UKRAINE: Ukrainians celebrate Easter holidays as political dead-lock remains in place

Record ID: 572543

  • Title: UKRAINE: Ukrainians celebrate Easter holidays as political dead-lock remains in place
  • Date: 8th April 2007
  • Summary: (W3) KIEV, DONETSK, UKRAINE (APRIL 8, 2007) (REUTERS) INDEPENDENCE SQUARE SUPPORTERS OF UKRAINIAN PM VIKTOR YANUKOVICH CELEBRATING EASTER WITH FLAGS /ROWS OF EASTER CAKES ON STAGE ORTHODOX PRIEST PRAYING FROM STAGE PEOPLE CROSSING THEMSELVES PRIEST CONSECRATING EASTER CAKES EASTER CAKES "KULICHI" YANUKOVICH'S REGIONS PARTY SUPPORTERS WATCHING WIDE OF PEOPLE PRAYING
  • Embargoed: 23rd April 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Ukraine
  • Country: Ukraine
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA5CRLGYKL0BBN16MV0AKXM5DR7
  • Story Text: Supporters of Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich, who stayed in Kiev to continue protests against the dissolution of parliament, celebrate Easter holiday.
    Thousands of the prime minister's supporters, many brought by bus from his power base in eastern Ukraine, have taken to the streets, calling for Yushchenko to step down. But unlike the 2004 upheaval, gatherings in Kiev's Independence Square, were relatively small and low-key, the centre of the Ukrainian capital remained void of any sign of tension. In Independence Square, the focal point of the 2004 protests, several hundred supporters of the prime minister on Sunday (April 8) celebrated easter holiday and consecrated Easter cakes.
    Ukraine's president Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich prayed at Easter service, on Saturday-Sunday (April 7-8) in their respective power bases - Kiev and Donetsk. Political dead-lock remains in place, as both men keep refusing to back down over a new election and keep threatening each other with prosecution.
    President Viktor Yushchenko's decree to dissolve parliament came into force on Tuesday (April 3) and Ukraine's prime minister immediately challenged what he called a "fatal error" in the courts.
    The pro-Western president has been locked in a struggle for power and authority with Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich since appointing him last August.
    Yushchenko's popularity has slid amid accusations he betrayed the promise of Ukraine's "Orange Revolution" 2-1/2 years ago when he pledged to take Ukraine into the European Union and boost low living standards for its 47 million people.
    The decree published in the official gazette set a parliamentary election for May 27. Even if all sides agree to take part, it could produce more of the stalemate that has afflicted Ukraine since a parliamentary poll just over a year ago.
    In parliament, where Yanukovich is backed by a three-party coalition, 53 members asked the Constitutional Court to strike out the decree. The prime minister's Regions Party asked the court to work round the clock to establish clarity.
    A ruling is expected to take more than a month. He urged the president to start talks and asked Austria to mediate to help resolve the crisis. Polish President Lech Kaczynski offered his services as a mediator -- a role his predecessor performed during the 2004 revolution.
    For the first time, analysts voiced concern that the crisis could hurt the economy.
    Ratings agency Standard & Poor's cut the outlook on its rating on Ukraine, citing the deteriorating political climate as posing risks to economic policies.
    The standoff has underlined growing disenchantment in the West with Ukraine's progress in reforms after the revolution.
    Yushchenko then swept to victory over the pro-Moscow Yanukovich in 2004 on hopes he would throw off Ukraine's Soviet legacy, modernise the economy and move the country closer to the West and eventual European Union membership.
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