Ukraine's Poroshenko asks embattled PM Yatsenyuk to resign

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: Yahoo/AFP

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Tuesday asked Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk to stand down in the face of the government's perceived failure to fight endemic corruption and overcome its deep economic crisis.

Poroshenko's dramatic intervention came as opinion polls showed growing public disenchantment with the pro-Western team that took over the leadership of the former Soviet nation after the 2014 revolt.

Parliament was already considering Tuesday holding a vote of no confidence in the government after first listening to Yatsenyuk account for his 2015 performance and plans for this year.

A stony-faced Yatsenyuk arrived in parliament just moments after the president's statement was released.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/ukraines-poroshenko-asks-pm-yatsenyuk-resign-134642055.html

[bemildred]

1. A Way Out of the Crisis

In the village of Glebovka, on a road leading to the old hunting grounds of ex-Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, there is a small enclave of villas. Here, in the deep forest by the shores of the Kyiv water reservoir, sits a guest house that belongs to former Rada Deputy Mykola Martynenko, where confidential meetings between Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Ukraine’s wealthiest businessman Rinat Akhmetov took place.

Akhmetov was the chief political partner of Yanukovych and is now tacitly the strongest ally of Yatsenyuk, who faces increasing calls for his resignation. For two years, the prime minister has staunchly supported the interests of Akhmetov, which has brought him into direct conflict with Energy Minister Volodymyr Demchyshin. One conflict concerns Energorynok, the state company for wholesale trade with electricity, over which Yatsenyuk is considered to have substantial influence. It is alleged to have been paying for electricity produced and consumed in Ukraine’s occupied territories contrary to the restrictions imposed by Ukraine’s National Security Council.

This is just one of many examples of how Yatsenyuk governs the country according to the interests of business clans. During his premiership, Ukraine has failed to dispel the oligarchs’ influence on the economy. The government’s only major accomplishment has been reforms in the gas market, which were carried out by Andriy Kobolev, the head of state energy company Naftogaz Ukraine, and his team, who managed to maneuver and balance the interests of Martynenko, Rada Deputy Ihor Kononenko, ex-Deputy Ihor Eremeev, and oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky.

http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/a-way-out-of-the-crisis

[Xolodno]

2. Ukraine could end up tearing itself apart.

It was East vs West Ukraine....now its East vs. West 1 vs. West 2.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. Ukraine crisis: PM Yatsenyuk survives no-confidence vote

Ukraine's parliament has rejected a no-confidence vote in Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

The decision came moments after lawmakers voted the cabinet's work unsatisfactory.
...
Mr Yatsenyuk's government has been criticised over the economy and faces allegations of corruption.

Some 194 out of 339 MPs voted in support of the no-confidence motion - at least 226 votes were needed for it to be passed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35591605