KIEV, Jan. 23 – No major incidents were reported at a massive opposition rally on Saturday as former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko called her supporters for unity in opposing the government of President Viktor Yanukovych.

About 10,000 people turned out for the rally in downtown Kiev.

The rally was carefully watched after a warning from Interior Minister Anatoliy Mohyliov a week ago that some figures had planned to trigger “bloodshed” at the event.

“By the unity and by the opposition we have to stop what we don’t like today and what is destroying our rights,” Tymoshenko said addressing the rally at the Sofiyivska square. “We have to unite one by one, as people by people.”

Tymoshenko, who lost presidential election to Yanukovych in February 2010, has been struggling ever since trying to ignite major protests against Yanukovych’s policies.

Yanukovych, on the other hand, has been rapidly consolidating his authority, albeit by controversial methods, such as replacing a constitution to increase his powers.

More than a dozen of former government officials and Tymoshenko allies had been under investigation for alleged abuse of power.

Tymoshenko herself has been investigated for alleged misuse of environmental funds towards paying pensions and social security payments.

But as the investigations had mostly targeted the Tymoshenko allies, some western politicians and government officials had aired concerns that Yanukovych may have been trying to eliminate his rivals.

Tymoshenko’s failure to ignite significant and enduring protests has apparently forced her to change tactics towards focusing on the next parliamentary elections.

“We have a chance to change this government at the next parliamentary election, unless they do something that would force you to take them out of their offices [sooner],” Tymoshenko said.

Hanna Herman, a deputy chief of staff at the Yanukovych administration, said on Sunday that Tymoshenko had failed to generate significant action, indicating her weakening political clout.

“The Tymoshenko rally did not have success that she had hoped for because of one thing,” Herman said in an interview with Channel 5. “The people did not want anger, confrontation, disputes and dirt that she had been pouring from the microphone.”

Meanwhile, Tymoshenko touted as an example the recent protest by thousands of small business owners in November 2010 against new tax laws that would have increased pressure on small businesses.

The government eventually yielded to the pressure from the protesters that had led to a change in the tax laws towards reducing pressure on the small businesses.

“They achieved the victory because they had acted together,” Tymoshenko said. (tl/ez)