KIEV, March 8 – Two groups in Parliament vowed to take extreme measures – up to blocking the work of Parliament – if President Viktor Yanukovych’s Regions Party goes ahead with controversial legislation allowing formation of a minority government.

The legislation, approved in the first reading last week by 229 lawmakers in the 450-seat Rada, allows individual lawmakers, in addition to groups, to join governing coalitions.

It would allow the Regions Party and its allies to build the coalition quickly by relying on defectors from the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc and Our Ukraine-People’s Self-defense. But such a coalition is likely to be weak and vulnerable.

“If the president starts his term in office from illegitimate steps, this would undermine trust to the government from inside and outside of Ukraine,” Arseniy Yatseniuk, a member of Our Ukraine-People’s Self-defense, said Monday. “I call this the coalition of dead souls.”

“We don’t need the coalition of dead souls,” Yatseniuk said in an interview with ICTV. “It will collapse exactly in several months, when decisions will have to be passed. Unpopular decisions.”

The Tymoshenko Bloc warned the approval of the legislation would lead to a major escalation of tensions that would most likely paralyze the work of Parliament.

“We will be taking all measures allowed by parliamentary activity to prevent this,” Ostap Semerak, a member of the Tymoshenko Bloc, said. “Ukraine stands a step away from the completely illegitimate government.”

Tymoshenko, whose government was dismissed by a no-confidence vote last week, plans to lead a massive rally of nationalist parties in downtown Kiev on Tuesday.

The legislation contradicts the constitution, which directly says that the coalition may be created by groups that jointly control majority of Parliament.

The Regions Party, and its allies, the Communist Party and the group led by Volodymyr Lytvyn, do not control enough lawmakers to form the coalition, and will have to rely on individual opposition lawmakers to approve any decisions.

Such coalition may control about 230 lawmakers in the 450-seat Parliament, and will not be stable, threatening to hinder the new government and delay vital economic reforms.

Parliamentary Speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn, who pledged to support the Regions Party in forming the government, agrees the suggested legislation is “controversial” that may cause political tensions.

But he also said he was confident the new government will be created within days, and will probably be led by Mykola Azarov, a senior member of the Regions Party.

Yatseniuk, who Yanukovych two weeks ago mentioned as possible next prime minister, said the new government, if formed in a controversial way, will face a powerful opposition.

“I am ready for being in opposition,” Yatseniuk said. (tl/ez)