Ukraine's premier says he will take part in elections
04 April 2007
Published in Bloomberg
Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych said his party will take part in early parliamentary elections on May 27 and win, a day after appealing to the nation's constitutional court to block the vote.
President Viktor Yushchenko, locked in a battle for political supremacy with Yanukovych since the last elections a year ago, dissolved parliament on April 3. Yushchenko accused his rival of illegally coaxing opposition lawmakers to join his coalition to build up support for a noconfidence vote against him.
``We are not afraid of elections, because we are sure of our victory,'' Yanukovych said in a statement on his Web site. ``If the president and the opposition insist on early elections and tensions reach a high point, then we will participate.''
Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych said his party will take part in early parliamentary elections on May 27 and win, a day after appealing to the nation's constitutional court to block the vote.
President Viktor Yushchenko, locked in a battle for political supremacy with Yanukovych since the last elections a year ago, dissolved parliament on April 3. Yushchenko accused his rival of illegally coaxing opposition lawmakers to join his coalition to build up support for a noconfidence vote against him.
``We are not afraid of elections, because we are sure of our victory,'' Yanukovych said in a statement on his Web site. ``If the president and the opposition insist on early elections and tensions reach a high point, then we will participate.''
Ukraine's most powerful politicians are wrestling
over the extent of presidential power and foreign
policy in the former Soviet state. Yushchenko seeks
to join the European Union and NATO while the
premier wants closer ties with Russia. The EU
appealed for calm as thousands of Yanukovych
supporters flooded into Kiev's central square in
the largest protest since the 2004 Orange
Revolution. Lawmakers loyal to Yanukovych appealed
to the Constitutional Court yesterday to block
Yushchenko's dissolution of parliament and order to
hold elections. The nation's highest court said
yesterday it will announce in 15 days whether it
intends to issue a judgment on Yushchenko's
order.
Court Interference?
Yanukovych today maintained his opposition to the elections and accused Yushchenko of trying to influence the court. Oleksandr Shapoval, Yushchenko's representative in the court, denied the accusation.
The head of the court was forced to return to his post by other constitutional judges after stepping down, according to Olena Lukash, a deputy minister in the government, in a broadcast by Ukrainian TV channel 5.
``Only the Constitutional Court can decide whether the president had the right to dismiss parliament,'' Yanukovych said at a Cabinet meeting in Kiev today broadcast live on television. ``But President Yushchenko and his office are putting pressure'' on the court, ``so that even the head of the court will quit his post today.''
Gathering Support
Yushchenko said he was forced to dissolve the 450- member assembly because the prime minister was illegally attracting opposition lawmakers, including some from the president's Our Ukraine party, to the coalition.
Yanukovych's coalition controlled 238 seats when it was formed in August last year. It has since recruited 22 opposition lawmakers and seeks to gain 40 more. That would hand the premier the two-thirds support he needs to override presidential vetoes and even oust the president. Around 10,000 Yanukovych supporters came to Kiev, said police officer Vasyl Kravets. Around 5,000 of them were blocking the president's office, demanding Yushchenko cancel his order. The rest are standing on the main square.
``If it is needed, we will physically block Yushchenko's house tomorrow,'' said Transport Minister Mykola
Rudkovskyi in an address to the crowd. ``The Cabinet is not sure about its future, so they have to create an illusion of the nation's support,'' said Viktor Baloha, the head of Yushchenko's staff, in an e-mailed statement today. ``But it will not help them avoid early elections'' and ``keep their posts.''
Opinion Poll
Even so, opposition parties, including the president's, would be backed by 29.9 percent of voters if early election were held now, according to a Feb. 27 to March 16 survey of 11,114 people by the Kiev, Ukraine-based Razumko Center for Economy and Politics Studies. The poll had a margin of error of 1 percent.
Yanukovych's majority would be supported by 34.1 percent of voters.
The two mens' rivalry began during the 2004 presidential campaign. Yushchenko called for closer ties with the West, while Yanukovych, who was backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, to restore traditional links to Russia. Ukraine is the main thoroughfare for most Russian natural gas heading to west Europe.
During the campaign, Yushchenko was poisoned, leaving his face scarred, probably for life.
Yanukovych won the presidential elections in October, sparking nationwide protests that later became known as the Orange Revolution, for the official color of Yushchenko's Our Ukraine movement. The results were later ruled fraudulent and Yushchenko won a rerun poll held in December.
Yanukovych Win
Yanukovych became premier eight months ago after his party won the most votes in the national elections, and went on to form a coalition with Communist and Socialist parties. Since then he has won passage of laws that erode the president's powers and has vowed to unseat him by winning the 300 seats needed.
