Tymoshenko wants to use Regions as her cat’s paw against Yushchenko: Yermolayev

The expert explained why Yulia Tymoshenko is after a coalition with the PR: “Let’s imagine how, as of the following day, all Yushchenko’a and Baloha’s letters will be addressed not to Tymoshenko, but to the cabinet made up of the PR ministers. Given this, the tension between the cabinet and incumbent will balloon, while Tymoshenko will be able to fight Yushchenko using PR as its cat’s paw.”

Accordingly, Yermolayev claims, Tymoshenko’s role will be unique: on the one hand, she will play off the new cabinet against Yushchenko, on the other, she will engage in self-hype, showing that Party of Regions ministers do not do their homework. Thus, she will be able to withdraw her team from the war zone, replacing it with the PR. “She won’t be able to score much but anyway she will retain whatever rating she has,” Yermolayev believes.

However, Yermolayev thinks, the PR won’t agree to such a low-profit alliance as it will gain only a fraction of power and a fair-weather partner. Yanukovych said Dec. 7, Yermolayev stresses, that no coalition agreement has been made.

In a more plausible scenario BYUT and PR will join forces in tactical voting without any coalition, given a cabinet reshuffle and new speaker election.

“Snap parliamentary elections in March are likely, but everything will depend on whether the president will have a role in the talks or will be sidelined. If he feels he is being sidelined, he will legally push for snap elections because there won’t be any coalition,” the expert opined.