KIEV, Oct. 4 – Ukraine’s three pro-government parties on Monday signed a new coalition agreement, a formal step aimed at showing they accept the latest ruling by the Constitutional Court, which changed Ukraine’s constitution overnight.

The move comes as opposition parties began vehemently opposing the ruling as an “usurpation” of power by President Viktor Yanukovych.

The Regions Party, the Communist Party and the Volodymyr Lytvyn Bloc signed the agreement on Monday, days after the president urged lawmakers to comply with the latest constitutional court ruling.

After signing the agreement, leaders of the groups have neither made statements for the media and nor taken questions from reporters.

Yanukovych received massive powers on Friday thanks to the Constitutional Court’s ruling, which cancelled 2004 amendments to the 1996 constitution.

Yanukovych will now is able to fire the entire Cabinet of Ministers, including the prime minister. He will also be able to appoint the Cabinet of Ministers, and will need approval of Parliament to appoint the prime minister.

The ruling comes days after a reshuffle at the 18-member court had replaced four judges opposing Yanukovych’s policies with those that are loyal to him.

The ruling was condemned by most opposition parties that had decided to get together and to agree within the next five days on how to respond to the situation.

Our Ukraine, the party led by former President Viktor Yushcheno, on Monday called on supporters to take to the streets for protests against the ruling.

“Our Ukraine is calling Ukrainians for constitution rallies that starting tomorrow we begin to hold throughout the country,” the party said in a statement.

“The one who threatens the rights of the people must receive a rebuke from the people,” the party said.

Meanwhile, the statement from Our Ukraine shows that opposition parties have split on the issue.

The group led by former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko signaled that the group will support the ruling in case of immediate presidential and parliamentary elections.

The split comes as 14 opposition parties have been mulling how to respond to the controversial ruling with coordinated actions. The parties were supposed by Tuesday to come up with a single plan for protests.

“We do not need any traditional manifestos and declarations of opposition parties that are competing for who will lead the protests,” Our Ukraine said. “Our actions must be effective and strong.”

The only legal way of amending constitution in Ukraine is the support of 300 lawmakers in the 450-seat Parliament.

Although Yanukovych’s coalition controls about 260 seats, even some of its members have been quietly opposing the increase of the presidential powers. (tl/ez)