KIEV, June 12 – The best time for a crisis meeting between opposition groups and President Viktor Yanukovych is Monday, June 17, Arseniy Yatseniuk, the leader of the opposition Batkivshchyna party, said Wednesday.

Yanukovych recently agreed in principle to hold the meeting to diffuse political crisis, but the time and agenda are supposed to be suggested by the opposition groups.

“The list of issues for discussion with President Yanukovych has been submitted by the opposition,” Yatseniuk said. “We suggested holding the meeting either this week, or, which is the best option, on Monday before a weekly gathering of groups in Parliament.”

The meeting, although still far from certain, may be the key to ending the political crisis that has paralyzed the work of Parliament for the fourth time in the past seven months.

Yatseniuk said earlier this week that no meeting can be held on Thursday, June 13, because the opposition groups will be holding an anti-government protest rally in Mykolayiv.

The crisis postponed indefinitely debate and approval of legislation that has been suggested by the government, and Yanukovych said continued delay would hurt Ukraine’s economic growth.

The delay postpones Parliament’s 2014 budget resolution that must outline main parameters for the next year’s budget. The resolution is needed for the government to start drafting the 2014 budget before it is submitted to Parliament by September 15.

The delay also derailed the government’s plans for amending 2013 budget towards increasing spending, seen as a key step for the government ahead of next presidential election due in March 2015.

Yanukovych, who will most likely seek reelection, on Tuesday told the government to make sure the 2013 budget is amended and spending is increased.

The opposition groups blocked Parliament last week in response to a disagreement with the ruling party over schedule of special parliamentary elections in five majority districts, as well as mayoral and local elections in Kiev among other reasons.

Yanukovych was said to be considering postponing the Kiev mayor election until after the presidential election in order to minimize the risk of popular resistance in Kiev, which is a stronghold of the opposition.

One of the key issues to be discussed at the meeting will be the release of jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

The release of Tymoshenko is seen as one of the key issues that would make it possible for Ukraine to sign an agreement between with the European Union over free trade and political association in November.

Yuriy Myroshnychenko, Yanukovych’s representative in Parliament, said Wednesday it is up to the opposition groups to suggest the issues for the discussion and the time of the meeting. (tl/ez)