KIEV, Nov. 17 – Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko was Monday considering ways of surviving a looming no-confidence vote in Parliament that may include replacing key ministers in her government, people familiar with the situation said.

Tymoshenko accelerated the search for the solution as the opposition Regions Party, the largest group in Parliament, had submitted a motion that sets a stage for the no confidence vote later this week.

Tymoshenko may replace some key ministers, including the Finance Minister, the Transportation Minister, the Environment Protection Minister and some others, people familiar with the situation said.

Tymoshenko survived a similar no-confidence vote in July after the Communist Party, a small pro-Russian opposition group, had suddenly decided to back the government. A week later, at least two Communist Party allies were appointed to senior posts in the government, including a deputy justice minister and the head of the state forestry committee.

The Regions Party on Monday submitted the motion to Parliament that calls for the government to report on the progress with reforming the housing and utilities sector, one of Ukraine’s most dilapidated sectors.

There is a high probability that lawmakers will deem the government’s work of improving the sector unsatisfactory, which would immediately trigger the no-confidence vote. The Regions Party has scheduled the report on Friday.

The Regions Party plans this week to launch a massive offense to replace the Tymoshenko government, claiming the government has contributed to the financial crisis and economic slowdown that Ukraine is currently going through.

The Regions Party assembled majority of lawmakers on Wednesday to dismiss Arseniy Yatseniuk as the speaker of Parliament, a move that should either accelerate the creation of the new coalition or to speed up the snap election, analysts said.

The Regions Party, the Communist Party, the group led by former Parliamentary Speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn and 10 lawmakers loyal to Viktor Baloha, the chief of staff at the office of President Viktor Yushchenko, commanded the majority of 233 lawmakers in the 450-seat Parliament. The same groups may vote to dismiss the Tymoshenko government.

To foil the vote, Tymoshenko may resort to suggesting one of these groups some senior positions in the government, analysts said.

Tymoshenko in September has been considering joining forces with the Regions Party in a grand coalition, but was later forced to backpedal on the plan after the Regions had demanded the post of the prime minister, a position she had apparently reserved for herself.

In the motion submitted to Parliament, the Regions Party criticizes the government for poor condition of the housing and utilities sector, claiming at least 12,000 residential buildings and 800 hospitals, schools and daycare centers throughout Ukraine had not been receiving heat energy as of November 10.

The heating season in Ukraine usually begins on October 15, but lack of natural gas, coal and other energy resources, as well as poor progress in repairs and modernization is blamed for the delays.

“The technical condition of the sector remains extremely difficult,” the motion said underscoring the offense on the Tymoshenko government. (tl/ez)