Ukraine PM increases pressure on president

Ukraine's prime minister yesterday vowed to boycott the campaign for an election called by the country's increasingly unpopular president as rival demonstrators took to the streets of the capital.

Pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko this week brought to a head months of confrontation with his prime minister, Viktor Yanukovich, over Ukraine's future direction, dissolving the parliament backing Mr Yanukovich and calling a May 27 election.

Mr Yushchenko's stock has dwindled in the two-and-a-half years since the "Orange Revolution", when many had hoped that the impoverished former Soviet state could join the European Union and improve its meagre standard of living.

Under Ukrainian law, the election campaign opened yesterday. But Mr Yanukovich, defeated by the president in 2004 after weeks of "orange" protests, vowed he would have nothing to do with it until the Constitutional Court ruled on the presidential decree.

Hundreds of Mr Yanukovich's supporters marched to the president's offices to confront those backing Mr Yushchenko. Separated by a line of police, the two sides traded slogans; "Yushchenko out" competing with "We are for justice", from the president's supporters.

Mr Yanukovich told ministers: "Until the Constitutional Court examines this issue, we will engage in no preparations for any elections."

"Given that the country is in such a tense situation, we must ensure that state institutions function... and cut short any action, or indeed any talk, of an early election."

The prime minister's allies in parliament have asked the court to rule on the decree's legality. No ruling can be expected from the court for at least a month.

Mr Yushchenko said parliament had become "illegitimate" after several deputies switched parties and the assembly now had to be dissolved as it no longer reflected voters' wishes.

Mr Yushchenko has seen his authority and popularity, once regarded as assured due to his role in the revolution, fade.

His declining fortunes have boosted Mr Yanukovich, who has poached members from the president's party and gained new supporters across the country with his no-nonsense attitude.

Analysts say Mr Yushchenko, who hoped to modernise Ukraine's economy and bring the country more in line with Western values, has acted to stop Mr Yanukovich getting enough backers in parliament to directly challenge his power.

Many on the capital's streets said they were tired of political fighting and wanted no re-run of the revolution.

"I think there will be elections because if they don't happen people will just start fighting. Someone has to give way, there has to be a compromise," said Gennady, an IT specialist.

Thousands have taken to the streets since the president dissolved parliament on Monday. Protesters have organised tent camps and staged rallies but they are a shadow of the vast crowds that thronged Kiev in 2004.