The governing coalition in Ukraine collapsed yesterday in a crisis brought on by Russia’s war with Georgia, raising the prospect of the country being knocked off its pro-Western course.
“I officially announce the collapse of the coalition of democratic forces,” parliament speaker Arseny Yatsenyuk told lawmakers.
“I would not call this an apocalypse. It is a challenge for democracy, but I hope we will overcome this challenge together,” he said.
Less than four years after Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko joined together in the “Orange Revolution” against a Moscow-backed presidential candidate, their political marriage lies in tatters.
Tensions between them came to a head last month following Russia’s war with Georgia, with Yushchenko’s allies accusing Tymoshenko of “high treason” for not supporting Georgia enough. Tymoshenko rejected the charge, saying she is no Kremlin ally.
Meanwhile, European officials have warned Ukraine could be the next target for interference by Russia because of the high proportion of Russian-speakers and tensions over Russia’s Black Sea fleet, based in southern Ukraine.
Yushchenko is now expected to resign and start trying to build a new coalition, possibly with the pro-Russian Regions Party, which is led by Orange Revolution loser and former prime minister Viktor Yanukovych.
Tymoshenko is expected to continue functioning as prime minister until the formation of a new Cabinet, which must happen within 30 days. After that date, Yushchenko can call new elections.
The political crisis began when Yushchenko pulled his Our Ukraine party out of the coalition on Sept. 3 after Tymoshenko sided with the pro-Moscow opposition to pass new laws trimming the president’s powers.
Yushchenko bitterly described the vote against him as a bid by Tymoshenko to establish a “dictatorship” and complained of a parliamentary “coup.”
Tymoshenko in turn accused the president of having “destroyed” the governing coalition by pulling out of the alliance with her party.
Fresh parliamentary elections would be the third such vote in two years for Ukraine.
Tymoshenko and Yushchenko were the icons of the 2004 Orange Revolution and have each been considered Western-leaning politicians despite persistent and sharp disagreements on domestic issues.
The political crisis comes ahead of a key presidential election due next year or in 2010, which is expected to pit Yushchenko against both Tymoshenko and Yanukovych and will be closely watched in Western capitals. The crisis has also set back Ukraine’s NATO and EU aspirations.
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