Prime Minister Yatseniuk, Speaker Hroysman, Poroshenko says hi to the ‘federalists’

When speaking about the results of the former Verkhovna Rada, former speaker Oleksandr Turchynov noted that it seemed as though there had been two different Parliaments – before and after Maidan. He also called the newly elected MP’s to be responsible in their obligations. “The session hall has to be full every plenary day between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.!” Emphasized Oleksandr Turchynov, who has now become the leader of the People’s Front faction.

The President promised to call the ‘Varangians’

When speaking to the MP’s, President Petro Poroshenko emphasized that the issue of Ukraine’s federalization is not on the agenda. “100 percent of Ukrainians are now for a single country! The constitutional majority of Ukrainians view it as unitary – so no federalization! This is a friendly hello to those who advise us to federalize from the East or West,” he noted. The head of state promised to initiate large-scale reforms, the most important being the judicial reform, according to him. The president emphasized that he would initiate legislative amendments which would allow foreigners to work in the government. According to him, “no reformers in history shied away from involving foreigners in change.” Petro Poroshenko also promised to be the President of all of Ukraine and hear both the parliamentary majority and the opposition. Volodymyr Hroysman, the President’s close associate, became the speaker of the Verkhovna Rada. As such, five party factions – Petro Poroshenko’s Block, People’s Front, Samopomich, the Radical Party and Batkivshchina, – formed the parliamentary majority, which includes 302 MP’s. Arseniy Yatseniuk became the head of government. “Esteemed Mr. President, I lend you my hand to carry out everything you said… This is our common responsibility,” stated the Prime Minister.

Kovalchuk: not only politicians will be in the government 

Non-faction MP Viktor Baloha assures that the newly-formed majority has all grounds to work productively, however, he cautions his colleagues from excessive democracy. “In the majority formed in 2012 by Yanukovych, everything was grounded in gear. There will definitely be a majority now. And the decisions may get over 300 votes thanks to the members of the entire Parliament. I only see one problem: not to get too caught up in democracy, so that factions don’t fall apart into smaller ones,” notes Viktor Baloha. Non-faction members, Oppositional Block’s faction and two MP groups – Economic Development and Will of the People, – are outside of the coalition. Former command of Azov battalion, non-faction MP Andriy Biletskiy assumes that another group may emerge, composed of those who fought in Donbas. “The idea of a veteran, volunteer union of all those who went through the ATO is definitely around. This idea is absolutely right,” he notes. The MP’s promise to finish the formation of the parliamentary presidium and the government on Tuesday, December 2. Deputy head of the Petro Poroshenko’s Block faction Vitaly Kovalchuk assured that the government will include not only politicians, but also businessmen and civil activists. According to unofficial report, the Prime Minister categorically wants the People’s Front to retain the posts of Ministers of Internal Affairs and Justice, which are held by Arsen Avakov and Pavlo Petrenko respectively.