07KYIV3066, UKRAINE: PM VOTE SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 18

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Reference ID	Created	Released	Classification	Origin
07KYIV3066	2007-12-14 10:58	2011-08-30 01:44	CONFIDENTIAL	Embassy Kyiv

VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKV #3066/01 3481058
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 141058Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY KYIV
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4566
INFO RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L KYIV 003066 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/14/2017 
TAGS: PGOV PREL UP
SUBJECT: UKRAINE: PM VOTE SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 18 
 
REF: KYIV 3048 AND PREVIOUS 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor Kent Logsdon for reasons 1.4(a,b,d). 
 
¶1. (C) Summary.  The Rada approved an agenda for the December 
18 session that will include a vote on the PM, the 
Government, deputy speakers, and the distribution of 
committee chairmanships.  In spite of their best efforts, 
Rada Speaker Yatsenyuk and the orange coalition were 
unsuccessful December 12-14 in bringing another vote to the 
floor on Yuliya Tymoshenko's candidacy to be PM.  Since the 
December 11 voting debacle (reftel) and the President's 
December 12 renomination of Tymoshenko to be PM, the 
coalition has been unable to get Regions' agreement to move 
ahead with a vote, battling it out behind closed doors over 
committee chairmanships, deputy speaker nominations and rules 
of procedure.  Regions allowed the December 13 session to go 
forward, but again blocked the Speaker's chair and the dais 
throughout the day on December 14.  Meanwhile, the press is 
reporting that Yushchenko will head for Switzerland on 
December 18 for medical treatment; however, Rada deputies 
have agreed that Yushchenko can do the next introduction of 
Tymoshenko by letter and that he does not need to be in the 
chamber for another round of PM voting. 
 
¶2.  (C)  Comment.  Although most Rada deputies, both 
coalition and opposition, agree that Tymoshenko will 
eventually be elected as PM, the coalition's failure to bring 
a vote for Tymoshenko back to the floor is leading to 
increased speculation about the ability of the coalition to 
establish a government that will last.  In addition to the 
coalition's public disputes with Regions, the OU-PSD faction 
is having its own internal squabble about its nominees for 
the new government, with deputies angry about several of the 
Presidential Secretariat's choices -- especially the nominees 
for Education and Justice, but with some concerns expressed 
about Defense and Agriculture as well.  Young BYuT and OU-PSD 
deputies are frustrated with the long delay in getting to 
government, leading some to propose that the coalition simply 
ignore Regions' demands and hold a vote.  However, thus far, 
Yatsenyuk is playing the game and after two days of 
negotiations, seems to have succeeded in getting approval for 
the PM vote to take place December 18.  End Summary and 
Comment. 
 
No Action at the Rada 
--------------------- 
¶3.  (SBU)  After the failed December 11 PM vote, the 
coalition wasted no time in positioning Tymoshenko for 
another vote, moving quickly to resubmit her nomination to 
the President, who submitted the name to the Rada for 
consideration the morning of December 12.  However, Regions 
blockading of the Speaker's dais and the rostrum paralyzed 
the parliament for the day, while negotiations among Rada 
leaders continued.  On December 13, Regions took their seats 
to allow testimony on the functioning of the Rada computer 
voting system from the SBU, Prosecutor General's Office, and 
Rada IT staff.  The general consensus was that no problem had 
been found, technical or intentional manipulation, and they 
blamed human error on the part of new MPs that had led to 
improper voting.  However, they also could not conclusively 
rule out that there had not been outside interference in the 
computers, leaving both Regions and BYuT dissatisfied with 
the investigation.  Ironically, later that day the computer 
voting unit of a Regions MP short-circuited, emitting smoke 
into the Rada chamber. 
 
¶4. (SBU) December 14 saw Regions once again blocking the 
rostrum and barricading all possible paths to the Speaker's 
dais.  When Yatsenyuk finally addressed the chamber, he did 
it from the floor.  He apologized for the delays and said the 
negotiations were ongoing.  He announced Regions' proposal 
that votes on the PM, Cabinet, and Rada leadership take place 
Tuesday December 18, but said that the agreement was not 
finalized.  The Rada then went back into recess while 
Yatsenyuk and the faction leaders continued their talks.  At 
about 2:15, the Rada approved Regions' proposal to hold all 
the votes December 18, with 274 votes in favor (although 
ironically it appears that most of Regions' factions did not 
vote for their own proposal).  In addition, with 253 in favor 
(BYuT, OU-PSD, Communists), the Rada changed the voting 
procedure for electing the PM.  The Speaker will now read the 
names of all MPs in alphabetical order in roll call fashion. 
When an MP's name is called, he will have to announced his 
decision, and if he is for, he should also raise his hands. 
Then the Rada adjourned for the weekend. 
 
¶5. (C) MPs with whom we spoke in the Rada corridors were 
frustrated with the lack of progress this week, especially 
young deputies new to parliament, some of whom said that they 
would change procedures when they obtained leadership 
positions.  A number of coalition MPs confirmed that debate 
continues between OU-PSD and the President over Cabinet 
nominees, especially for the Education and Justice 
Ministries.  Regions MP Miroshnychenko told us that there was 
a debate within his own faction about the utility of 
continuing to block the rostrum, but said that a number
 of 
the older faction leaders were pushing intransigence as a way 
to look strong it front of its electorate.  Both 
Miroshnychenko and fellow faction member Shufrych told us 
that the blockade would continue until the coalition 
apologized for accusing Regions of manipulating the Rada 
computer system on December 11, but other MPs told us they 
believed Regions was stalling in hopes of deepening rifts 
within the coalition. 
 
¶6. (U) Visit Embassy Kyiv's classified website: 
www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/kiev. 
Taylor

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