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Water Flies at 'Schizoid' Saakashvili in Yet Another Ukrainian Gov't Spat

© Sputnik / Nikolai Lazarenko / Go to the mediabankThe governor of the Odessa Region and ex-Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili
The governor of the Odessa Region and ex-Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili - Sputnik International
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An ugly spat among leading Ukrainian politicians has thrown the government into yet another crisis. Both President Poroshenko and his government have issued statements calling on all politicians to stop bitter feuds and work together. But it seems easier said than done.

According to Ukrainian media, water and swear words were flying across the floor at this week's meeting of the National Council for Reforms, chaired by President Poroshenko who was forced to adjourn it.

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The governor of the Odessa Region and ex-Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili once again accused the government and the Interior minister Avakov, personally, of corruption and of promoting various oligarchic interests, and called the volunteer units fighting in East Ukraine "informal armed groups", which is a euphemism for illegal militias.

Minister Avakov confirmed on his Twitter account that he wanted to punch Saakashvili but threw water at him instead. Prime Minister Yatsenyuk called the ex-Georgian President a "visitor" and suggested he should "bugger off from our country."

Much as Yatsenyuk — and Avakov — would like to see the back of Saakashvili, he cannot return to his native Georgia, because of a criminal case against him filed by the Georgian government. He is accused of using force to suppress press freedoms and of expropriating assets of his rivals. And both his enemies in Ukrainian government are well aware of this. They have mocked Saakashvili's record during his presidential tenure in Georgia as a disaster.

Saakashvili took exception to being accused of disloyalty to his adopted country and insisted that he is a Ukrainian patriot, just like hundreds of Georgians fighting on the Ukrainian side in Donbass.

An exchange of invectives continued with the Interior minister calling the Odessa Governor a "schizoid populist", a scoundrel and a "circus clown."

The minister also accused Saakashvili of doing deals with Russian oligarchs, involving prime pieces of property in the Port of Odessa. Earlier Saakashvili was accused of embezzling government funds earmarked to help soldiers who fought in Donbass.

The whole scene, according to those present at the meeting was a "disgrace" to the country.

Pressure has been growing on President Poroshenko to expel the 'unholy trinity' from the National Council that is supposed to promote European-style reforms in Ukraine. However, the president, like a good headmaster decided to reason with his unruly pupils, calling on them to "abstain from turning the fight against corruption into a piece of show business."

Despite the president's conciliatory tone, his government adopted a more belligerent stance towards Saakashvili. Without naming him, the statement by the Cabinet accused him of inventing allegations of corruption against the Ukrainian government which "destabilize" the country.

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They went further, suggesting that Saakashvili is not really interested in Ukraine's future but in grabbing power and bringing back the oligarchs. That President Poroshenko is himself an oligarch, who backtracked on his solemn promise to sell off his business empire once elected, was lost on his ministers. As was, of course, the fact that he himself had invited Mr Saakashvili to join a group of foreign "helpers" to run the "new" Ukraine.

The ex-President of Georgia is seen by many in Ukraine as a protégé of the United States, and his accusations against his opponents are usually timed to coincide with visits by Vice-President Biden. During his last visit a week ago, Biden made his displeasure — with rampant corruption in Ukraine and lack of any progress in fighting it — quite obvious. Observers were expecting this to lead to the downfall of prime minister Yatsenyuk.

© Sputnik / Stringer / Go to the mediabankVice President of the United States Joe Biden speaks at a meeting of Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada in Kiev.
Vice President of the United States Joe Biden speaks at a meeting of Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada in Kiev. - Sputnik International
Vice President of the United States Joe Biden speaks at a meeting of Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada in Kiev.

However, he survived an attempt to carry him away from the parliament's podium, a video of which went viral. After all, he is "our man" to another US official — Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland.

So, it remains to be seen who'll win this war of attrition within the Ukrainian governing class, but one thing's for certain — Washington cannot lose.

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