Quotable notes

"If the post-election period focuses exclusively on a game of musical chairs, where party leaders are more interested in ministerial portfolios and prized legislative committee chairmanships than reaching specific policy goals, then this election's success and the opportunity to move Ukraine forward risk being lost.

"Therefore, a parliamentary majority must outline its vision, the specific laws and government programs it wants to pursue, and, most importantly, find the professional staff to deliver results. Voters are expecting no less."

- President Viktor Yushchenko in an op-ed article published by The Wall Street Journal (Europe) on April 3.

"Right now a project is being put together to create a grand coalition [Our Ukraine and the Party of the Regions]. The people who came up with this project up their sleeve will get absolutely nothing in the end."

- Yulia Tymoshenko, leader of the eponymous bloc, speaking at a press conference on March 27, as cited by Ukrayinska Pravda.

"There are marriages of convenience ... in our case, there is no love but a marriage of convenience is possible. ... An agreement is when goals are clearly defined ... our main goal is to ensure economic growth."

- Rynat Akhmetov, No. 7 on the election list of the Party of the Regions, speaking of a possible coalition of his party with Our Ukraine, as quoted on April 2 by Agence France-Presse.

"We will not negotiate in terms of a banal division of posts. We must build a coalition which is based on encompassing national interests."

- Anatolii Kinakh, leader of the Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (which belongs to the Our Ukraine bloc), speaking after a meeting of the Our Ukraine political council on March 27, as quoted by Ukrayinska Pravda.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, April 9, 2006, No. 15, Vol. LXXIV

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