Ex-PM Tymoshenko says coalition formed in Ukraine's parliament
22/06/2006 13:22
KIEV, June 22 (RIA Novosti) - Ukrainian political parties have formed a majority coalition needed for the country's parliament to start work, the leader of one of the parties involved said Thursday.
The coalition deal between the "orange" parties that swept Viktor Yushchenko to the presidency in 2004 puts an end to parliamentary limbo that has paralyzed the former Soviet republic following indecisive March 26 elections, and sees Yulia Tymoshenko return to her former post as prime minister.
"The document [with lawmakers' signatures] has been handed to [the Rada's] secretariat," said Tymoshenko, who heads her own eponymous bloc.
Petro Poroshenko, former Security Council secretary and member of Our Ukraine, will become parliamentary speaker.
Under Ukrainian law, a coalition agreement has to be signed by more than half the MPs in the 450-seat legislature - the Supreme Rada. A total of 242 members of the Tymoshenko bloc (129 seats), pro-presidential Our Ukraine (81) and the Socialist Party (33) have put their signatures to the deal, which has ended disagreements over distribution of portfolios and the country's socioeconomic future.
The coalition has also formed a new government, which is to be approved by the president.
The "orange" trio has agreed to grant the Tymoshenko bloc the posts of deputy parliamentary speaker, the ministers of agriculture, economics, fuel and energy, coal, construction and architecture, culture, emergency situations, health, and finance, as well as the heads of the state property fund and the state TV and radio broadcasting committee.
Apart from the speaker's position, Our Ukraine will appoint the deputy prime minister for regional policy, as well as the labor minister, minister of industry, youth and sports, interior and justice ministers, and the head of the country's anti-monopoly committee.
The Socialists will hold the positions of first deputy prime minister, minister of environment, education, transportation and communications, and human rights envoy to parliament.
Members of the Tymoshenko bloc will run 11 parliamentary committees, Our Ukraine seven, and the Socialists three.
In the March elections, five parties made it to parliament - the pro-Russia Party of Regions (186 seats) led by Yushchenko's rival in the 2004 presidential race, Viktor Yanukovych, the three "orange" parties, and the Communists (21 seats).
The Party of Regions - frozen out of talks on a coalition at Tymoshenko's insistence - and the Communists remain in the minority and will hold no senior positions in the new legislature.
