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Infighting Hurts Ukraine Efforts to Form a New Government Infighting Poses Hurdle to Formation of New Coalition in Ukraine
(about 11 hours later)
KIEV, Ukraine — Struggling to reach a deal to form a new majority coalition in Parliament, and under excruciating pressure because of a looming economic disaster, the Ukrainian lawmakers temporarily running the country on Tuesday delayed until Thursday the naming of an acting prime minister and a provisional government. KIEV, Ukraine — Struggling to form a new majority coalition in Parliament, and under excruciating pressure because of a looming economic calamity, Ukrainian lawmakers decided Tuesday to delay for two days the naming of an acting prime minister and a provisional government.
The delay underscored the extreme difficulty that lawmakers now face in rebuilding the collapsed government left behind when President Viktor F. Yanukovych fled Kiev on Saturday and was removed from power in a vote supported by some members of his own party. The delay underscored the extreme difficulty that lawmakers face in rebuilding the collapsed government left behind when President Viktor F. Yanukovych fled Kiev on Saturday and was removed from power in a vote supported by some members of his own party.
The three main opposition parties, which share little in common politically, have been in fierce negotiations, not just among themselves, but also with civic activists and other groups representing the many constituencies involved in Ukraine’s three months of civic uprising. The three main opposition parties, which share little in common politically, have been in fierce negotiations, not just among themselves, but also with civic activists and other groups representing the many constituencies involved in Ukraine’s three months of uprising.
Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk, the leader in Parliament of the Fatherland Party and a leading contender to serve as acting prime minister, pleaded with colleagues to swiftly reach an agreement on the designation of an interim government, which is needed to formally request emergency economic assistance from the International Monetary Fund. A main reason for the delay was to allow officials to meet with representatives of civic groups and to present their proposed government on Wednesday in Independence Square, the main site of mass protests, which is known in Ukrainian as Maidan.
“The deadline is Thursday, and I urge all democratic parties and all democratic persons and all democratic M.P.'s urgently to finalize the deal on the coalition,” Mr. Yatsenyuk told reporters outside the Parliament chamber. “We need urgently to hammer out this deal and to form the new government who is to be in charge of the country.” “This government will be legitimate not when it is voted in the Parliament but when it receives support of the people who stood on Maidan,” said Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk, a lawmaker in the party Fatherland who is a leading contender to serve as acting prime minister.
“It’s not about the personalities,” Mr. Yatsenyuk added. “This is about the responsibility. You know to be in this government is to commit political suicide, and we need to be very frank and open.” Mr. Yatsenyuk also pleaded with colleagues to end their infighting and swiftly reach an agreement on the designation of an interim government, which is needed to formally request emergency economic assistance from the International Monetary Fund.
“The deadline is Thursday,” he told reporters outside the Parliament chamber. “This government will face tremendous challenge. And we have to say absolutely openly that those who go into this government are rescuing the country on one hand, but on the other hand they should be aware that they are committing political suicide.”
“It’s not about the personalities,” he added. “This is about the responsibility.”
A $15 billion bailout package secured by Mr. Yanukovych from Russia in December has been suspended, and Ukraine is now hurtling toward default. The value of the currency, the hryvnia, has fallen sharply, and the country’s bond rating has been downgraded so steeply by ratings agencies that the country effectively can no longer borrow on the international markets.A $15 billion bailout package secured by Mr. Yanukovych from Russia in December has been suspended, and Ukraine is now hurtling toward default. The value of the currency, the hryvnia, has fallen sharply, and the country’s bond rating has been downgraded so steeply by ratings agencies that the country effectively can no longer borrow on the international markets.
Foreign reserves have plummeted, and the Ukrainian government will soon be unable to pay public salaries or pensions. In a statement on Monday, the acting finance minister said the country would need a staggering $35 billion in assistance between now and the end of next year. Foreign reserves have plummeted, and the Ukrainian government will soon be unable to pay public salaries or pensions. In a statement on Monday, the acting finance minister said the country would need $35 billion in assistance between now and the end of next year.
As a manhunt continued for Mr. Yanukovych, who is now wanted in Kiev on charges of mass murder, a Ukrainian news agency reported that his chief of staff, who was believed to be traveling with the fugitive former president, had been shot in the leg. In Russia, the deputy foreign minister, Sergei Storchak, said Russia was under no legal obligation to continue the bailout program, of which only $3 billion has been provided so far, the Interfax news agency reported. Mr. Storchak also said Russia would oppose including that $3 billion in any restructuring package that the West might develop for Ukraine.
The news agency, Interfax-Ukraine, quoted a spokesman, Artyom Petrenko, as saying that the chief of staff, Andriy Klyuyev, had been wounded, but, “as far as I know, there is no threat to his life.” Mr. Petrenko was quoted as saying that Mr. Klyuyev had resigned on Sunday. The spokesman gave no details on Mr. Klyuyev’s whereabouts. As a manhunt continued for Mr. Yanukovych, who is now wanted in Kiev on charges of mass murder, his chief of staff, who was believed to have been traveling with him, was reported to have been shot in the leg.
