KIEV, Oct. 29 – Parliament on Wednesday rejected amendments to the 2008 budget that call for releasing 417 million hryvnias for the snap election in December, a blow for President Viktor Yushchenko.

A bill, submitted by Yushchenko’s loyalists, was backed by 222 lawmakers in the 450-seat Parliament including members Our Ukraine, Yushchenko’s group, and the Regions Party, the largest opposition group.