Tymoshenko Business Group Decides Not To Splinter

Yulia Tymoshenko said on Friday that all but two of 17 Tymoshenko bloc MPs who defied faction discipline on Thursday had “admitted their mistake” and would remain in the faction. The MPs, most of whom are big businessmen, initially supported the Regions party’s drive to take control of the interior ministry. The two to be expelled were Vasyl Khmelnitsky, leader of the group that owns the main minority stake in Kievenergo, and Olexander Yedin, owner of Express Bank and transport company Interkontakt. Tom Warner: Tymoshenko’s use of her whip did help in this case to force Regions to retreat and agree to Tsushko’s appointment. But her faction’s big businessmen will continue to be a crucial swing sub-faction, strengthening Regions by giving them an alternative to the Socialists and Communists.