Yushchenko, Yanukovich Agree To Hold New Elections.

On Friday President Yushchenko and his political opponent PM Viktor Yanukovich agreed to hold new elections following constitutional reforms aimed at more clearly defining the role and powers of Ukraine’s President and Prime Minister.  No exact date for the new elections was given but a working group representing all political factions in the Rada was put together to begin working on legislation for the new constitutional reforms and lawmakers are scheduled to return to the Rada for one day on Tuesday to pass the laws put together by the working group and pave the way for new elections. Nick Piazza: The date of the new elections is likely to be a highly contested issue. The opposition led by the President, who has seen a huge jump in his political capital since dismissing the Rada, will be pushing for elections this within 60 days of the formation working group, while Regions wants to hold the poll as close to the end of the year as possible in order to give the party time to make good all its campaign promises from the last election. More importantly will be that the working group finally heal Ukraine’s porous constitution. According to our sources in Yushchenko’s office, he will only allow lawmakers to return the Rada and vote in the changes if they amendments they put forward fully outline the distribution of power between the President and government and forbid MPs from switching factions during Rada sessions.