Ukraine's leading English-language newspaper since 1995

A new prime minister could be approved before the release of the official result of Ukraine's presidential election, a source in the Verkhovna Rada. A new prime minister could be approved before the release of the official result of Ukraine's presidential election, a source in the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, has told Interfax-Ukraine.

He said that the Regions Party had currently adopted an active and aggressive position in order to "secure and increase its ratings."

He that this plan foresaw the speedy formation of a new coalition.

"As soon as all of the necessary documents are drafted, the creation of a coalition will be announced," the source said.

He also said that the candidacy of Yuriy Yekhanurov for prime minister had been discussed, but only if a coalition with the parliamentary faction of the Our Ukraine-People's Self-Defense Bloc were created. The source said he did not rule out that current President Viktor Yuschenko could become premier.

"Yuschenko doesn't want this himself," he said.

He said that if an Our Ukraine member were prime minister, then Mykola Azarov, who held the post of premier in the governments led by Viktor Yanukovych, could be appointed first vice premier.

The source said that Yanukovych himself had been in talks with "one or two people" on the creation of a new coalition and the approval of a candidate for premier.

Regions Party MP Vasyl Hrytsak said earlier that a new coalition could be created in parliament on Thursday.

Under the Constitution of Ukraine, the prime minister can be dismissed by a parliamentary majority, while a new candidate for the post is submitted for approval by parliament by the president, under a motion from the parliamentary coalition.