Singer Ognevich resigns as MP; alleges colleagues serve clans, not public

Ognevich, 29, who represented Ukraine in the 2013 Eurovision song contest, was elected to parliament on Oleg Lyashko’s Radical Party ticket and served as a member of the parliamentary committee on culture.

But she has expressed disappointment with her fellow lawmakers.

“I see how unpopular, lobbyist laws are being created in this parliament instead of real and efficient laws,” she said, speaking from the podium on Nov. 10. “The interests of sponsors of political groups are being upheld. So nobody needs culture, and the corresponding laws will not bring you the big money that you are used to (getting) here as you might think.”

Despite her sharp tone, Ognevich’s speech was met with applause by some lawmakers.

“This is a feat,” parliament speaker Volodymyr Groysman said.

Party leader Lyashko hugged Ognevich and smiled after she left the parliament’s podium.

Critics say Lyashko may be satisfied with Ognevich’s departure, as it will allow him to fill the vacant seat with lawyer Tetiana Yuzkova, 52, who is next on the party list. Yuzkova currently is a member of the commission on evaluating judges and her late father headed the Constitutional Court.

On Oct. 7, Lyashko unsuccessfully tried to bring Yuzkova to parliament after lawmaker Artem Vitko announced his departure from the party faction, Ukrainska Pravda reported. But the Central Election Commission refused to allow this.

Ognevich, born under the name Inna Bordyuh, hasn’t appeared in parliament since her resignation speech. Lawmakers still must vote to accept her resignation. Her spokeswoman Vladlena Miroshnikova said she had no particular reasons for the timing of the resignation, but “a set of events led to the fact that she can’t stay anymore.” Miroshkina said Ognevich was too busy with her concert activities to comment personally.

This is not the first time singers have left the Verkhovna Rada before the end of parliament’s term.

In 2008, Okean Elzy’s popular rock frontman Svyatoslav Vakarchuk resigned, complaining about the “never-ending arguments between the parties and within the party.” He was a member of Our Ukraine, the party of then-President Viktor Yushchenko.

After their elections to parliament in 2006 and 2012, respectively, singers Ruslana and Taisiya Povaliy did not have stand-out legislative careers. They are no longer in parliament.

Ognevich campaigned in 2014 for the Radical Party and ranked No. 4 on the party list. But after being elected she wasn’t active, visiting only 57 percent of the sessions, according to the parliamentary website.

“Ognevich played her role in the election campaign,” said Volodymyr Fesenko, head of the Penta political think tank. “Now they want to bring to parliament a person who will work for party interests more professionally.”

Some observers say Yuzkova is close to controversial politician Viktor Medvedchuk, the onetime chief of staff to former President Leonid Kuchma and a close friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Yuzkova’s father was Medvedchuk’s university teacher, and Yuzkova confirmed to Ukrainska Pravda that she has known Medvedchuk for years.

“Of course, I know Mr. Medvedchuk as I have been a lawyer of Shevchenko Collegium of Advocates for many years, where he initially was a lawyer and then even a head,” she said.

Kyiv Post staff writer Oksana Grytsenko can be reached at grytsenko@kyivpost.com