Yushchenko doesnot believe BUYT and PR can reach consensus over premier’s post

September19200820:05

The union of BYUT and the Party of Regions won’t advance Ukraine’s national priorities, the incumbent said, addressing journalists in Luhansk. “The coalition can get off the ground, but it won’t be based on the national interests of Ukraine, the presidential press service release quotes him as saying.

In order for the coalition to be formed, Yushchenko continued, its partners will have to discard some of the key elements of their campaign agendas. If BYUT joins the new coalition, it must dump its promise to seek MAP and embrace a wishy-washy attitude regarding the Russian-Georgian conflict and the Black Sea Fleet.

The future coalition will definitely hit the rocks dividing ministerial portfolios, Yushchenko opined. “So far, they are both after the premier’s seat, but the point is that there is only one such seat,” Yushchenko said. There is another seat, the incumbent went on, that of the president and it could balance the interests of BYUT and PR, but they have to wait one and a half year before the election is held. “What union can stand one and a half year’s wait?” he asked.

Pres Yushchenko assured journalists that the current impasse will be broken in a democratic way. “I won’t use force to resolve any issue emanating from the crisis in parliament,” adding that Ukraine has sufficient democratic potential and the freedom of speech to deal with the crisis.

According to the president, coalition talks among BYUT, PR and Communists are going on smoothly, something which is confirmed by their agreed voting in VR. Yushchenko said he welcomes any coalition talks as they are the prerogative of political parties. “If the final deal is struck, I will accept it as president,” he added.If not, he warned, the ball will be in his court.