

Some analysts admitted that Ihor Sharov's appointment as Head of the Presidential Administration was highly problematical, primarily because he had decided to change his Deputy Minister's seat for one in Parliament (in place of a Deputy struck from the roster). In this sense heading the Administration would have meant even greater exposure than a ministerial post. Others point out that Mykola Biloblotsky is probably the only person capable of claiming Vasyl Durdynets's laurels as Cabinet troubleshooter. Mr. Biloblotsky effectively carried out the President's orders in Yalta and Odesa, courageously fought calamities, and is likely to handle any further assignments well. His Soviet nomenklatura record is quite impressive: first secretary of the Mykolayiv oblast Komsomol committee, second secretary of the Ukrainian Komsomol Central Committee, Ukrainian Communist Party CC inspector, second secretary of Cherkasy oblast party committee. There is little doubt that his appointment will be welcomed by the Communists, Socialists, and Agrarians.