Well dear readers, passions were of course running high yesterday in the RADA where the Ukrainian parliament was set to make two major votes.
The first regarding the ratification of the Russian Black Sea Fleet extention and the second on the adoption of the State Budget 2010……which should have been done by the last administration in 2009.
Watching proceedings unfold live on RADA TV, it was reminiscent of many things. Smoke flares were set off inside the RADA chambers giving the feel of being a fan at the Nou Camp football stadium on a particularly improtant European football night……or standing in the cordite smelling smoke clouds of an artillery barrage on a “Fire Mission Regiment” request to 12 FH70’s.
As the smoke cleared occasionally, you could see what looked like a re-run of the”rumble in the jungle” with Mohammed Ali in various sections of the RADA chamber whislt various politicans spoke and the Speaker was protected by 3 men holding…….umbrellas……from flying eggs.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8645847.stm#id8640000/8645800/8645869]
This continued for almost an hour until the vote was actually called for when some form of normaility…….at least normality as far as other parliaments are concerned in the Western World are concerned……..namely no more smoke bombs and no more fisty-cuffs.
The vote ratified the RBSF stay with 236 voting in favour……..meaning 5 of the majority coalition either were not there to vote or voted against it. None the less, the RBSF lease extention was ratified.
Next up, was the State Budget 2010…….very much based upon the gas deal struck against the RBSF lease extention……..and 245 MPs voted for it.
226 votes are required to pass any motion in the RADA as that provides a majority one 1.
I am not sure where the additional 9 MPs who voted for a budget based upon the finances received from the RBSF deal came from……..if they were against the RBSF extention.
How can you vote against the lease extention of the RBSF but then vote for a State Budget written around the revenue of something you opposed?
Anyway, after these two votes, the opposition left the RADA on mass…….and all other votes obviously passed which took place thereafter……..so let’s hope there was nothing important being voted about!
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