Ukraine president delays snap poll
Published on : 26/04/2007
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Ukraine's president has delayed the country's forthcoming elections, prompting the condemnation of his prime minister.
President Viktor Yushchenko had originally dissolved parliament and called voters to the polls on May 27th after protestors from rival parties demonstrated against each other in Kiev.
Now the Our Ukraine party leader has issued a decree postponing the snap poll until June 24th.
Condemning the move, an aide to prime minister Viktor Yanukovych said: "Both the previous decree to dissolve parliament and the decree issued by the Ukrainian president are unconstitutional."
Observers have suggested that the prime minister suspects Mr Yuschenko's move to be politically motivated. The president wants to win enough votes to change the country's constitution, they say.
Three years have passed since the Orange Revolution of 2004, which saw supporters of Mr Yushchenko receive his title after a fraudulent election gave the post to Party of Regions leader Mr Yanukovych.
Since then Mr Yanukovych has won power-sharing arrangements after winning enough votes to become prime minister, meaning the political contest between the two has continued into the present day.
