You're reading: Update: Tymoshenko says Government members will immediately leave offices after Rada’s decision on cabinet dismissal

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has said that government members will immediately leave their offices and the Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko will go into opposition immediately if a vote of no confidence in the government is passed.

"If the government’s dismissal is supported today, our government members will immediately leave their offices. Our political force will immediately go into opposition and will clearly form a united democratic team in opposition," Tymoshenko said from the parliament’s rostrum on Mar. 3.

She said that Ukraine had faced serious threats following Viktor Yanukovych’s election as Ukrainian president.

"We have to say now that a threat is coming from this person, Mr. Yanukovych. The first thing is the weakening of the independence of our state. The second is a direct threat to the territorial integrity of our country and a direct threat to our democracy, freedom of speech and the strategic ownership of our state," Tymoshenko said.

"I want us to assume these commitments," she said.

Tymoshenko spoke for less than 15 minutes, with 45 minutes allocated for her speech. Then she immediately left the parliament’s session hall.