New Year's Party of BPP: Modest and Sad

New Year's Party of BPP: Modest and Sad

The president's political force is welcoming the new year in not a very cheerful mood: the political season proved tense and nervous, without any notable victories.

And with a serious conflict under the Christmas tree: Finance Minister Oleksandr Danyliuk publicly accused Yurii Lutsenko of colluding with the former owner of PrivatBank, Ihor Kolomoisky, and demanded the prosecutor general's resignation. However, at the New Year's party they tried not to talk about problems: both the president and Yurii Lutsenko—who, despite the accusations of switching to the other side of the barricades, still attended the celebration of his faction—and the other BPP leaders spoke exclusively about victories. How it went — in a report by LB.ua.

For the BPP New Year's party they chose a new office on Lavrska Street. On Thursday they sent SMS invitations to all deputies. A photo of the newly decorated hall was additionally posted in the faction chat. The party was scheduled for 19 o'clock.

“A party in the office? Somehow not dignified,” I say to one deputy in the parliament corridors during Thursday's evening session.

“We always have modest parties,” the interlocutor complains.

“Last year you celebrated in the ‘5 element’ (‘elite family fitness center’ — that's exactly how it's described on the venue's website, which belongs to Petro Poroshenko and his partners); is that modest?”

“There was nothing like that. If you had seen it—some little canapés, cheap champagne.”

An LB.ua journalist was able to see for himself — this year's BPP party was indeed fairly modest.

Many faction members did not even want to go to the celebration: they complained they did not receive an invitation message and learned about the party from the reminder “don't forget today at 19.00” in the party chat. Some were not invited at all, like the “euro-optimists.”

After 20.00 I finally manage to get into the inner courtyard of the Lavrska office. There are several entrances here, but most deputies drive in through the side driveway. The parking lot is practically an exhibit of luxury cars.

Photo: Lb.ua

The president was the first to speak at the party. While he was at the party office, security was provided by the State Guard Service, so it was not possible to get inside.

“Everything as usual: he said how well we worked this year and what decisive reforms we are making,” one of the deputies recounts a little later. “And he teased Hroisman. He said: ‘We thank Volodymyr Borysovych for finally visiting us, and not the congress of the People's Front.’”

And the president separately thanked Hroisman's father “for the fact that we have such a prime minister.”

Another LB.ua interlocutor adds that after his speech the president, standing with his back to Hroisman, once again mentioned his ally: “he is a good prime minister, let him work.”

In addition to the president, BPP party speakers included Prime Minister Volodymyr Hroisman, Prosecutor General Yurii Lutsenko, and Mayor Vitali Klitschko.

Each of these speeches, deputies say, sounded very triumphant. Mayor Klitschko, for example, boasted about the capital's budget surplus.

By the way, on Thursday the People's Front also held its party event. The prime minister was invited to the Front's party as well. However, as Arsenii Yatseniuk supposedly told his associates, Hroisman “did not dare to come.”

The NF party was also held in the party office. There was a light buffet.

“It was boring,” the deputies say.

But back to the BPP celebration. I was able to enter the reception hall just as the president and the State Guard Service staff were leaving the party.

Photo: Lb.ua

Prosecutor General Yurii Lutsenko slipped past me toward the exit, shaking colleagues' hands goodbye. He looked ruddy and happy.

The new BPP headquarters' hall is indeed spacious—with glass doors. The entire ceiling is draped with New Year lanterns. On stage, a cover band entertains deputies with Ukrainian songs in a “wedding style.” The musicians are all dressed in white—to match the stage and tables.

“This is B&B project. The best cover band in Ukraine!” one deputy praises the musicians.

To the right of the stage is a long white table with appetizers. There are not many: meat platters, cheese platters, several kinds of canapés, fruit, and three hot dishes.

On the left — alcohol: whiskey, white and red wine.

Around 22.00 the celebration was almost over. Only the most persistent remained: BPP faction head Artur Herasymov, deputy faction head Serhii Berezenko, Vice Prime Minister Hennadii Zubko, and perhaps about a dozen other deputies.

Seeing me, faction head Artur Herasymov and his deputy Serhii Berezenko immediately approach.

“What are you doing here?!!” Berezenko angrily looks at me.

“Don't kick me out, I've already been through too much,” I plead.

“All right. I'll say you're a new deputy. From the Radical Party,” Berezenko agrees.

We go to the table where single-mandate MPs from Lviv region Oksana Yurynets and Yaroslav Dubnevych are chatting pleasantly.

“Meet her, she's a new deputy of the Radical Party,” Berezenko introduces me to Dubnevych.

“Oh, welcome! Nice to meet you. Good luck in such important work,” Dubnevych seriously advises me, not understanding the joke.

Meanwhile, on the dance floor, Tetiana Rychkova and Olha Chervakova dance to “Chervona Ruta.” Deputies admire their colleagues and discuss Tetiana Rychkova's figure. It seems a good part of the faction is in love with her.

Photo: Lb.ua

“I didn't listen to what anyone said. I came there to eat. I was upset that the hot dishes were served so late. I didn't try them because by the time they were served I had stuffed myself with sausage. And there was no cake at all!” one deputy complains to me at the end of the celebration.

“A very boring event, the only thing I liked was the cover band,” his colleague adds. Everyone disperses.

Tereza Lashchuk