Less than two years here, and here's another national election. I'm thinking people are starting to tire of ongoing election cycles and frequent street protests. - Matt
By Roman Olearchyk in Kiev
Updated: 9:11 p.m. ET Sept. 4, 2007
Legislators backing Viktor Yanukovich, Ukraine's premier, on Tuesday raised the stakes in an already tense election campaign by holding a session of parliament of questionable legitimacy.
This act of defiance is expected to test the nerves of Viktor Yushchenko, Ukraine's pro-western president, who dissolved parliament in the spring, setting the stage for elections.
A group of 269 legislators backing Mr Yanukovich's coalition government gathered in parliament on Tuesday. They passed two laws, accused the president of illegally dissolving parliament and pledged to keep the legislature open ahead of the September 30 vote. Ukraine's vague legislation does not clearly specify whether parliament should immediately close when dissolved, or serve until new legislators are elected.
Political analysts in Kiev said the reopening of parliament would provide Mr Yanukovich's allies with a bully pulpit for rallying voter support.
It could also complicate preparations for an election that will gauge how far Kiev's fragile democracy has matured since the Orange Revolution, when street protests against election fraud propelled Mr Yushchenko to the presidency over Mr Yanukovich.
Mr Yushchenko is unlikely forcefully to shut down parliament. Doing so could spark rallies backing his foe and complicate election preparations. In a televised address to the nation, aired the night before the extraordinary parliament session, Mr Yushchenko said: "The driving force of this provocation is a desire to sabotage the elections.
"It is motivated by the fear of losing power. Any decision by this parliament will not be legitimate," the president said, stressing that elections would proceed on schedule.
Government officials this week said elections could be cancelled if the parliament functioned stably.
Mr Yanukovich called for calm. "We do not seek destabilisation of the election campaign," he said. "A functioning parliament does not entail any risk to the stability of the country."
After losing the presidential contest in 2004, Mr Yanukovich returned as prime minister last summer after an inconclusive parliamentary poll. Both leaders have since been locked in a battle for authority.
Mr Yushchenko convinced Mr Yanukovich to accept early elections this summer after their spat escalated into a constitutional crisis.
Copyright The Financial Times Ltd. All rights reserved.
From MSNBC.
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