Yanukovich gains coalition majority
Source: Agencies |
March 12, 2010, Friday
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UKRAINIAN President Viktor Yanukovich secured a coalition majority in parliament yesterday and lined up a close ally for prime minister, moving to restore stability needed to tackle a deep economic crisis.
Parliament was expected to vote on 62-year-old former finance minister Mykola Azarov to head the government, nominated by the new coalition led by Yanukovich's Regions Party.
Azarov, seen as a safe pair of hands but no radical reformer, told parliament after his nomination his government's main task was to redraft and get approval for a "realistic" 2010 budget.
"The country has been plundered, the coffers are empty, state debt has risen threefold," he said.
Yanukovich, narrowly elected on February 7 over bitter rival Yulia Tymoshenko, appeared to be acting quickly to consolidate power to end years of dysfunctional government and economic backsliding after the 2004 Orange Revolution.
The president proposed former Navy commander Mykhailo Yezhel as defense minister and Ukraine's ambassador to Moscow, Kostyantyn Khryshchenko, as foreign minister.
Parliament speaker Volodymyr Litvyn announced a new alliance of 235 deputies had been formed in the 450-member parliament.
It followed a vote of no-confidence last week that ousted Tymoshenko as prime minister.
"The coalition has been formed on the basis of an agreement signed by heads of the factions of the Regions Party, the Communist Party, the Litvyn bloc, the People's Party," Litvyn said.
Regions Party deputy Mykhailo Chechetov said the new coalition had met and chosen Russian-born Azarov, 62, as prime minister. Also, a close Yanukovich aide said he had signed the nomination which would be voted on later by parliament.
Ukraine needs a new government to adopt a delayed 2010 budget and restart talks with the International Monetary Fund on a suspended US$16.4 billion bailout package.
The IMF will be watching closely how the government handles the budget, after a series of broken spending promises - backed by Yanukovich's Regions Party - derailed the bailout package.
Formation of a new coalition following Yanukovich's victory had been necessary to avoid snap elections.
Tymoshenko's departure as prime minister marks the end of five years of rule by the leadership which emerged from the "Orange Revolution."
Parliament was expected to vote on 62-year-old former finance minister Mykola Azarov to head the government, nominated by the new coalition led by Yanukovich's Regions Party.
Azarov, seen as a safe pair of hands but no radical reformer, told parliament after his nomination his government's main task was to redraft and get approval for a "realistic" 2010 budget.
"The country has been plundered, the coffers are empty, state debt has risen threefold," he said.
Yanukovich, narrowly elected on February 7 over bitter rival Yulia Tymoshenko, appeared to be acting quickly to consolidate power to end years of dysfunctional government and economic backsliding after the 2004 Orange Revolution.
The president proposed former Navy commander Mykhailo Yezhel as defense minister and Ukraine's ambassador to Moscow, Kostyantyn Khryshchenko, as foreign minister.
Parliament speaker Volodymyr Litvyn announced a new alliance of 235 deputies had been formed in the 450-member parliament.
It followed a vote of no-confidence last week that ousted Tymoshenko as prime minister.
"The coalition has been formed on the basis of an agreement signed by heads of the factions of the Regions Party, the Communist Party, the Litvyn bloc, the People's Party," Litvyn said.
Regions Party deputy Mykhailo Chechetov said the new coalition had met and chosen Russian-born Azarov, 62, as prime minister. Also, a close Yanukovich aide said he had signed the nomination which would be voted on later by parliament.
Ukraine needs a new government to adopt a delayed 2010 budget and restart talks with the International Monetary Fund on a suspended US$16.4 billion bailout package.
The IMF will be watching closely how the government handles the budget, after a series of broken spending promises - backed by Yanukovich's Regions Party - derailed the bailout package.
Formation of a new coalition following Yanukovich's victory had been necessary to avoid snap elections.
Tymoshenko's departure as prime minister marks the end of five years of rule by the leadership which emerged from the "Orange Revolution."
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