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Yushchenko To Resubmit Yekhanurov As Premier Candidate


Acting Premier Yekhanurov (file photo) Kyiv, 21 September 2005 (RFE/RL) -- Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has decided to repropose the candidacy of acting Prime Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov to the parliament for approval.

Yushchenko spokeswoman Iryna Gerashchenko told reporters today that Yushchenko made the decision after meeting for four hours with leaders of Ukraine's parliamentary groups.

Gerashchenko said Yushchenko expects the vote to take place tomorrow. Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada, or parliament, yesterday declined to approve Yushchenko's choice of Yekhanurov as prime minister.

Yekhanurov garnered 223 votes of support, just three votes short of the required majority in the 450-seat parliament. Twenty-eight deputies abstained. The rest did not attend the session.

In comments made today to Ukraine's Channel 5, Communist Party chairman Petro Symonenko said Yushchenko had not convinced any new parliamentary group to support Yekhanurov, but would pick up votes from some factions whose members had split during yesterday's ballot.

(Ukarinska pravda, RFE/RL Ukrainian Service, Interfax-ukraina, Unian, AP)

See also Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Offers President Olive Branch and Ukraine: Orange Revolution Drowns Amid Mutual Recriminations

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