Ukraine PM Yatseniuk resigns - Finally!

Ukraine PM Yatseniuk resigns – YouTube

I have taken the decision to resign as Prime Minister of Ukraine. On Tuesday, April 12 my request will be submitted to the Parliament. The political crisis in the country was created artificially. The desire to change one person blinded politicians and paralyzed their political will for real change. The process of changing the Government turned into a mindless running in place.

We cannot allow destabilization of the executive branch during a war. This would be inevitable, if after this resignation a new Government of Ukraine is not selected immediately. The Parliamentary faction of the Block of Petro Poroshenko has nominated Volodymyr Groysman to the post of Prime Minister. Having done everything to ensure stability and continuity of our course, I declare my decision to transfer the obligations and responsibilities of the Head of Government of Ukraine. This Government is the best in the history of Ukraine. Both of the last two Cabinets were unique. They were the first manifestations of New Ukraine. I thank those colleagues who have acted honestly and selflessly.

Over the past two years of war, my fellow party members from People’s Front faction have been a pillar of support to the Government in Parliament during difficult unpopular, but necessary reforms.

I thank People’s Front for its support. Please support my decision and continue our joint work together. People’s Front remains in the coalition because today it is the only way to defend the state. I thank our nation, society, civil society activists, volunteers; I thank each and every one of you for your endurance and patience.

As of today my goals are broader than the authority of the Head of Government. New electoral law. Constitutional reform. Judicial reform. Coalition control over the direction of the new Government. International support of Ukraine. Ukraine’s membership in the European Union and NATO. This is only a part of my program.

The core of our problems is not purely political. It is ethical. As in our everyday lives, politics is the result of morality – our ethical standards. If dignity and morality require changing the political rules, then changing these rules is certain to occur.

http://www.fort-russ.com/2016/04/yatsenyuk-announces-resignation.html 

Yatsenyuk Goes – Finally!
Alexander Mercouris

After an unnecessarily protracted government crisis Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk has finally announced he will resign.

This opens the way for Poroshenko’s close ally and political associate Volodymyr Groysman to form a government.

There is wide speculation about what trade-off Yatsenyuk was able to secure for agreeing to go.

The political reality is however that his support in Ukraine collapsed months ago. The one thing that has kept him in office has been the backing of the US.

It seems that Poroshenko’s recent visit to the US – where he met with Obama and Biden – was principally to secure US approval for Yatsenyuk’s removal.

To what extent Yatsenyuk will continue to remain an important figure in Ukrainian politics is debatable. He was never popular to start with and over the course of his time as Prime Minister such popularity as he had has collapsed.

It is possible that in time Yatsenyuk will come to see this for himself, in which case a comfortable post in some university or think-tank in the US may be what lies in store.