Et Tu Brute? - Tymoshenko, Yanukovich Team Up To Sack The Government.

Following days of mounting dissatisfaction inside the Rada with the way the authorities solved the gas dispute led by President Yushchenko?s former ally Yulia Tymoshchenko, the parliament voted to fire the Cabinet of Prime Minister Yurii Yekhanurov on Tuesday. The motion passed with 250 votes, 24 more than the 226 required. The Yulia Tymoshenko Block, Party of Regions, Communists, and Lytvyn Block all voted overwhelmingly in favour of the motion. Concorde Capital: The question on everyone?s lips is, ?what now?? Despite Ukraine?s shift to a palimentary-presidental republic, only President Yushchenko has the ability to form the new government until after the March 26th elections.  The Presdient?s current government will stay in power until then unless Yushchenko decides to put forward a new candidate as Prime Minister. This looks highly unlikely, as the Rada, knowing it is soon to take power, would surely block any of Yushchenko?s candidates. Additionally the government will began its winter recess on Monday and will not reconvene until February 7, and even in the best of circumstances the appointment of a new PM can take about a month. So although, the Rada?s move is quite a blow to the President politically, in fact it will probably not affect the day to day work of the current government. More interesting however, is Tymoshenko?s alliance with Viktor Yanukovich and the Party of Regions. In the fall, the BYT was against the appointment of Yekhanurov but was careful not to connect itself with Regions when they blocked Yekhanurov?s appointment the first time around. Now it seems all bets are off and the BYT?s course to the elections has changed from parallel with Our Ukraine to head-on collision.