KIEV, March 25 – Ukraine’s opposition Regions Party on Wednesday unveiled plans for massive street protests throughout the country on Friday targeting Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s government for its failure to ease the country’s severe economic crisis.

The protests may summon up to 100,000 protesters throughout Ukraine, including 15,000 in Kiev alone, and will be immediately followed by an action in Parliament, where the Regions Party controls the largest group.

“We will call on the people that are unhappy with economic and social situation in the country to join the rallies,” Oleksandr Yefremov, a senior member of the Regions Party, said.

The worsening economic crisis, caused by collapsing external demand for steel, Ukraine’s main exports commodity, have been increasing social tensions in the country and eroding Tymoshenko’s popular support.

But the protests are supposed to lead the way for other actions by the opposition group that will add pressure on the government, including the possibility of blocking the work of Parliament.

Tymoshenko does not control the majority in Parliament and has been so far counting on support from the Communist Party, a small opposition group, for approval of legislation.

With the economic crisis accelerating, the Communist Party has stopped support for the legislation and making it more difficult for Tymoshenko to approve any anti-crisis bills.

This is exactly what the Regions Party plans use next week to underscore the government’s failure to approve the anti-crisis measures, which was likely to trigger more political clashes.

“If on Monday, March 30, we’re not given the anti-crisis plan, and if on Tuesday it’s not approved together with budget amendments, then beginning on Tuesday Parliament will be blocked until the government resigns,” Boris Kolesnikov, another senior member of the Regions Party, said.

The developments under certain circumstances may lead to political turmoil that will end with an early Parliamentary election later this year, perhaps on June 7, lawmakers said.

“Today, the number of allies supporting this scenario is growing,” Mykola Tomenko, a deputy speaker of Parliament, said. “The protest rallies that are planned on Friday and blocking Parliament’s work must create important social and political background for supporting the idea of the early Parliamentary election.”

The developments come as Tymoshenko has been losing public support, mostly in western regions of Ukraine, dramatically due to the ongoing economic crisis and a number of her decisions last year that had de-facto pleased Moscow.

The Regions Party, as an opposition group, and some other parties have been gaining momentum and increasing popular support, opening a chance for them to defeat Tymoshenko at the election.

Tymoshenko’s government, due to de-facto support from many Communist lawmakers, survived a no-confidence vote in Parliament last month, which gives the government immunity through mid-September.

But if the protests trigger the early election this may help to remove the Tymoshenko government at least three months sooner, analysts said. (tl/ez)