Eurasia Press & News
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko is battling for her political future a day before a vote of no confidence in her government.
Tymoshenko lost last month’s presidential election and dropped a legal challenge of the result. The winner of that political dual, Viktor Yanukovich, is seeking to consolidate power by ousting his bitter rival.
If parliament votes her out of the post of prime minister, it will save him having to call new elections. Yanukovich told euronews: “I’m sure the Ukrainian people are waiting for the Prime Minister to relieve the country of her government. Because the five-year period of the “orange” government has ended. She’s been holding onto that seat for too long already. It would have been better if she had voluntarily resigned and made it possible to form a new parliamentary coalition and a new government, which could begin to combat the crisis in the country. And I think that this decision will be taken very soon.”
Asked what would happen if she doesn’t resign voluntarily he said:
“She has no other options and no other choice. I’m sure that the Parliament is ready for that.”
The vote in parliament is expected to be close. Yanukovich needs to win the backing of some members of Tymoshenko’s coalition if his bid to replace her is to succeed. Ukraine’s political factions would then have 30 days to forge a new coalition.
