Ukrainian President Holds Talks On New Government
July 20, 2006
Yuliya Tymoshenko and other deputies from her faction unfurl a national flag in the legislative chamber today (epa)
Yanukovych said after the meeting: "We heard each other out, found common ground on many issues and on how to resolve them, and that is important. And now joint actions will be needed and I believe that the first step that the president made today and his further steps will help stabilize the situation."
Yanukovych has been proposed as prime minister a few days before a new government must be formed or fresh elections called.
Ukrainian lawmaker and former Prime Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko issued a new call to Yushchenko today to dissolve parliament, before leading her opposition faction of at least 120 lawmakers out of the chamber in protest.
"If Yanukovych is nominated [for prime minister], I personally will consider this as a betrayal of national interests," Tymoshenko said.
Meanwhile, a deputy from Yanukovych's Party of Regions, Anna German, says that if Yushchenko fails to submit Yanukovych's candidacy, parliament will vote for him without the consent of the head of state.
(AP, Reuters, ITAR-TASS)