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Updates On Situation In Ukraine
Ukraine's prime minister, Viktor Yanukovich, refused today to accept the vote of no confidence in his government by the country's parliament, describing the move as "illegal".
"I will never recognise this decision," said Mr Yanukovich, who was declared winner of the country's disputed presidential election on November 21. "They approved the decision in political terms. But it is against the law. It is against the constitution."
"I will never recognise this decision," said Mr Yanukovich, who was declared winner of the country's disputed presidential election on November 21. "They approved the decision in political terms. But it is against the law. It is against the constitution."
He spoke during a break in last-ditch talks between the two sides aimed at resolving the worsening political crisis.
The no confidence vote in parliament was passed by three more votes than were necessary to carry it, and members also voted to create an interim "government of national trust".
"This is a victory not only for the opposition, but for the entire Ukrainian people," the deputy leader of the opposition, Roman Zvarych, said.
The vote, which was passed at the second attempt, was conducted by secret ballot to ensure that deputies felt under no pressure. It took place as tens of thousands of opposition supporters massed outside the parliament building.
Following the vote, the outgoing president, Leonid Kuchma, said he would act within the ex-Soviet state's constitution in dealing with parliament's dismissal of the government.
"This decision is parliament's reaction to increased tension in the political situation," he told reporters ahead of talks with international mediators. "I will act strictly within the framework of the constitution."
Read More
http://www.guardian.co.uk/ukraine/story/0,15569,1363725,00.html
Ukraine opposition renews blockade and quits talks
Nick Paton Walsh in Kiev and Luke Harding in Berlin
Wednesday December 1, 2004
The Guardian
The Ukrainian opposition last night broke off negotiations with the government and demanded that a late-night parliamentary session pass a motion of no confidence in the prime minister and his cabinet, as international pressure grew for fresh elections.
A senior opposition deputy, Oleksandr Zinchenko, said: "We hereby announce that we have pulled out of the negotiating process [with the government]." He added: "We are renewing the blockade of the government building and are demanding an emergency session of parliament. We ask all deputies to be ready to participate and urge all our supporters to mobilise."
Tens of thousands of protesters who during the 10-day crisis had filled the streets of Kiev without incident, yesterday showed that their patience was wearing thin. A hundred tried to break into parliament, but were stopped by security guards and calmed by the opposition leader, Viktor Yushchenko.
Oleg Ribachuk, head of the Yuschenko campaign, said the crowd was not out of control: "But at the moment they are finding it hard to understand what the hell is going on. The temperature is rising."
The increasing impatience came as the supreme court deliberated for the second day 7,000 allegations of election fraud made by the opposition against a vote which the prime minister, Viktor Yanukovich, said he won by 3%.
Ukraine's outgoing president, Leonid Kuchma, on Monday accepted the need for new elections. Yesterday Mr Yanukovich's most influential backer, Russia's president Vladimir Putin, made his first public recognition of the need for repeat elections after a telephone call with Germany's chancellor, Gerhard Schröder.
Read More
http://www.guardian.co.uk/ukraine/story/0,15569,1363476,00.html
Family pressure on Kuchma to end the crisis
Billionaire son-in-law brought into the Ukrainian fray as signs point to a compromise candidate in a re-run presidential election
Nick Paton Walsh in Kiev
Wednesday December 1, 2004
The Guardian
Opposition protesters forced their way into the parliamentary building before a scheduled vote of no confidence in the government yesterday in an attempt to break the 10-day political deadlock which has paralysed the country.
About 100 protesters burst into the lobby, urged by the opposition MP Yulia Tymoshenko to blockade government buildings.
"We are here to make Yuschenko our president," said Igor, 23.
Yena, 42, stood at the doors and said: "We've stood in the ice for 2 weeks and will not leave until we get the [no confidence vote]. If not, we will storm the building. The police will not stop us, and if they use force, we will use force too."
Close relatives of the outgoing president, Leonid Kuchma, were asked to intervene to persuade him to end the crisis.
Oleg Ribachuk, head of the Ukrainian opposition campaign, said he took Viktor Pinchuk, Mr Kuchma's billionaire son-in law and a key backer of the prime minister Viktor Yanukovich, for a walk through streets crammed with anti-government protesters early yesterday morning.
"I walked with him through the streets of Kiev last night to show him that the protesters are not children or drunks," he told the Guardian.
"Kuchma is becoming more aware about what is really happening out there."
Read More
http://www.guardian.co.uk/ukraine/story/0,15569,1363377,00.html
Ukrainians rush to withdraw savings amid fears of collapse
Oliver Bullough in Donetsk and Reuters
Wednesday December 1, 2004
The Guardian
Eastern Ukrainians desperate to withdraw savings gathered outside banks yesterday amid warnings that the political crisis could lead to economic collapse.
Cash machines in Donetsk were closed after being besieged, with long queues in the morning, while many exchange bureaux said they had run out of dollars and euros as people rushed for hard currency.
People in the city fear a repeat of the post-Soviet economic chaos, when savings were wiped out by inflation.
Eastern Donetsk region's governor, Anatoly Bliznyuk, warned that the political uncertainty could cause the Donetsk economy, based around coal mining and heavy industry, to collapse.
"The social-economic situation is quite frankly critical as is the condition of the banking system, exports, shipping. Metal used to be sold for cash, now it is only on credit. No one is paying money," Mr Bliznyuk told a news conference.
Local bankers said they were handing out at least twice as much cash as usual.
The central bank has taken urgent measures to support banks, limiting dollar sales, barring early bank withdrawals and promising to help them remain liquid.
"This political situation is so tense that people are scared. I have money in the bank and how can I live if I cannot get my money? I am scared about what is happening," said Anna Golyn, a pensioner on the edge of the jostling crowd outside Ukrainsky Biznes bank in central Donetsk.
"We had only just started to live well, we were getting decent pensions."
Oxana Reshetnyak, one of the bank's managers, said the bank had more than enough money to meet demand, but was restricting access to prevent further panic.
Read More
http://www.guardian.co.uk/ukraine/story/0,15569,1363419,00.html
The no confidence vote in parliament was passed by three more votes than were necessary to carry it, and members also voted to create an interim "government of national trust".
"This is a victory not only for the opposition, but for the entire Ukrainian people," the deputy leader of the opposition, Roman Zvarych, said.
The vote, which was passed at the second attempt, was conducted by secret ballot to ensure that deputies felt under no pressure. It took place as tens of thousands of opposition supporters massed outside the parliament building.
Following the vote, the outgoing president, Leonid Kuchma, said he would act within the ex-Soviet state's constitution in dealing with parliament's dismissal of the government.
"This decision is parliament's reaction to increased tension in the political situation," he told reporters ahead of talks with international mediators. "I will act strictly within the framework of the constitution."
Read More
http://www.guardian.co.uk/ukraine/story/0,15569,1363725,00.html
Ukraine opposition renews blockade and quits talks
Nick Paton Walsh in Kiev and Luke Harding in Berlin
Wednesday December 1, 2004
The Guardian
The Ukrainian opposition last night broke off negotiations with the government and demanded that a late-night parliamentary session pass a motion of no confidence in the prime minister and his cabinet, as international pressure grew for fresh elections.
A senior opposition deputy, Oleksandr Zinchenko, said: "We hereby announce that we have pulled out of the negotiating process [with the government]." He added: "We are renewing the blockade of the government building and are demanding an emergency session of parliament. We ask all deputies to be ready to participate and urge all our supporters to mobilise."
Tens of thousands of protesters who during the 10-day crisis had filled the streets of Kiev without incident, yesterday showed that their patience was wearing thin. A hundred tried to break into parliament, but were stopped by security guards and calmed by the opposition leader, Viktor Yushchenko.
Oleg Ribachuk, head of the Yuschenko campaign, said the crowd was not out of control: "But at the moment they are finding it hard to understand what the hell is going on. The temperature is rising."
The increasing impatience came as the supreme court deliberated for the second day 7,000 allegations of election fraud made by the opposition against a vote which the prime minister, Viktor Yanukovich, said he won by 3%.
Ukraine's outgoing president, Leonid Kuchma, on Monday accepted the need for new elections. Yesterday Mr Yanukovich's most influential backer, Russia's president Vladimir Putin, made his first public recognition of the need for repeat elections after a telephone call with Germany's chancellor, Gerhard Schröder.
Read More
http://www.guardian.co.uk/ukraine/story/0,15569,1363476,00.html
Family pressure on Kuchma to end the crisis
Billionaire son-in-law brought into the Ukrainian fray as signs point to a compromise candidate in a re-run presidential election
Nick Paton Walsh in Kiev
Wednesday December 1, 2004
The Guardian
Opposition protesters forced their way into the parliamentary building before a scheduled vote of no confidence in the government yesterday in an attempt to break the 10-day political deadlock which has paralysed the country.
About 100 protesters burst into the lobby, urged by the opposition MP Yulia Tymoshenko to blockade government buildings.
"We are here to make Yuschenko our president," said Igor, 23.
Yena, 42, stood at the doors and said: "We've stood in the ice for 2 weeks and will not leave until we get the [no confidence vote]. If not, we will storm the building. The police will not stop us, and if they use force, we will use force too."
Close relatives of the outgoing president, Leonid Kuchma, were asked to intervene to persuade him to end the crisis.
Oleg Ribachuk, head of the Ukrainian opposition campaign, said he took Viktor Pinchuk, Mr Kuchma's billionaire son-in law and a key backer of the prime minister Viktor Yanukovich, for a walk through streets crammed with anti-government protesters early yesterday morning.
"I walked with him through the streets of Kiev last night to show him that the protesters are not children or drunks," he told the Guardian.
"Kuchma is becoming more aware about what is really happening out there."
Read More
http://www.guardian.co.uk/ukraine/story/0,15569,1363377,00.html
Ukrainians rush to withdraw savings amid fears of collapse
Oliver Bullough in Donetsk and Reuters
Wednesday December 1, 2004
The Guardian
Eastern Ukrainians desperate to withdraw savings gathered outside banks yesterday amid warnings that the political crisis could lead to economic collapse.
Cash machines in Donetsk were closed after being besieged, with long queues in the morning, while many exchange bureaux said they had run out of dollars and euros as people rushed for hard currency.
People in the city fear a repeat of the post-Soviet economic chaos, when savings were wiped out by inflation.
Eastern Donetsk region's governor, Anatoly Bliznyuk, warned that the political uncertainty could cause the Donetsk economy, based around coal mining and heavy industry, to collapse.
"The social-economic situation is quite frankly critical as is the condition of the banking system, exports, shipping. Metal used to be sold for cash, now it is only on credit. No one is paying money," Mr Bliznyuk told a news conference.
Local bankers said they were handing out at least twice as much cash as usual.
The central bank has taken urgent measures to support banks, limiting dollar sales, barring early bank withdrawals and promising to help them remain liquid.
"This political situation is so tense that people are scared. I have money in the bank and how can I live if I cannot get my money? I am scared about what is happening," said Anna Golyn, a pensioner on the edge of the jostling crowd outside Ukrainsky Biznes bank in central Donetsk.
"We had only just started to live well, we were getting decent pensions."
Oxana Reshetnyak, one of the bank's managers, said the bank had more than enough money to meet demand, but was restricting access to prevent further panic.
Read More
http://www.guardian.co.uk/ukraine/story/0,15569,1363419,00.html
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