``We expect a compromise agreement will be reached, alleviating the need for early elections, albeit this might still take some weeks to achieve,'' said Tim Ash, the managing director at Bear Stearns International Ltd., in an emailed note today. ``The winners in all this will likely be Yanukovych, who will finally exorcise the ghosts of his failed 2004 presidential bid.''
Yanukovych has met today with ambassadors from the Group of Eight leading nations, just as Yushchenko did yesterday.
``My cabinet has been making the economy and investment grow,'' Yanukovych said, addressing the ambassadors, according to remarks broadcast on Channel 5. ``But Yushchenko, in breach of the constitution, is ruining the stability necessary for normal development.''
Ukrainians' personal income grew almost 27 percent last year, the state statistics office said in January. Economic growth accelerated to 7.1 percent in 2006 from 2.7 percent a year earlier, helped by surging industrial output, the statistics office said on March 2.
Industrial output jumped 6.2 percent in 2006, double the pace of the previous year, the statistics office reported on Jan. 12.
Court Interference?
Yanukovych today maintained his opposition to the elections and accused Yushchenko of trying to influence the court. Oleksandr Shapoval, Yushchenko's representative in the court, denied the accusation.
The head of the court was forced to return to his post by other constitutional judges after stepping down, according to Olena Lukash, a deputy minister in the government, in a broadcast by Ukrainian TV channel 5.
``Only the Constitutional Court can decide whether the president had the right to dismiss parliament,'' Yanukovych said at a Cabinet meeting in Kiev today broadcast live on television. ``But President Yushchenko and his office are putting pressure'' on the court, ``so that even the head of the court will quit his post today.''
Gathering Support
Yushchenko said he was forced to dissolve the 450- member assembly because the prime minister was illegally attracting opposition lawmakers, including some from the president's Our Ukraine party, to the coalition.
Yanukovych's coalition controlled 238 seats when it was formed in August last year. It has since recruited 22 opposition lawmakers and seeks to gain 40 more. That would hand the premier the two-thirds support he needs to override presidential vetoes and even oust the president. Around 10,000 Yanukovych supporters came to Kiev, said police officer Vasyl Kravets. Around 5,000 of them were blocking the president's office, demanding Yushchenko cancel his order. The rest are standing on the main square.
``If it is needed, we will physically block Yushchenko's house tomorrow,'' said Transport Minister Mykola
Rudkovskyi in an address to the crowd. ``The Cabinet is not sure about its future, so they have to create an illusion of the nation's support,'' said Viktor Baloha, the head of Yushchenko's staff, in an e-mailed statement today. ``But it will not help them avoid early elections'' and ``keep their posts.''
Opinion Poll
Even so, opposition parties, including the president's, would be backed by 29.9 percent of voters if early election were held now, according to a Feb. 27 to March 16 survey of 11,114 people by the Kiev, Ukraine-based Razumko Center for Economy and Politics Studies. The poll had a margin of error of 1 percent.
Yanukovych's majority would be supported by 34.1 percent of voters.
The two mens' rivalry began during the 2004 presidential campaign. Yushchenko called for closer ties with the West, while Yanukovych, who was backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, to restore traditional links to Russia. Ukraine is the main thoroughfare for most Russian natural gas heading to west Europe.
During the campaign, Yushchenko was poisoned, leaving his face scarred, probably for life.
Yanukovych won the presidential elections in October, sparking nationwide protests that later became known as the Orange Revolution, for the official color of Yushchenko's Our Ukraine movement. The results were later ruled fraudulent and Yushchenko won a rerun poll held in December.
Yanukovych Win
Yanukovych became premier eight months ago after his party won the most votes in the national elections, and went on to form a coalition with Communist and Socialist parties. Since then he has won passage of laws that erode the president's powers and has vowed to unseat him by winning the 300 seats needed.
``We expect a compromise agreement will be reached, alleviating the need for early elections, albeit this might still take some weeks to achieve,'' said Tim Ash, the managing director at Bear Stearns International Ltd., in an emailed note today. ``The winners in all this will likely be Yanukovych, who will finally exorcise the ghosts of his failed 2004 presidential bid.''
Yanukovych has met today with ambassadors from the Group of Eight leading nations, just as Yushchenko did yesterday.
``My cabinet has been making the economy and investment grow,'' Yanukovych said, addressing the ambassadors, according to remarks broadcast on Channel 5. ``But Yushchenko, in breach of the constitution, is ruining the stability necessary for normal development.''
Ukrainians' personal income grew almost 27 percent last year, the state statistics office said in January. Economic growth accelerated to 7.1 percent in 2006 from 2.7 percent a year earlier, helped by surging industrial output, the statistics office said on March 2.
Industrial output jumped 6.2 percent in 2006, double the pace of the previous year, the statistics office reported on Jan. 12.