So, Yulia Tymoshenko will be the head of executive power. This decision was preceded by a brief and powerful speech by the President, in which he perhaps made an even more important statement than that during the swearing-in ceremony. He said clearly, “I will not take bribes. My government will not steal.”

The President said that he trusts his political partner, who took the seat of Prime Minister. By joint effort, they created a team and presented it to the Verkhovna Rada. This team, according to Tymoshenko’s optimistic statement, will be implementing the winner’s program for the next five years.

Creating this team was not an easy job. The President and future Prime Minister had only one day to make the final decision. Due to his personal tragedy, the death of his mother, the President did not have time to talk to each of the candidates. Practically none of the ministers had an opportunity to discuss the priorities of his sphere with the head of state. Let’s interpret this situation as a special trust. The ministers’ destinies were decided without their participation behind closed doors in heated discussions and with absurd ultimatums. Viktor Yushchenko put a stop to practically any opposition between Yulia Tymoshenko and Petro Poroshenko and that will obviously become a significant factor in the future political life of this country. At the same time, Yushchenko was trying to maintain a balance between the staff priorities of Lytvyn and Moroz. We can’t say that he fully managed to achieve all of this. At a first glance, in the Cabinet there are more people proposed by Tymoshenko than those proposed by Poroshenko. Nevertheless, Poroshenko managed to get to the territory of the Prime Minister in the issues of humanitarian and economic sectors and to promote his proteges in the oblasts. Tymoshenko, in turn, got presidential approval of Oleksandr Turchynov to the SBU and thus strengthened her position in the law enforcement bloc. Moreover, she managed to get Yushchenko’s approval of quite a few other appointments that suited her.

As a result, one can hardly call the new Cabinet a team. These people and their priorities and experience are too different. The consolidating forces of the new Cabinet can be the strategic vision of the President and Prime Minister, clear priorities, common rules of the game and a clear idea of the national interest. Government, which has made a commitment to produce new guidelines for Ukrainian society, business and the state sector, must follow these common rules itself. In theory, these rules are set by Viktor Yushchenko and Yulia Tymoshenko. Now they must be verified by practice.

Very high expectations and great public interest should be transformed into effective public control over the government’s activities, while plans should translate into actions and legislation. One should not expect that Tymoshenko’s Cabinet will instantly solve all problems, most of which accumulated for years or even decades. The opposition should not press this Cabinet to implement the five-year President’s program within one year. At the same time, the Cabinet must be inspired by the confidence that every citizen and every journalist will closely observe its every move. Undoubtedly, transparent policy and clear attempts to establish a dialogue between the government and society will help this government to explain to people its limitations and the necessity of certain unpopular measures.

Yulia Tymoshenko has become the 13^th Prime Minister of Ukraine. She was approved to this post on Friday. Someone may see a sign in this. However, Tymoshenko is one of the few people who refute dogmas. Perhaps she and her Cabinet will manage to do it this time. Much of what she said from the rostrum could be viewed with skepticism. From this moment the country will start closely to observe the actions of the new government. At the same time we are proud of our President, who can speak clearly and without notes, we are proud of our Prime Minister, who easily tells her plans, and we are proud for Ukraine, which has finally has its chance. This is the pride for the present and fear for the future. We have not had such pride a long time. We felt only disappointment and mistrust. That is why none of those who feel pride for the country and for the people who head it will never forgive the government if it turns out to be a mirage.