Category Nation/CIS
Source RosBusinessConsulting

KIEV — Ukraine’s parliament has rejected the candidacy of Yuri Yekhanurov for prime minister. Yekhanurov won 223 votes, against 226 needed for approval. He was not supported by Communists, the Social and Democratic Party and some other parties.

Yushchenko and his allies thought Yekhanurov’s approval by parliament was a foregone conclusion. Acting prime minister had secured the support of pro-presidential Our Ukraine, Narodny Rukh (People’s Movement) party, Social Party of Ukraine, Forward, Ukraine party and Ukraine’s People’s party.

Ukraine seems doomed for a crisis. A planned political reform, drafted by Yushchenko and prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, hangs in the balance.

There were signs that Yekhanurov could be rejected by parliament. Before the vote, Yushchenko promised to deputies that he would not block the reform, which would reduce his powers, and would not use his administrative resources in the 2006 parliamentary elections. He reassured lawmakers that he would not “make any actions of a destructive nature” that could block the political reform.

The reform will reduce the role of the president, giving more powers to the parliament and the government. A coalition government will be elected by parties making it into the parliament. The reform was scheduled to start on January 1, 2006, but a week ago Ukrainian lawmakers proposed an earlier date - October 1. Yushchenko objected, saying it was necessary to inform the population about the planned changes.

Yushchenko nominated Yekhanurov for prime minister on September 13, after sacking the country’s government five days earlier. Now, Yushchenko has another problem – lack of confidence from parliament.