Ukraine rejects Yushchenko’s premier

THREE VOTES SHORT

KIEV • President Viktor Yushchenko failed yesterday to win support for his candidate as premier, casting new doubt on hopes that his election after Ukraine’s Orange Revolution could catapult the country into Europe’s mainstream.

Yuri Yekhanurov, a middle-of-the-road technocrat and longstanding ally of the president, won 223 votes, three short of the required majority in the 450-seat assembly.

The President had proposed Mr. Yekhanurov as prime minister to replace Yulia Tymoshenko, who he fired two weeks ago in an effort to end infighting and allegations of corruption. She has vowed to get her job back by defeating the President’s allies in a March parliamentary election.

The rejection is another setback to Mr. Yushchenko’s goals of achieving political stability and adopting Westernstyle reforms that will one day secure Ukraine membership in the European Union and NATO.

His next move is unclear. He could propose Mr. Yekhanurov again and hope to win more votes through talks, keep him on as acting premier or find a new candidate.

The President’s chief of staff, Oleh Rybachuk, said it would be “very logical” to propose Mr. Yekhanurov a second time.

“ The President is entitled to do so within five minutes if he chooses,” he told reporters. “This is a question of tactics.”

Mr. Yekhanurov, formerly a governor in central Ukraine, failed to attract enough votes after four groups abstained — including Ms. Tymoshenko’s allies, the Communists and two parties that fought against the President in last year’s election campaign.

The President had urged the chamber to “abandon intrigues and battles” and approve his candidate. He denounced a “cynical plot to destroy” his administration.

He said he had long backed his government despite “inept” policy which led to an economic slowdown and confusion over privatization plans.

“ If we want to stabilize matters quickly and fully in Ukraine we need to approve my candidate, Yekhanurov. We need a depoliticized government,” he said.

Only a government “of pragmatists” could work in the run-up to the election next March.

As debate proceeded, Ukraine’s prosecutorsaid five criminal cases had been opened against former officials in response to charges of corruption made by the two rival camps in the outgoing government.