Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko (left) and leader of Yulia Timoshenko Bloc Yulia Timoshenko (right) during a meeting in the Secretariat of the President of Ukraine, September 27, 2007
Photo: Nikolai Lazarenko
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Timoshenko May Be Prime Minister Soon
A new ruling coalition was formed in Ukraine yesterday from the Yulia Timoshenko Bloc and the pro-presidential Our Ukraine – People's Self-Defense. Timoshenko may become prime minister on Tuesday, if the coalition does not collapse before then. The departure of just two member of parliament would scuttle it. At yesterday's short and disorderly session of the Supreme Rada, chairman Roman Zvarych announced that a coalition had finally been formed, with 227 out of 450 members if parliament signing the agreement. Then he called a recess until Tuesday. Then Timoshenko was presented with a grandiose bouquet of roses.
Each signer of the collation agreement will be called into the Rada to verify his signature in the next five days. They will also be under intensive pressure to back out of the fragile coalition that has taken two months to create. Seven members of Our Ukraine – People's Self-Defense, including secretary of the Security Council Ivan Plyushch and former prime minister Yury Ekhanurov, did not sign the coalition agreement at first, in spite of the president's order. After they were called in for a meeting with the president, six of them signed the agreement. Plyushch refused to to the end, saying that the favors a broad coalition with the participation of the Party of the Regions. Plyushch sacrificed the possibility of becoming speaker of the Rada with his stand.
Boris Tarasyuk, former foreign minister, head of the People's Rukha of Ukraine and one of the leader of People's Self-Defense, called for the resignation of head of the presidential secretariat Viktor Baloga yesterday, saying that Baloga was trying to undermine the ruling coalition. Baloga was the campaign manager of Our Ukraine – People's Self-Defense and Tarasyuk's attack on him marks the public emergence of a battle within the party between supporters and opponents of coalition with Timoshenko.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Nov. 30, 2007
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