Ukraine PM walks out of security session as tensions mount
05/04/2007 15:19 KIEV, April 5 (RIA Novosti) - Ukraine's prime minister has left an emergency session of the national security council the president convened amid spiraling political tensions, the premier's press spokesman said Thursday.
Denis Ivanesko said the session was addressing the current political crisis fueled by the presidential order Monday to dissolve parliament and hold early elections. He said Viktor Yanukovych would issue a statement at 3.30 p.m. Moscow time (12.30 p.m. GMT).
Pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko, who earlier Thursday refused to backtrack on his decree, ordered Yanukovych's government to allocate funds on the election campaign and threatened criminal liability for ignoring the order.
Yushchenko also reiterated his appeals to the security bodies to stay out of the conflict with the premier-controlled parliamentary coalition, which has defied the order to dissolve and continued work pending a Constitutional Court ruling.
"Law enforcement bodies must not be involved in political confrontations," Yushchenko said, also warning against pressure on court officials.