In Kiev, the new speaker of Parliament, Oleksandr V. Turchynov, who is a veteran lawmaker and a former acting prime minister, has been designated to carry out the duties of president. On Tuesday, Parliament voted, 316 to 0, to authorize Mr. Turchynov to sign legislation adopted by Parliament. The Associated Press quoted a spokesman, Artyom Petrenko, as saying that the chief of staff, Andriy Klyuyev, had been wounded, but, “As far as I know, there is no threat to his life.”
In other legislative developments on Tuesday, Parliament voted 331 to 0 to schedule elections for mayor of Kiev and the Kiev City Council on May 25, the same day as the presidential voting. Parliament also voted to give the International Criminal Court in The Hague jurisdiction to handle cases related to the deadly violence by the police against antigovernment demonstrators last week. Despite the delays in forming a government, the Parliament was not completely hamstrung and continued to adopt legislation aimed at restoring order in the country.
The Ukrainian authorities have already said that dozens of officials are now wanted on charges connected to the deaths last week. It was not immediately clear how the vote on the International Criminal Court might affect the local investigations or change any legal proceedings against former officials. The new speaker of Parliament, Oleksandr V. Turchynov, a veteran lawmaker and a former acting prime minister, has been designated to carry out the duties of president. On Tuesday, Parliament voted, 316 to 0, to further authorize Mr. Turchynov to sign legislation adopted by Parliament.
Underscoring the breakneck pace at which political events have been unfolding here in the capital, campaigning officially began on Tuesday for the emergency presidential election that is now scheduled for May 25. Lawmakers also voted, 331 to 0, to schedule elections for mayor of Kiev and the Kiev City Council on May 25, the same day as presidential voting. And Parliament voted to give the International Criminal Court in The Hague jurisdiction to handle cases related to the deadly violence by the police against antigovernment demonstrators last week.
Vitali Klitschko, the former champion boxer and a leader of one of the main parties in Parliament, the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform, immediately declared his candidacy for president. Mr. Klitschko had long said that he would run, but his announcement made clear that his presidential ambitions have not been diminished by the release from prison on Saturday of former Prime Minister Yulia V. Tymoshenko, who is also expected to run. The practical purpose of that vote, however, was unclear. While Ukraine can request that the court take temporary jurisdiction, it cannot request the indictment of specific individuals nor specify which crimes are involved.
While Ukraine desperately needs economic aid, which has been promised repeatedly by Brussels and Washington, it was unclear how quickly help would arrive. The International Monetary Fund has made clear that it will demand austerity measures and other long-stalled economic changes in exchange for any assistance package. It would be up to prosecutors in The Hague to determine if actions against protesters were grave enough to meet the standard of crimes against humanity, and therefore within the court’s mandate. And because the International Criminal Court is one of last resort, prosecutors can open a case only if Ukraine is unwilling or unable to handle the matter at home.
At a news conference in Kiev on Tuesday, Catherine Ashton, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, urged the Ukrainian Parliament to form a government that was inclusive and representative of all views, and called for peace and calm. But on her visit, her fourth to Ukraine since the recent crisis started, she brought nothing in the way of concrete help. The Ukrainian authorities have already said that dozens of officials are now wanted on charges connected to the deaths last week.
Ms. Ashton met with leaders of all the major parties, including Mr. Yanukovych’s Party of Regions, which had controlled the majority until several of its members defected in response to the killing by the authorities of dozens of antigovernment demonstrators last week. And she praised Parliament for filling the power vacuum left when Mr. Yanukovych fled. Underscoring the breakneck pace at which political events have been unfolding here in the capital, campaigning officially began on Tuesday for the emergency presidential election now scheduled for May 25.
“It was interesting for me to see the Parliament, the Rada, functioning,” Ms. Ashton said. “It’s very, very important, in my view, that citizens all across the country can see that the institutions are working and they are working to deliver for the people.” Vitali Klitschko, the former champion boxer and a leader of one of the main parties in Parliament, the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform, immediately declared his candidacy. Former Prime Minister Yulia V. Tymoshenko, released from prison on Saturday, is also expected to run.
In her meetings with politicians and civic activists, she said, “my message to all of them has been: You need to work together.” She added, “You need to work together, and you need to recognize the importance of public accountability for everything you do and to build into your thinking how you will ensure that you are open and transparent and responsive to what the people want.” While Ukraine desperately needs economic aid, which has been promised repeatedly by Europe and the United States, it was unclear how quickly help would arrive. The International Monetary Fund has made it clear that it will demand austerity measures and other long-stalled economic changes in exchange for any assistance package.
Ms. Ashton said she had been in contact with the Russian foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, about the situation in Ukraine, and had stressed the importance of preventing violence and safeguarding the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
The Kremlin has said that it views the ousting of Mr. Yanukovych and other actions by the Ukrainian Parliament as illegal, and on Tuesday the Russian Foreign Ministry said it opposed the plans for a presidential election in May because that violated an agreement brokered with Mr. Yanukovych on Friday that had called for elections in December.
Russia’s representative at those talks had declined to sign the document, and the agreement seems to have been rendered virtually meaningless by subsequent events.