Ukraine's new pro-Russian coalition asked President Viktor Yushchenko yesterday to propose his former presidential rival as the next prime minister, an appointment that would mark a humiliating defeat for the president and a stunning return to power for Viktor Yanukovych.

 

Oleksandr Moroz, the new parliament speaker, signed the coalition's nomination of Yanukovych as premier and forwarded it to Yushchenko's office. The president has 15 days to consider the request before forwarding it back to parliament for a vote. He has no right to veto the choice.

 

The move came hours after the new parliamentary coalition, which brings together eastern Ukrainian industrialists of the Party of Regions, the Communists and the Socialists, was formally announced in parliament, striking a major blow to the pro-Western parties who helped bring Yushchenko to power in 2004 after mass protests against election fraud.

 

Yanukovych's victory was later annulled, but he rebounded in the March 26 parliamentary election this year, with his party winning more votes than any other.

 

A government led by Yanukovych would present a major obstacle to the president's efforts to steer the country towards closer ties with Western Europe.

 

The new coalition was created after Socialist Party leader Moroz abandoned his former "Orange Revolution" allies to be named parliament speaker and form the new union, which he said was the only way to unite the country.

 

Ukraine has been suffering political paralysis since the March election ended without giving any party the majority, and leaving the nation deeply split over whether to seek closer ties with Moscow or the West.

 

Moroz formally announced the coalition in the chaotic session hall yesterday to applause from the coalition members and shouts of "Judas" from his former allies.

 

The alliance controls at least 233 seats in the 450-member parliament because some Socialist Party members refused to join it.

 

Before announcing the new coalition, lawmakers scuffled, and one legislator from the president's party appeared to suffer a broken nose. Moroz had to be flanked by Party of Regions deputies for protection. Lawmakers from the bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko, a key figure in the "Orange Revolution," used sirens to drown out parliamentary speeches. Moroz called a four-hour recess.

 

Yushchenko's allies pleaded with the president to use his new constitutional powers to dissolve the parliament and call a new election, arguing that the new coalition is illegitimate. Under rules agreed to by the Orange coalition members, if any party left, the other members should have been given 10 days to hunt for new partners, lawmakers said.

 

"I don't see another way out except the decision to dissolve parliament," said Petro Poroshenko, one of the president's closest allies. "It is up to the president. The party is ready to support him."

 

Yanukovych said his party didn't support new elections, but also didn't fear them.

 

"If it happens, we will get a total victory and could stop this mess," he said. Yanukovych's party won the most votes in the March elections but fell short of a majority.

 

(China Daily July 12, 2006)