Yanukovych triumphs as Ukraine parliament dismisses government
03/03/201015:28
KIEV, March 3 (RIA Novosti) - Ukraine's new President Viktor Yanukovych scored a new victory on Wednesday when his supporters rallied enough votes in parliament to dismiss the government headed by his political arch-rival Yulia Tymoshenko.
Altogether 243 members of the 450-seat legislature voted for the dismissal of Tymoshenko's government, improving the chances of Yanukovych's Party of Regions to create the parliamentary majority he needs to push through his policies.
"After considering the issue of the Ukrainian cabinet's responsibility for the social and economic situation in Ukraine ... the Supreme Rada of Ukraine ruled to adopt a resolution voicing non-confidence in the government," the parliamentary decision said.
Yanukovych came to power last month after narrowly defeating Tymoshenko, a leader of the 2004 Orange Revolution, in a presidential run-off. But his authority was limited by the fact that his party, although the biggest single force in parliament, was in opposition to the so-called "Orange majority" led by Tymoshenko.
Yanukovych, whose power base is in the mainly Russian-speaking eastern and southern industrial parts of the country, was elected on the back of promises to improve the economic and social situation in Ukraine, badly hit by the global economic crisis. He also promised a more balanced foreign policy course, which would ensure good relations with both Russia and the West.
Just hours before adopting the parliamentary resolution, his allies renewed attacks on Tymoshenko, accusing her cabinet of reckless decisions which had harmed the national economy.
Tymoshenko, who arrived late for Wednesday's session, said she would leave her post if a vote of no-confidence succeeded. She promised however to give Yanukovych a tough time.
"He will report to the opposition every day," she said, addressing MPs. "We will be watching closely how things go."
On Monday, parliamentary speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn declared the Tymoshenko-led parliamentary majority disbanded. Yanukovych said he would meet parliamentary leaders later on Wednesday to discuss the prospects for a new majority coalition.
Wednesday's vote, in which Yanukovych's 172 MPs were backed by seven defectors from Tymoshenko's party and 15 members of the party led by former President Viktor Yushchenko, showed the new leader and his allies, including communists and a group led by Lytvyn, have a good chance of building a new coalition.
However, experts have predicted that Yanukovych will have a hard time handling any coalition of political rivals. They say he will have to compromise on some key issues, including the nomination of a new prime minister.
