Speaker declares collapse of ruling coalition

Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Lytvyn

Verkhovna Rada Chairman Volodymyr Lytvyn has announced the breakup of the coalition of the parliamentary factions of the Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko, the Our Ukraine-People's Self-Defense Bloc and the Bloc of Lytvyn.

He said that he had made such an announcement due to the absence of 226 signatures of MPs, which confirm the coalition's existence.

On February 17, Lytvyn proposed that the coalition council provide within ten days all of the documents that confirm the existence of the parliamentary coalition, in particular, 226 signatures of MPs.

The Our Ukraine-People's Self-Defense faction is ready to hold talks with other political parties and blocs on the creation of a new coalition, faction leader Mykola Martynenko said in the Verkhovna Rada on Tuesday.

He said that Our Ukraine-People's Self-Defense had earlier proposed nominating its candidate for prime minister. "We'll propose that an educated and professional person, who is not afraid of assuming huge responsibility, head the government," Martynenko said.

UKRINFORM