Move may trigger growing tensions within pro-Western coalition

KIEV, June 21 ??“ Petro Poroshenko, a former top security advisor to President Viktor Yushchenko, on Wednesday was tapped as the next Speaker of Parliament in a move that may generate tensions within the pro-Western coalition.

Poroshenko??™s nomination was overwhelmingly approved by Our Ukraine, Yushchenko??™s party, after Prime Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov, who was supposed to take job, had declined to do so.

The nomination of Poroshenko, a powerful figure, shows that Our Ukraine has been seeking to balance out the rise of Yulia Tymoshenko to the post of the prime minister.

???I promise that I will not let you down and will justify the confidence the party has in me,??? Poroshenko said in remarks after the nomination had been approved.

A personal rivalry between Poroshenko and Tymoshenko triggered a clash between the two in September 2005 leading to a government crisis and forcing Yushchenko to sack both to relieve the standoff.

???Tymoshenko bloc [people] called me,??? Roman Zvarych, a senior member of Our Ukraine, said after Poroshenko had been tapped for the speaker post. ???They are excited.???

Poroshenko, whose nomination cannot be vetoed by Tymoshenko, was approved by 113 out of 114 senior members of Our Ukraine who had held a special meeting on Wednesday to decide on the issue.

Tymoshenko, while being the prime minister last year, has been persistently attacking Poroshenko by bringing up unspecific corruption allegations.

Although Tymoshenko??™s loyalists have failed to prove any of the allegations in court, the attacks, widely covered by media, had destroyed Poroshenko??™s rating ahead of the March 26 election.

Tymoshenko ???should now make her apology for the blow that she had dealt against Our Ukraine during the election campaign,??? Yekhanurov said at the meeting.

The nomination of Poroshenko came as a surprise for many as Our Ukraine, during talks on the pro-Western coalition, has been suggesting that Yekhanurov will be talking the post of the speaker.

But Yekhanurov, who advocated for a grand coalition between Our Ukraine and the Regions Party, a moderate pro-Russian group, on Wednesday rejected his nomination.

???You know that I was in favor of the grand coalition,??? Yekhanurov said. ???Now, I will work as a regular deputy.??? (tl/ez)