Thursday, March 05, 2009

Naftohaz and customs service officials receive awards

After the shakedown at Naftohaz yesterday [see yesterday's blog], the president's press secretary announced that the president fully supports the action of the SBU who have opened and are investigating a criminal case against leading persons in Naftohaz Ukrainy and the customs service. The head of state is personally controlling the progress of the investigation, she added.

Today Yulia Tymoshenko's official website reveals that several Naftohaz Ukrainy and State Customs Service employees have be awarded certificates of merit by the PM: "for their major contribution in guaranteeing the protection of national interests".

During the presentation ceremony she said: "We are granting these awards to those who gathered [sufficient] courage and did everything necessary for the benefit of the state, disregarding criminal pressure, repressions and criminal commands, and ensured Ukraine be provided with natural gas at a very moderate price, releasing it from bonded storage, and delivering this gas to the people. [and not to RUE..LEvko]"

The posting on Tymoshenko's website includes a photo of the award ceremony.

It is not unreasonable to conclude yesterday's SBU raid was pay-back for BYuT's assistance in ousting the president's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Volodymyr Ohryzko, in parliament earlier this week, and just a further round in the war of attrition between the president and PM.

According to Ukrainska Pravda, Monday's joint letter of intent to the IMF, signed by both president and PM Tymoshenko, concludes: "Today we confirm our readiness to act together decisively for the renewal of trust. The work ahead of us will not be easy, but we believe that joint actions will assist us to overcome the crisis. We call upon the opposition to join us."

The opposition? To act as referees in the dog fight? Don't drag them into this, for heaven's sake. What jokers the pres and pm are..

No comments: