CEE News Archive

Ukraine Leader Faces Opposition on NATO Drive
Parliament rebukes the president for his advances toward the Atlantic alliance. He calls for expanded executive powers.

By David Holley
Times Staff Writer
February 10 2006

In a mark of rising political tensions, [Viktor Yushchenko]'s speech was preceded by a fistfight in parliament between his supporters and Communist deputies who had attempted to display a placard charging that Yushchenko had not fulfilled campaign promises.

Yushchenko declared that the nation was threatened by political deadlock as a result of constitutional revisions strengthening parliament and weakening the presidency, approved in December 2004 and effective from Jan. 1 of this year. The measures had been a key part of a compromise package of laws that strengthened safeguards against electoral fraud and paved the way for Yushchenko to win the presidency in a revote after a ballot count that favored a rival was ruled invalid.

A recent opinion poll by the Razumkov Research Center showed 30% support for the pro-Russian Party of Regions led by Viktor Yanukovich, who lost to Yushchenko in the 2004 election. Our Ukraine, a bloc that backs the president, placed second with 20% support, while a bloc led by former Yushchenko ally Yulia Tymoshenko took 14%. The Communist Party had 7% support and the Socialist Party 7%.