Tymoshenko accuses Yanukovych of disrupting coalition talks

Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has said in her televised address that she will run for the presidency.

"I claim that I will participate in presidential elections, and I'll win them. I believe and know that that one day, Ukrainian politics will be pure and fair, while the authorities will be strong and incorrupt. I believe and know that Ukraine will become the way you dream about it - European and beautiful," she said.

Tymoshenko said that talks on the creation of a broad coalition between four political forces ended, because Regions Party leader Viktor Yanukovych had unilaterally left the negotiating process.

She said that Yanukovych had decided to end coalition talks due to her refusal to amend a constitutional norm increasing age requirement for presidential candidates to 50 years.

Tymoshenko reiterated that attempts to unite political forces were aimed at tackling the crisis.

She said that she would like to put an end to all discussions on constitutional amendments.

"The issue did not concern the extension of the parliament's powers, the unilateral election of the president by parliament, or any other measures to restrict the freedom of speech. Our political force, as well as the Bloc of Lytvyn, and the Our Ukraine - People's Self-Defense, was totally against amendments of this kind," Tymoshenko said.

She said that such conditions were unacceptable to her, and stressed the need to immediately pass constitutional amendments. "The current constitution is an element of destroying the state and its sovereignty. It is unacceptable to continue living in line with such a constitution," Tymoshenko said, and expressed confidence that "we'll change the constitution for the better" shortly after presidential elections.

UKRINFORM