Ukraine Lawmakers Curb President’s Power

KIEV, Ukraine -- Rivals of President Viktor A. Yushchenko passed legislation in Parliament on Friday to curb his powers sharply, with enough votes to thwart a veto.


It's just a matter of time before Yanukovych (R) starts impeachment procedures against Yushchenko (L)
The measure was driven by supporters of Prime Minister Viktor F. Yanukovich, who lost to Mr. Yushchenko in the presidential election after the so-called Orange Revolution in 2004.

The bill would deprive Mr. Yushchenko of the power to reject Parliament’s choice of a prime minister and to pick the defense and foreign ministers. It would also limit presidential decrees.

Members of the president’s party stormed out after the vote.

“We are speaking here about a factual destabilization of the state power in Ukraine,” one official, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, told reporters.

He added that Mr. Yushchenko would challenge the vote in the Constitutional Court, even though the Constitution states that he has to sign it into law.

Mr. Yanukovich said the bill would allow government to work more effectively. “We will use the powers to solve many problematic questions in the country,” he was quoted as saying by the Ukrainska Pravda Web site.

Source: New York Times