Orange coalition reforms in Ukraine

A new coalition between the parliamentary factions of the Yulia Timoshenko bloc, Our Ukraine party and the Litvin bloc was signed in Kiev on Tuesday. The signing has drawn criticism from the largest party, the Party of Regions.

The announcement was made by the speaker of the Ukrainian parliament (Verkhovna Rada), Vladimir Litvin.

On December 9 a decision was announced that the three factions would form a coalition. On Tuesday the authorized representatives of all three factions signed the agreement.

However, the Party of Regions has strongly criticized the coalition and believes it is just a tool for Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko.

“The new coalition is based on falsehood, lies and treachery and has only one goal – that is to preserve in office the Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko,” the party said. “This government does not have a serious crisis management program, yet makes ideological appeals formulated by supporters of NATO and forcible Ukrainization.”

Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko also reiterated his opposition to the “coalition of three”.

“The president has categorically opposed the 'coalition of the three'. He spoke for an ad hoc majority in the parliament,” said a Minister of Parliament.

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