Ukrainian opposition parties explore alliances too

Front of Changes Party leader Arseniy Yatseniuk said opposition parties that allied following the arrest of opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko on August 5 should work together to form a joint opposition bloc in parliament and on election related efforts including proposing election commission members and fielding election observers, according to an interview with Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty. Ukraine’s next parliamentary elections are scheduled for October 2012. Yatseniuk noted that his party intended to run independently. Brad Wells: Since Tymoshenko’s arrest, opposition leaders finally seem to be coming around to working together on issues of mutual interest. Political consolidation is going to be a theme for the next few months as everyone’s attention turns toward how to best setup for next fall’s general election. On the other end of the political aisle, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and Deputy Prime Minister Sergiy Tigipko, respectively the heads of the Party of Regions and Strong Ukraine, said earlier this month that the two political parties were discussing a merger.