Ukraine's opposition to force fresh elections in Spring 2009

By Online Editor -
The leader of the opposition in the Ukrainian parliament, Viktor Yanukovych, has indicated that the opposition will force a fresh election in Spring 2009.

Under the terms of Ukraine's constitution the opposition have the right to force fresh elections of their choosing. In 2007 the opposition lead by Yulia Tymoshenko resigned on mass forcing fresh parliamentary elections to be held.

Viktor Yanukovych has also called for the position of the President to be elected at simultaneous polls.

"If we speak about the elections, both the parliamentary and presidential elections should be held simultaneously," he said in an interview with the Inter TV channel on Sunday night.

Victor Yushchenko, Ukraine's President, has refuted the notion of holding simultaneous elections.

Yushchenko speaking in an interview on Ukrainian Television "Inter TV" said that the presidential campaign begins actually in half a year and presidential and parliamentary elections should not be held simultaneously.

When ask if he would support simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections Ukraine's President commented "Should we be talking of a system of two simultaneous elections today? Would it benefit the country? My personal answer to the question is negative"

Ukraine's Prime Minister,Yulia Tymoshenko, has joined a growing chorus of Ukrainian political leaders calling on Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko to resign.

Presidential elections are scheduled to be held at the end of next year. The President is currently elected in a two round ballot system, Each round is estimated to cost approximately 100 Million US Dollars and a total cost of 200 Million dollars. Similar costs are involved for the conduct of Parliamentary elections.

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