Monday, February 13, 2012

Ukraine

Ukraine Parliament To Consider Early Election Laws

Yushchenko (center) and Yanukovych (right) reached the agreement on early elections on May 27 (AFP)

May 29, 2007 -- Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, is due to begin two days of meetings aimed at passing a package of bills enabling the country to hold early elections September 30.

TEXT SIZE - +

May 29, 2007

President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych agreed on the election date early on May 27.

The move defused tensions between supporters of the two rivals and was welcomed by the European Union.

But parliament must still amend the electoral law and take other steps to permit the vote to be held.

Yushchenko has suspended his decree to dissolve parliament until May 29-30 to enable deputies to vote on the bills.

The agreement came after months of rising political tension in Ukraine, which was heightened in April when Yushchenko issued a decree to dissolve parliament and hold early elections.

(compiled from agency reports)

RFE/RL Belarus, Ukraine, And Moldova Report

SUBSCRIBE For weekly news and analysis on Belarus, Ukraine, and Moldova by e-mail, subscribe to "RFE/RL Belarus, Ukraine, And Moldova Report."

'Police Detain Stuffed Animals' In Minsk Toy Protest

Belarusian youth activists say police have "detained" some stuffed animals used in an antigovernment protest in Minsk, in an echo of similar recent protests in Russia. More

There are frequent reports in the Bulgarian and Ukrainian media about Romanian “pirates” robbing passing transport ships on the Danube. (file photo)

Reports Of 'Pirates Of The Danube' Get The Old Heave-Ho

An attack last month on a Ukrainian barge on the Romanian sector of the Danube River has caused a diplomatic tussle between Bucharest and Kyiv, sparking media reports of possible acts of piracy on Europe's second-largest river. But do “Danube pirates” actually exist? More

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (center) drinking beer with soccer fans in St. Petersburg on January 19.

Candidate Putin Offers Russian Soccer Fans Free Flights To Euro 2012

Russian soccer fans concerned about making it to Kyiv for the Euro 2012 championships need worry no longer. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has announced the country's leading airlines will provide free transport to and from at least some of the Russian team's matches. More