Ukraine

President threatens election after parliament strips him of powers

Article published on the 2008-09-03 Latest update 2008-09-03 15:57 TU

Viktor Yushchenko
(Photo: Reuters)

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has threatened to dissolve parliament and call snap elections after parliament stripped him of many of his powers. As the country awaits a visit by US Vice-President Dick Cheney, Yushchenko claims to be the victim of a coup d'état.

"A political and constitutional coup d'etat has started in the parliament," Yushchenko said in a televised speech on Wednesday after parliament reduced his powers and made it easier to impeach him.

Earlier members of his Our Ukraine Party pulled out of the ruling coalition with the Tymoshenko Bloc of Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, which had passed the laws with the backing of the opposition Party of the Regions.

The Prime Minister and the President had also failed to agree on condemning Russia's military intervention in Georgia.

Tymoshenko, who was allied with Yushchenko in the so-called "Orange Revolution" which toppled his predecessor,said that the president had "destroyed" the government, although she added that it will remain in office for the moment.

"Formally speaking there are ten days for the coalition partners to try and sort this out and after that there are 20 days in which a new coalition could be formed," says Moscow correspondent Luke Harding.

He says that there is an ulterior motive to the split between the two leaders.

"The underlying reason behind all this is these looming presidential elections in Ukraine which are slotted to take place in 2010," he told RFI. "It’s no secret to anybody that Yulia Tymoshenko wants to become President."