“Rumors that the presidential administration is displeased with Petro Olijnyk have circulated in Kyiv for some time now. He was accused of failing to ensure the victory of NUNS in the recent parliamentary elections,” V. Karasyov said.

Lviv oblast governor’s dismissal should be viewed in the context of Yushchenko’s plans to set up a new political party and realign political forces in Ukraine. Incidentally, Yushchenko’s chief-of-staff Viktor Baloha has resigned from Our Ukraine, something which indicates a desire to create a new pro-presidential party in which Olijnyk has no place, the analyst continued.

On the other hand, Olijnyk’s dismissal is part of a purge by Yushchenko, in fact, a continuation of the purge in which the president has made controversial appointments. One may predict that the wave of dismissals will soon hit the east and south of the country, notably the Luhansk oblast, the venue of the congress of separatists in 2005.

“The incumbent needs new and more influential heads of oblast state administrations. He is definitely out to shake up the local political environment and create positive expectations amid voters toward the presidential chain of command in rayons and oblasts,” he noted.

“Although Lviv has always been Our Ukraine’s electoral base, residents of Ukraine’s western regions have increasingly started to vote for BYuT. By launching a new large-scale political project, the president clearly wants to stop this trend.”

However, there are chances, Karasyov went on, that Petro Olijnyk will be kicked upstairs – to a new job in Kyiv.