Reform #3: America wins, Russia wins, oligarchy wins, Ukraine loses.
Ever since Tymoshenko signed that whorrible gas deal with Putin in 2009, Yanukovych couldn’t control himself.
In fact, he raced so fast to meet with Medvedev that his motorcade ambulance killed this man.
In Kharkiv, where the two presidents met, most Ukrainian reporters got booted from the joint press conference. The Russian ones stayed on and didn’t misbehave, which made it easy for both presidents.
Yanukovych finds it easy to give away what doesn’t belong to him.
Just nine days after he promised to rid Ukraine of a few bombs’ worth of enriched uranium — worth over $1B — the same story happens again.
No prior public discussions. No questions asked. No cost-benefit analyses. Except this one:
Medvedev: Our Ukrainian partners will receive a gas discount in the amount of...uh...$100 if the price of gas is higher than $330 per 1,000 cubic meters, and, if the price is lower, 30% off the contract price. [takes a deep breath] This discount, accordingly, is a real resource that will be at our Ukrainian partners’ disposal.
Yanukovych (ProFFessor of Economics): In the following 10 years, Ukraine…will receive a real investment resource that, our experts estimate, it...will be...provided by Russia to Ukraine in the form of this...uh...resource aid, specifically gas, worth…this sum totals approximately about $40B. The Black Sea Fleet will be one of the security guarantors...among the Black Sea basin countries. And we support President Medvedev’s initiative...uh...to review the issue of...to review the concept of European collective security.
Medvedev (waxes Putinesque): A real partnership step. Both on the part of Russia and on the part of Ukraine. It is the step we’ve been expecting for a long time. It is these actions that provide a test of true intentions of neighbors, friends, relatives...countries dear to us. [takes a deep breath] And Ukraine took that step today, as did the Russian Federation.
So here’s the deal: The oligarchs get the “resource aid” they need, and the slaves get the stabilnist they deserve.
Last, but definitely not least: The deal violates the Constitution of Ukraine.
Article 17 bars foreign military bases from operating on Ukrainian territory. There’s only one exception: “the existing military bases on the territory of Ukraine,” as stipulated in the transitional provisions.
Target ratification date: April 27. If the fleet-for-gas deal overwrites the 1997-2017 lease agreement, then Yanukovych should **** the Constitution and Parliament one more time.
Which probably means that the deal will be effective as long as Yanukovych remains omnipotent.
Meanwhile, the opposition has set out to impeach Yanukovych.
Tymoshenko calls for an emergency session to be held Saturday and welcomes everyone to an opposition rally.
Videos uploaded/embedded from:
http://www.pravda.com.ua/articles/2010/04/21/4951559
http://censor.net.ua/go/offer/ResourceID/156717.html
http://ictv.ua
5 comments:
Well, it seems then your elections were the same as ours. We elect between bad and worse. :P
Our new government will be inaugurated on the 25th of May (it is the latest day for it).
Good luck with the rally, Yulia. But, I suspect those protesters will be beaten silly (or killed).... Well, at least it's not cold outside like November/December 2004.
Interestingly, La Russophobe believes Ukraine suckers Russia, but Good!
Russia treats Ukraine like her province. I know what it is, because I also live in province (of Russia).
Ropi,
If there’s life after death, your government will go to heaven and ours will go to hell.
I hope the latter happens in my lifetime:)
John,
Some protesters got beaten a little bit, but no mass beatings took place.
So far, Yanukovych has taken pains to avoid the Kyrgyzstan scenario. Btw, I saw a man carrying a sign with the picture of Kyrgyzstan’s former minister of the interior.
Anatoly,
I agree that the Kremlin values the Black Sea Fleet for its occupation, not naval, role.
I don’t agree that Ukraine stands to gain piles of cash from the deal. It’s the oligarchs who stand to gain, not Ukraine.
Besides, this deal violates Ukraine’s Constitution and flies in the face of the 1997-2017 lease agreement.
Therefore, a post-Yanukovych government may declare it null and void.
Khabar,
Khabarovsk Krai, Ukraine and other provinces should work together to demand better deals from Moscow:)
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