Markov describes Party of Regions faction as Titanic

Kyiv, September 13 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The leader of the Rodina Party, Ihor Markov, has said that the Party of Regions parliamentary faction will split soon.

"What faction are we talking about? Everyone realizes that one has to jump into the first boat departing from this Titanic, and everyone is thinking about one thing – when they should jump," he said at a press conference hosted by Interfax-Ukraine on Friday.

"The atmosphere is abnormal, all of the deputies are scared. Everyone knows that our phone conversations are taped and no one hides this fact… There is a special unit that controls exclusively people's deputies, and I mean not only opposition [MPs] - trust me, they are monitoring their party mates even more thoroughly," the politician said.

"Since I became unwanted in the Party of Regions, they've tried to scare me or buy me, and they held explanatory conversations with me," he said.

According to Markov, when he refused to fulfill the faction's demands, they told him: "If you don't press the buttons, we will deprive you of your parliamentary seat, seize your business, and put you in prison."

Markov also said that if Party of Regions faction members attend parliamentary sittings and vote just as the faction orders, they receive $5,000, and those who deliver speeches in the parliament get an extra $5,000.