KIEV, Feb. 4 – Pro-government and opposition groups are heading for a clash in Parliament on Tuesday in disagreement over a voting system that allows lawmakers make multiple votes for their missing colleagues.

The Regions Party, which does not control a majority in Parliament, has relied on the system for making successful votes, including the approval of Prime Minister Mykola Azarv, but the practice has elicited complaints.

“Until the principle of personal vote is adhered to in Parliament, all legislation approved will be considered illegitimate,” Oleh Tiahnybok, the leader of the national Svoboda party.

Oksana Prodan, a senior lawmaker from the opposition Udar party, said the groups will join forces to block Parliament unless Regions Party lawmakers make personal votes.

“Tomorrow and as the time goes on we will make sure that Parliament operates according to law. Or let it not work at all,” Prodan said.

Ukraine’s constitution allows lawmakers to make only personal votes in Parliament, making multiple votes illegal. But the Regions Party has frequently resorted to the controversial practice in order to be able to approve legislation.

Prodan said the appointment of Azarov in December 2012 and Ihor Sorkin, the governor of the National Bank of Ukraine, last month, will now be questioned by the opposition.

“Speaking of the illegitimate legislation, we will start with those decisions that have been approved with breaking law. Looking back, these are decisions to approve the prime minister and the NBU governor. This is what we will begin with.”

The clash between the groups comes after tensions rose high last week after Parliamentary Speaker Volodymyr Rybak had refused to call an emergency session as was demanded by the opposition.

The opposition groups wanted to grill Prosecutor General Viktor Pshonka and other top law enforcement officials in connection with increased pressure on jailed opposition leader and former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

Rybak declined to hold the session, claiming that a dozen of opposition lawmakers had failed to put their signatures on petition, a charge the opposition lawmakers had denied.

Rybak also said that it may take six months before a new electronic voting system is introduced in Parliament to ensure personal voting.

In the meantime, Oleksandr Yefremov, the leader of the Regions Party in Parliament, said the pro-government lawmakers will use undisclosed tricks to continue to approve legislation even if the opposition groups block the podium.

“Unlike the opposition, we learn from our mistakes and will find the way to ensure voting,” Yefremov said. (tl/ez)