UKRAINE: Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko fired his entire cabinet yesterday amid a political storm over allegations of high-level corruption.
In the country's biggest upheaval since the Orange Revolution, the president declared his administration had lost its "team spirit". Among those fired are charismatic prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko who, together with Mr Yushchenko, formed a double-act that led December's pro-democracy revolution.
"We need to halt the disappointment in society and make sure that the ideals (of the democracy revolution) are not cast into doubt," said the president.
A new caretaker prime minister, provincial governor Yury Yekhanurov, has been appointed to form a new cabinet.
Mr Yushchenko's move is the climax of nearly a week of accusation and counter-accusation among senior cabinet chiefs that began on Saturday with the resignation of Mr Yushchenko's chief of staff, Oleksander Zinchenko.
Mr Zinchenko went public with allegations of impropriety against two of Mr Yushchenko's top men. He accused security and defence council chief Petro Poroshenko (godfather to one of Mr Yushchenko's children) of staffing key bodies with political cronies. He also said Mr Yushchenko's first advisor, Oleksander Tretyakov, had a conflict of interest after joining the boards of a bank and telecoms giant. Mr Poroshenko hit back denying any improper action.
On Wednesday, parliament opened to a withering attack on the presidency by Volodymyr Lytvyn, accusing the government of manipulating statistics to disguise economic stagnation.
Yet it appears that political rivalry, not corruption allegations, provoked yesterday's crisis. Mr Poroshenko and Ms Tymoshenko have been jostling for power for many months, both keen to have executive power as Mr Yushchenko contents himself with a more hands-off role. Ms Tymoshenko accused her rival of improper conduct after he began talks with Russia over gas prices.
On Wednesday night, Mr Yushchenko made a last-ditch effort to bring his two executives together, holding late-night talks with them. These talks failed and, early yesterday, Mr Poroshenko announced his resignation.
Also quitting was deputy prime minister Mykola Tomenko, who said top-level corruption has become intolerable: "I have realised that some people steal and others resign," he said. Minutes later, the president sacked the rest of government.
Yet the stain of corruption is also lapping at Mr Yushchenko's heels. The Kiev media is full of allegations his son Anedry (19) has profited from his father's position, driving a smart car, enjoying a luxurious lifestyle and even taking a patent on the slogan of the Orange Revolution - Tak (Yes). Such revelations are damaging to Mr Yushchenko: his success last year was based on a claim to be scrupulously honest.
Just seven months ago, over a million protesters blocked Kiev and other cities, forcing the government to cancel rigged elections and hold new ones, which Mr Yushchenko won easily.