This article originally appeared at Off Guardian
The Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) of Ukraine registered a draft law offering parliamentarians to cancel the amendments that led to the conflict between the central government in Kiev and the governor of Dnepropetrovsk region Igor Kolomoisky, Vzglyad reports.
The latest developments come in a massive information blackout imposed by Western media over the tug-of-war going on between the Ukrainian oligarchic factions.
The draft document is published on the Rada’s site and was submitted by Vitaly Barvinenko, a deputy from the “Revival” faction. The MP offered to cancel the amendment, which reduces the quorum for a decision on the distribution of profits and dividends in joint-stock companies from 60% + 1 share to 50% + 1 share.
The explanatory memorandum to the bill Barvinenko pointed out that the procedure of the bill on March 19 was illegal and violated the rules of the Ukrainian Parliament.
On March 19 the Verkhovna Rada adopted amendments to the Law on Joint Stock Companies, which deprived Kolomoiskiy control of “Ukrnafta”. This legislative initiative was introduced to resolve the situation with the payment of dividends. At the moment, the state owns 50% plus 1 share “Ukrnafta” and cannot call a shareholders’ meeting of the company, because the representatives of Kolomoisky’s group “Privat”, which owns 42% of the shares of “Ukrnafta”, do not respond. As a result, there is a problem with the distribution of private profit and dividend payments.
The same evening, dissatisfied with the decision of the Rada to dismiss his protégé Alexander Lazorko and by the “capture” of the office “Ukrtransnafta” by Yuri Miroshnikov, the Rada appointed Acting Chairman of the Board of “Ukrtransnafta”, who arrived in the afternoon, accompanied by soldiers of a security agency. Igor Kolomoisky also came to office “Ukrtransnafta” with armed men to oust the new head of the company and reinstall Mr. Lazorko as CEO. In a speech full of expletives he explained his actions as aimed against “Russian occupiers” who had taken over the building.
After this incident, the president of Ukraine Poroshenko issued Dnipropetrovsk Governor Igor Kolomoisky a reprimand, and the Verkhovna Rada demanded his resignation.
On Monday, the Verkhovna Rada deputy from the “Block Poroshenko” Sergei Leshchenko said that Kolomoisky is “barricading” himself in the building of “Ukrnafta” in Kiev. Kolomoisky himself explained the fence his men built with the threat from the “raider” – People’s Deputy Igor Eremeev.
On the same day the head of the Security Service of Ukraine Valentyn Nalyvaychenko said that all the people in the office building of the company “Ukrnafta” in Kiev, must be disarmed. In turn, the president of Ukraine Poroshenko said that the governors will not have their own “armies.”
Today “Ukrnafta” issued a statement that the fence was installed to prevent attacks, and that the weapons of its guards were pneumatic, 112.ua reports.
According to the statement made jointly with the security company “Sekyurayti”, they had received information about “an attack planned for Sunday night on the administrative office of the company by a person who must act in the interests of certain financial and industrial groups.”
In this connection, on March 21 employees of the security firm launched the “planned activities aimed at strengthening the security of the administrative building of “Ukrnafta”, in order to prevent possible attacks by illegal groups, including the purchase and installation of metal fences around the building.” And on March 22 “artificial agitation was fueled” around the work to strengthen “Ukrnafta’s” security,” the statement says.
On Tuesday MP’s controlled by Kolomoisky left the party of President Poroshenko and accused him and the Cabinet of corruption, misrule leading to the death of thousands.
Vitaly Kupriy, a people’s deputy and associate of oligarch Igor Kolomoisky accused President Poroshenko of entering a secret deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin and for the failure of the reforms.
In particular, the politician published on his Facebook page a “black list” of acts of the President:
“Poroshenko continues to deceive the Ukrainian people”, – concluded the MP.
We note today a number of people’s deputies announced their withdrawal from STDs. The decision was taken due to the disagreement with the policy of the authorities towards the Dnipropetrovsk governor [Kolomoisky].
Meanwhile Poroshenko threatened to take away Kolomoisky’s battalion “Dnepr”
The deputy head of the Dnipropetrovsk ODA Gennady Korban also presented their claims to Kiev, saying that Kiev authorities were caught stealing and have consistently lied, so it was time for them to leave.
He stated this at a briefing in Dnipropetrovsk on Monday, “Ukrainian Pravda” reports
According to him, “Today it is time to bring order to Kiev.”
“In Kiev, which promised us decentralization, economic independence in a way, that is, financial decentralization, much more was promised – and nobody did anything,” – said Korban.
He urged the city authorities “to not lie to their own people.”
“Stop lying about decentralization, enough lies about the progress in the Anti Terrorist Operation, about the number of victims; we have accurate data that we collect all this time, the state of the Ukrainian army and security services” – Korban said.
He also said that now the law enforcement have “substituted Yanukovych’s regime.”
“Today Kyiv is occupied by thieves. And it is time these thieves get away,” – he said.