Our Ukraine Puts The Brakes On Coalition Talks.

Following the Socialist Party’s announcement yesterday that it had signed a agreement that would have given the Yulia Tymoshenko Block (BYT) over 50% of the seats in the new government and opened the door to Tymoshenko’s return as Prime Minster, Our Ukraine suspend coalition talks with the other ‘orange’ parties for what the party called their use of “ultimatums.”  BYT responded by accusing Our Ukraine of trying to derail the coalition talks in order to make a deal with the Party of Regions. Regions has called the events of the past few days an “orange spectacle,” and several party members have said that the coalition in the new Rada will be centered around their party. Concorde Capital:  Our Ukraine’s move comes as no shock. The majority of the party (the President included) are more than leery of giving Tymoshenko too much power in the new government.  Our sources have suggested that Our Ukriane’s main concern was that Tymoshenko wanted not only the PM seat but also to make Socialist Party leader Oleksander Moroz Rada Speaker, which would have severely weakened Our Ukraine in the new government.  Though we do not entirely rule out the possibility of a Regions-Our Ukraine coalition, we still believe that the risks for Yushchenko and company are too great.  Look for the bickering and name calling to continue until the Rada starts work on the May 25th.