- Ukraine parliament sacks government? According to the BBC’s ticker-tape, at any rate, but no details as of yet. Either way, after Prime Minister Yury Yekhanurov defended the Russian gas deal earlier today, it looks like the MPs haven’t bought it. Until more details emerge, here’s a good overview of why the deal could be flawed, and another defending it, as well as a bit more background on the domestic Ukranian troubles caused by the deal and the growth in anti-Russian sentiment. Is this the end of the Orange Revolution?
Update: Here’s the BBC’s stub, doubtless soon to be expanded upon. Looks like a no-confidence vote in the government was backed by 250 out of 450 MPs which should, from what I can tell, force an early general election.
Update 2: Hmmm… According to Auntie, “Mr Yekhanurov has told reporters his government is not bound by the parliamentary vote”. Yaaaay! Ignoring the will of the democratically-elected legislature in a country which saw a popular revolution just over a year ago – nice one… Keep your eye on former PM and Orange Revolution leading light, the rather gorgeous Yulia Tymoshenko.
Update 3: “Mr Yushchenko told reporters on a visit to Kazakhstan: ‘This decision will be shown to be unconstitutional.'” – not “this vote IS unconstitutional”, please note. Either way, one might ask what good a constitution is if it doesn’t force a government to abide by a vote of no confidence…
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