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Ukraine PM signals readiness for early elections
2007-04-12
Signs of compromise appeared Thursday in Ukraine's power struggle as Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych signalled readiness to participate in early elections as demanded by his political rival President Viktor Yushchenko. In an apparent major concession, Yanukovych said he could take part in an election even if the constitutional court, which is due to start hearings next week, rules that Yushchenko's demand is illegitimate. "If the court rules the decree was unconstitutional, elections are possible if all the participants in the political process agree," he told journalists. The crisis, now in its second week, began when pro-Western Yushchenko decreed the dissolution of parliament and new elections. Yanukovych's Russian-backed allies have until now refused to comply, resulting in constitutional paralysis. According to Yushchenko's decree new parliamentary elections must take place May 27, although a senior aide to the president said Wednesday that the decree might be suspended in order to put off the election until a later date. Yushchenko underlined his determination Thursday, telling journalists that he ruled out rescinding his decree. As the two sides haggled, their supporters continued to take to the streets. Several thousand supporters of Yanukovych gathered on the capital's main square waving the blue flags of his Regions Party, which leads the anti-Yushchenko coalition dominating parliament. A few hundred Yushchenko supporters, waving the orange flags of his Our Ukraine party, also gathered nearby. Pressure has been growing on the constitutional court, which is due to rule on whether Yushchenko's original April 2 decree dissolving parliament and calling new polls was legal. Tension increased this week when the court at the last minute announced that initial hearings would be put back until next week. Several judges, including three Yushchenko appointees, complained of coming under political pressure and requested bodyguards. Yanukovych reiterated Thursday that he would respect the court's decision in the event of a favourable ruling for Yushchenko, but his suggestion that he could support elections even if the court declares the decree illegal marked a sharp turn-around. However, he did not lay out how likely it was that all other forces in Ukraine's complex political landscape would also agree to early elections in such circumstances. Yanukovych's signal of flexibility followed the apparent olive branch held out Wednesday by Vitaliy Gaiduk, a top security advisor to Yushchenko, who said the May 27 election date -- just six weeks away -- was not set in stone. During a suspension of the decree, a date for early elections would be negotiated with parliament, ensuring that all parties, including those currently opposed to Yushchenko, had time to campaign. Yushchenko and Yanukovych have feuded since 2004, when the Orange Revolution protests brought Yushchenko to power after a presidential election win initially handed to Yanukovych was declared fraudulent.
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