UJ.com

Top 2 

                        FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 2024
Make Homepage /  Add Bookmark
Front Page
Nation
Business
Search
Subscription
Advertising
About us
Copyright
Contact
 

   Username:
   Password:


Registration

 
GISMETEO.RU
UJ Week
Top 1   

    
Nation    

Yanukovych calls for premier resignation
Journal Staff Report

KIEV, Feb. 10 – Opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych, the likely winner of Sunday’s presidential election, on Wednesday called on Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko to resign and let a new coalition form the new government.

The call for Tymoshenko to step down comes amid signs that she has been seeking to legally challenge the vote that she has likely lost by a narrow margin.

“In order to reorganize the government, it is important to create the ruling coalition,” Yanukovych said. “We don’t have too much time, and the people are tired of waiting.”

“That’s why I am officially addressing the prime minister and call her on to resign and to shift to opposition,” Yanukovych said, adding that the move was needed for him to “start talks with different groups over forming the new government.”

Yanukovych was ahead of Tymoshenko in the runoff vote on Sunday 48.95% vs. 45.47%, the Central Election Commission reported Wednesday after counting 100% of ballots. The commission must certify the vote before officially declaring Yanukovych the winner.

Meanwhile, the prime minister, according to the constitution, is approved by a parliamentary majority coalition and does not need to resign after the presidential election.

This create a problem for Yanukovych, who also controls the largest group in Parliament, as he wants to form the new government as soon as possible to start dealing with major economic and financial challenges.

The government needs to win the resumption of lending from the International Monetary Fund, which has suspended its $16.4 billion loan in November 2009.

The resumption of lending is crucial for Ukraine to stabilize its financial system and to help the country pay its foreign debts in 2010.

The appeal from Yanukovych comes as Tymoshenko has refused to concede the defeat and pledged to legally challenge results of the election runoff.

The challenge may delay Yanukovych’s inauguration by two or three weeks, also delaying the potential resumption of lending from the IMF.

“The country doesn’t need just another political crisis,” Yanukovych said. “The people have clearly spoke in favor of changing the government. The prime minister must take the correct decision and to go to opposition.”

Ukraine’s economy contracted about 15% on the year in 2009, one of the worst such indicators in the world, but may start growing this year if the government implements important reforms.

“As a new president, I believe the task for rebuilding Ukraine is quite possible to implement,” Yanukovych said. “I am confident that we have good perspectives for economic growth and Ukraine can become one of the prosperous countries in Europe.” (tl/ez)




Log in

Print article E-mail article


Currencies (in hryvnias)
  28.03.2024 prev
USD 39.23 39.14
RUR 0.425 0.422
EUR 42.44 42.44

Stock Market
  27.03.2024 prev
PFTS 507.0 507.0
source: PFTS

OTHER NEWS

Ukrainian Journal   
Front PageNationBusinessEditorialFeatureAdvertisingSubscriptionAdvertisingSearchAbout usCopyrightContact
Copyright 2005 Ukrainian Journal. All rights reserved
Programmed by TAC webstudio