euro|topics - The power struggle in Ukraine

Main focus of Wednesday, April 4, 2007

The power struggle in Ukraine

Ukraine's president Viktor Yushchenko dissolved the Ukrainian parliament on Monday evening. Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich immediately appealed to the constitutional court to reject the president's decree. Supporters of the two enemy camps are gathering once more in Kiev. Europe observes the events unfolding in its neighbour country with concern.

Le Figaro - France

The commentator Pierre Rousselin considers that "the dissolution looks more like a desperate gesture than a calculated strategy by the head of state. .... The institutions themselves, parliament on the one hand and the presidency on the other, have become the issue in the battle between pro-Russian and pro-Western camps. Contrary to the hopes raised by the 'Orange Revolution', Ukraine did not fall straight in to the Western camp, as Poland, Hungary or Czechoslovakia did with the fall of the iron curtain. Ukraine, a prisoner of its very different geography, has remained rooted in the Russian world. It is drifting on the borders of our Europe and the leaders who emerged from democratisation have not yet found the means to steer their country." (04/04/2007)

Népszabadság - Hungary

"The division of Ukraine into a pro-Russian eastern side and a pro-European western side won't change even in the long term. Nonetheless, it's in the interest of the entire country to eliminate the democratic deficits," writes Endre Aczél. "It would be an oversimplification to put all Ukraine's problems down to the fact that President Viktor Yushchenko wants to cooperate with NATO while Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich wants to cooperate with Russia. The real problem is that after so many years, the Ukrainian parliament is still not capable of investing the central authorities with clearly defined powers. The Ukrainian constitution does not clearly lay out the powers of the President, the Prime Minister or the parliament. In other words, the institutions of the democratic constitutional state are functioning on a pretty chaotic basis. The constitution has been amended several times, but always according to the current interests of the ruling coalition." (04/04/2007)

The Times - United Kingdom

Bronwen Maddox finds reasons to be optimistic about the current political crisis in Ukraine. "The most encouraging point is that both parties are turning to the Constitution and courts in support of their positions. … The best hope, for those who want a more European Ukraine, is that the elections deliver Yushchenko a friendlier parliament, and that he patches up his feud with Yulia Tymoshenko, former prime minister, forming a strong liberal, Western-leaning government. The worst is more deadlock: either because Yanukovich insists on waiting for a constitutional court ruling, which could take months; or because the election produces another parliament without a clear majority. … All the EU can hope to do is help Yushchenko to tug Ukraine a little closer towards the West but if it fails to throw him even a few sops, that will be an expensive mistake." (04/04/2007)

Diena - Latvia

Askolds Rodins defends the Ukrainian president's decision to dissolve parliament: "The balance of power within the parliament shifted shortly before last year's elections because many MPs kept changing their allegiance. This means that they ignored the will of the voters who gave them their mandates. In this respect Yushchenko is right. The president is the commander-in-chief of the army, and the defence minister has already announced that the armed forces will remain loyal... The deciding factor now will be the position of the Constitutional Court. Demonstrations could have an impact - if they gather as much force as during the Orange Revolution." (04/04/2007)

Der Standard - Austria

In an interview with Julia Damianova, Ukrainian political expert Vladimir Nikitin describes the situation in his country as "basically calm. There are some demonstrators, but they're what you could call professional demonstrators. They're in central Kiev; everywhere else there is absolute calm. People are discussing things, that's all... Both sides, the president as well as the government, are constantly violating the law. This is the main problem - the judicial reforms have not yet been carried out, the court authorities don't function properly and the people are not yet convinced that they must abide by the law... We were promised democracy, but instead the government is busy redistributing property and power." (04/04/2007)

Postimees - Estonia

The Estonian newspaper takes a sceptical view of the situation in Ukraine: "Along with Georgia and Moldavia, Ukraine is one of the major recipients of aid from Estonia. As a member of the former Eastern Bloc, we know exactly how important it is to look to the West and that the prospect of EU and NATO membership can open a new chapter in the history of a country. But outstretched arms won't help if a country isn't willing or able to take the path to democracy, and if its politicians won't cooperate... Now the constitutional court will have to sort out the dispute between Yushchenko, Yanukovich and Tymoshenko, because new elections won't solve anything. Yanukovich would win and the EU would have to watch the tragedy and hope for better times." (04/04/2007)

» To the complete press review of Wednesday, April 4, 2007

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