Ukraine Borders on Catastrophe

Prime Minister Victor Yanukovych was declared as the winner of the presidential elections by the Ukrainian Central Election Committee, and said yesterday that the behavior of the opposition party has brought the country to the brink of collapse. The pro-Russian leader was in Severedonetsk yesterday where he said: "As Prime Minister, I am saying that we are on the verge of collapsing. We are one step away from the edge of the cliff." Yanukovych called on his supporters to refrain from violence as once the first drop of blood is shed, it will be impossible to stop.

Donetsk province in eastern Ukraine has decided to hold a referendum in December for autonomy. Doentsk Province Council President Boris Kolesnikov said yesterday, "There was no alternative; we have to protect our interests." Pro-Western opposition leader Victor Yushchenko criticized the move saying that the officials who declared the referendum decision constitute a danger to the country.

As a unified state, the provinces in Ukraine have no right to autonomy. President Leonid Kuchma has side said splitting the country into autonomous regions is not beneficial and conflicts with the Constitution. At a National Security and Defense Council meeting, the President said yesterday that meetings aimed at finding a solution to the nation’s crisis have so far been unproductive. The parties agreed to meet last Friday (November 26) and a working group was formed with mediation by European Union (EU) and Russian representatives at the first meeting.

Meanwhile, Yulya Timoshenko, a strong supporter of Yushchenko, has said Kuchma has until this evening to end Yavukovych’s appointment as Prime Minister or face active obstruction.