BY
It has been a
few months since any mention of Boris Lozhkin, the relatively low profile Head of
the Presidential Administration, has been made.
The above
linked entry, aside from a brief glossary of the man himself, dealt with Mr
Lozhkin’s stepping out of the media shadow during the protracted theatre of
creating a new Cabinet of Ministers and an apparent desire to enter
parliamentary politics and leave the Presidential Administration.
An entry into
parliamentary politics did not manifest, however the desire to leave the
Presidential Administration has not necessarily diminished – and to be fair,
having been a man instrumental in bringing experienced external players into the
Yatseniuk governance structure, only to seem them removed one by one and then
eliminated within the Groisman Cabinet (though acknowledgement should be made
of a solid and sensible choice in appointing Ivanna Klympush-Tsyntsadze) –
few could be surprised if he has had enough.
If
parliamentary politics are no longer upon the agenda for Mr Lozhkin, and the
desire to get out of the Presidential Administration remains – back to business
beckons.
Why he
remains in post now is perhaps not due to his desire to remain, but due to a
lack of desire to release him as Head of the Presidential Administration.
Candidates to replace him are few (to be charitable) – or perhaps more
accurately replacements appear in the solitary candidate of Vitaliy
Kovalchuk (his current Deputy).
It is not
that Ukraine is lacking in suitably qualified and experienced citizens capable
of becoming Head of the Presidential Administration – or Deputy Head
if/when Vitaliy Kovalchuk moves up one. By way of managerial
capabilities and the slight of hand to deftly, diligently and quietly control
the parlour games and intrigues within the presidential orbit and its
periphery, there is certainly more than one capable candidate.
This core
issue is whoever is to become Head or Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration
allowing Mr Lozhkin to leave, has to be first and foremost unquestionably and
unshakably loyal to President Poroshenko. Personal loyalty far exceeds
ability for President Poroshenko when it comes to appointing those closest to
him – and by extension granting access to the affairs that surround him.
To be blunt,
there are not many people that fit that category who are currently at a
politically loose end – Makar Pasenyuk perhaps. They have all already
been appointed – somewhere. Simply reshuffling them will still leave a
space that requires filling by somebody the President
considers unquestionably and unshakably loyal to him.
Indeed quite
when Mr Lozhkin will eventually be freed from the Presidential Administration
in the notable absence of unquestionably and unshakably loyal presidential
chums sat around doing nothing remains to be seen.
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