Akhmetov, Kolomoisky control more than a third of Rada MPs, news site says
12 January 2021
About 100 MPs of Ukraine’s parliament have worked this
session in the interests of billionaire Rinat Akhmetov, while about 70 MPs have
worked in the interests of billionaire Ihor Kolomoisky, according to the
investigations of the bihus.info news site on Jan. 11. Such work includes
writing legislation advantageous to these oligarchs, voting for bills
advantageous to them, undermining disadvantageous bills, submitting amendments
and riders to bills, submitting complaints to the Constitutional Court,
submitting claims with law enforcement bodies, participating in parliament
investigative commissions and conducting media attack campaigns. Currently, the
Rada has 422 active MPs.
Zenon Zawada: We
identified billionaires Akhmetov and Kolomoisky as the most powerful players in
Ukrainian politics as early as April. And much of
the Ukrainian public understands this, with even Zelensky’s own 95 Kvartal
comedy troupe performing skits depicting the two oligarchs abusing their
excessive power.
While Akhmetov has been treading between the
pro-Western and pro-Russian camps, never committing himself to either one,
Kolomoisky has swung entirely to the pro-Russian camp since Zelensky’s election
in spring 2019. Unfortunately, neither of these figures has done much for
Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic integration and it’s apparent the U.S. is acting to reduce Kolomoisky’s influence.
So we see Akhmetov retaining much of his power and influence, while Kolomoisky
has reached his peak, facing much litigation in the U.S.
