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Ukraine's Orange Parties To Form Coalition


Yuliya Tymoshenko is rumored to be returning to the post of prime minister (ITAR-TASS) June 21, 2006 -- The parties behind Ukraine's 2004 Orange Revolution say they have agreed to form a governing coalition.


Roman Bezsmertny of President Viktor Yushchenko's Our Ukraine party today told parliament that the agreement -- which has yet to be signed -- was reached on June 20 in talks with the party of former Prime Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko and the Socialist Party.


"The work of agreeing to the text of a coalition agreement has been finished," Bezsmerny said. "This morning, work to prepare this text to be signed has begun. The final version is taking shape in the factions and in party forums which have been mandated, according to statutes, to make decisions and are to notify the proper persons to sign these documents."


The deal came after months of talks following inconclusive parliamentary elections in March.


Lawmakers from both Our Ukraine and Tymoshenko's party said the former prime minister will get back the post from which she was fired last year by Yushchenko, and Our Ukraine will name the speaker of parliament.


Disagreements over key positions had been the main stumbling block in the coalition talks.


(compiled from agency reports)

The Key Players

The Key Players

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