Ukraine: RFE/RL

From today's RFE/RL Newsline:

UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT CONFIRMS TYMOSHENKO AS PRIME MINISTER... The 450-seat Verkhovna Rada on 4 February approved Yuliya Tymoshenko as Ukraine's new prime minister with 373 votes in favor, Channel 5 reported. To comply with the constitution, Tymoshenko immediately gave up her parliamentary mandate to assume her new job. JM

...AND PRESIDENT APPOINTS NEW CABINET. Shortly after the confirmation of Tymoshenko as prime minister in the Verkhovna Rada hall, President Viktor Yushchenko signed decrees appointing a new cabinet of ministers, Channel 5 reported. The cabinet includes Anatoliy Kinakh as first deputy prime minister; Oleh Rybachuk and Mykola Tomenko as deputy prime ministers; Yuriy Lutsenko as interior minister; Serhiy Teryokhin as economy minister; Borys Tarasyuk as foreign minister; and Anatoliy Hrytsenko as defense minister. JM

UKRAINIAN PREMIER-DESIGNATE PRESENTS GOVERNMENT PROGRAM IN PARLIAMENT. Prior to the vote approving her as prime minister, Yuliya Tymoshenko addressed the Verkhovna Rada on 4 February, presenting the "Toward the People" program that she wants to implement with her new cabinet, Channel 5 reported. The program includes no economic indicators or operational time frames but outlines a general vision of reforms to boost the welfare of Ukrainians, meet European standards in state institutions, and create a civil society. Tymoshenko appealed to the lawmakers to vote on the program shortly after her anticipated approval as prime minister and the announcement of the composition of a new cabinet of ministers by President Viktor Yushchenko. The approval of a cabinet's program protects the prime minister from being dismissed by a parliamentary vote of no confidence during the following year. JM

UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT PLEDGES TO RUN HONEST GOVERNMENT. Ahead of a parliamentary debate on the approval of Tymoshenko as prime minister on 4 February, President Yushchenko told the Verkhovna Rada that the country's new government will neither "steal" nor give or accept bribes, Channel 5 reported. "We will conduct a transparent, honest, and responsible policy," Yushchenko said, stressing that there will be "nationwide monitoring" of governmental officials on a monthly basis. He also promised to conduct honest privatization. "Those properties that were stolen will be returned to the state, starting with the Kryvorizhstal [metallurgical giant]," Yushchenko said. He called on the lawmakers to endorse his nomination of Tymoshenko as the new prime minister. "I trust her and I believe that she will be able to organize the work of a national government. I trust her as millions of people [in Ukraine] trust her," Yushchenko said. JM

UKRAINIAN LAWMAKERS CONTINUE TO REGROUP. Parliamentary speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn announced on 4 February that one deputy left the Social Democratic Party-united (SDPU-o) parliamentary caucus while two others joined the Socialist Party caucus, Interfax reported. Lawmakers in the Verkhovna Rada have been regrouping for the past several weeks, eroding the caucuses that supported former Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych's cabinet, most notably the SDPU-o faction led by Viktor Medvedchuk and the Ukraine's Regions faction representing the Party of Regions headed by Yanukovych. The biggest beneficiary of these moves is the People's Agrarian Party led by Lytvyn, whose caucus has almost doubled in the past two months. On the morning of 4 February the array of forces in the Verkhovna Rada was as follows: Our Ukraine -- 101 deputies; the Communist Party -- 59; Ukraine's Regions -- 54; the People's Agrarian Party -- 33; SDPU-o -- 23; the Socialist Party -- 24; United Ukraine -- 22; the Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc -- 19; Democratic Ukraine -- 16; Soyuz -- 15; Industrialists and Entrepreneurs/People's Will -- 15; Democratic Initiatives -- 14; Center -- 12; and People's Democratic Party-Republic -- 10 deputies. JM