Bourbaki: Yatsenyuk is prepared to step down as Prime Minister if parliament votes him out
The Ukrainian Prime Minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, has said that he is ready to resign if parliament can garner the 226 votes needed for a successful vote of no confidence.
This was announced on the 14th of March after negotiations were held. These discussions were attended by President Petro Poroshenko; Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Vladimir Groysman; Yatsenyuk and leaders of the Verkhovna Rada factions.
“Yatsenyuk has said that if parliament can secure 226 votes in favor of a new government, propose a new prime minister and decide on a program of action, he will give up his post. I think that these statements create the possibility for the formation of a new coalition,” Groysman said.
The head of the Radical Party, Oleh Lyashko, has declared his readiness to participate in the formation of this new coalition. He also confirmed that the People’s Front faction is just as ready.
The chairman of the Samopomochi faction (Self-Reliance), Oleh Berezyuk, has confirmed that the party is ready to support the candidacy of a new prime minister only under certain conditions. According to him, President Poroshenko has put forward the current Minister of Finance, Natalie Jaresko, as a potential candidate for the post of Prime Minister. She, in turn, suggested possible candidates for the new Cabinet.
The head of the People’s Front faction, Maxim Bourbaki, voiced Yatsenyuk’s opinions on the matter.
“Parliament needs to secure 226 votes in favor of a new Prime Minister, name the new Prime Minister, form a new Cabinet and confirm the 2016 government program. Once all of these conditions have been filled, we will be ready to start negotiations regarding our participation in the future coalition,” Bourbaki said, quoting Yatsenyuk.
The head of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc faction, Yuriy Lutsenko, has said that the faction has decided on a candidate for the new Prime Minister, but is not ready to name him yet as they are waiting for Yatsenyuk to resign voluntary.
On the 16th of February, the Verkhovna Rada failed to dismiss Yatsenyuk’s government. For the first time in Ukraine’s history, the President was unable to make the parliament vote in favor of the resignation of the Prime Minister, even though he initiated the motion.