Ukraine's new governing coalition formed -- china.org.cn

A new governing coalition has been formed on Tuesday in Ukraine's long deadlocked parliament, announced Volodymyr Lytvyn after the chamber elected him as the chairman.

The coalition, made up of groups led by Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and the new speaker, holds up to 248 seats in the 450-member assembly.

Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko congratulates new parliamentary speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn after the chamber elected him to the post of chairman in Kiev December 9, 2008.

Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko congratulates new parliamentary speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn after the chamber elected him to the post of chairman in Kiev December 9, 2008. [Xinhua/Reuters]

Lytvyn announced the formation of the coalition minutes after he was elected, with backing from 244 lawmakers, including 27 communists.

"A formal coalition agreement will be signed within days," Lytvyn told reporters, indicating that Tymoshenko should stay on as the prime minister.

"Clearly, there will be proposals from the coalition on the make-up of the government. I see no legal grounds for substantial changes in the government and, first and foremost, (the office of) the prime minister," he said.

However, Yushchenko's "Our Ukraine-People's Self-Defense" bloc said in a statement published on its website on Tuesday evening that the draft of the coalition agreement was signed by Boris Tarasyuk, a deputy leader of the faction, without the consent of the faction.

"Lytvyn announced (the formation of the coalition) too early," said Andrew Paruby, a lawmaker of the "Our Ukraine-People's Self-Defense" bloc.

"Our Ukraine-People's Self-Defense" withdrew from the 9-month-old coalition in September after Tymoshenko's party sided with the opposition Party of Regions to pass several laws to trim presidential powers.

Yushchenko announced the dissolution of parliament in early October and called a snap election after talks on rebuilding a new coalition proved futile. But he had to postpone the plan under the threat of the spreading international financial crisis.

Volodymyr Lytvyn (2nd L) is congratulated after being elected as the new speaker of Ukrainian Parliament at a parliament meeting in Kiev, capital of Ukraine, December 9, 2008.

Volodymyr Lytvyn (2nd L) is congratulated after being elected as the new speaker of Ukrainian Parliament at a parliament meeting in Kiev, capital of Ukraine, December 9, 2008. [Xinhua/Ukrinform/Volodymyr Tarasov]

(Xinhua News Agency December 10, 2008)