Before summer break deputies managed to introduce changes in Azarov’s government, dismissing the Vice-Prime Minister for Humanitarian Affairs Volodymyr Semynozhenko and the Head of Emergency Ministry Nestor Shufrych. At the same time, the representatives of parliamentary majority did not support the resignation of the Minister of Fuel and Energy Yuri Boyko and the Head of the Security Service Valerij Khoroshkovskyj, and draft resolutions on resignation of Serhiy Tihipko and Economy Minister Vasyl Tsushko were not even put to a vote. The newspaper “Krymskaya pravda” asked the director of political and legal programmes of Razumkov Centre Yuriy Yakymenko for a comment.
— Is Serhiy Tihipko’s resignation still possible in the near future?
Tihipko is not a member of the Yanukovych’s political team. The big dilemma he is facing today is whether to leave the Cabinet before or after the local elections. In first case, he risks loosing his authority and administrative resources. In case of a second option, he risks linking himself too closely to the government, and hence losing his independence together with the level of his electorate support. A similar example we have already had — is the Lytvyn Bloc. It is essential for Tihipko to accumulate the so-called “excusing potential” for his eventual leave, this is to say: “I would have done it — but I was not allowed to”. In relation to some high-profile issues he made contradictory statements, for example, the appraisal of the tax code. Today for the country’s ruling elite is not yet beneficial to remove Tihipko from the office because he serves as the main negotiator with the International Monetary Fund.
