Ukraine crisis: Opposition MPs seek to curb president's powers
Ukraine's opposition MPs are expected to push for laws that will reduce the power of the president, as parliament begins a new term on Tuesday.
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They are expected to call for a return to an earlier constitution that would give parliament greater control over the formation of governments.
Opposition leaders are ramping up pressure on President Viktor Yanukovych after weeks of anti-government unrest.
Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and the entire cabinet resigned last week.
On Monday, President Yanukovych's representative in parliament told the AFP news agency that the president could call early elections if there were no other ways out of the crisis.
Yuriy Miroshnychenko said the president spoke to MPs from his Regions Party last week and told them that early parliamentary and presidential elections were a possibility.
Shifting allegiances
Arseniy Yatsenyuk, leader of the largest opposition party, Fatherland, said a return to the 2004 constitution would "cancel the dictatorial authority of the president and transfer the right of governing the country to the Ukrainian people".
Mr Yatsenyuk, who last week turned down an offer from Mr Yanukovych to become prime minister, said his bloc was ready to vote on a constitutional bill as early as Tuesday.
However, correspondents say party allegiances have been fluid and it is unclear if the opposition can rally a majority in parliament over the issue.
Opposition leaders are also seeking other concessions including a broader amnesty for those arrested in anti-government protests.
Unrest began last November when President Yanukovych abandoned a political and trade deal with the EU in favour of closer ties with Russia.
housands of people remain on the streets demanding he stand down and some government buildings have been occupied by protesters.
Mr Yanukovych returned from four days of sick leave on Monday, saying Ukraine was facing "extremism" and "a struggle for power".
"The vandalism that we are seeing during the seizures of government buildings, the calls that we are hearing, they remind us of course of old history lessons. We do not want them to be repeated," he said.
Under pressure from the opposition, Mr Yanukovych has scrapped anti-protest laws and accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Azarov and the cabinet.
But his opponents want him to resign before the end of his mandate in 2015 and to call early elections.
Russia on Monday urged the opposition to end its campaign of "ultimatums and threats" and step up negotiations.
Moscow, which has conditionally offered a $15bn (£9bn) aid package to Ukraine, has criticised the EU and other Western countries for intervening in the dispute.
Despite that, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton will return to Kiev on Tuesday and US Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland is due to visit later this week.
Their visits come after Mr Yatsenyuk asked for a "Marshall Plan" for Ukraine - a reference to the US aid package for Europe after World War Two.
Baroness Ashton's spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic said the EU and its foreign partners were talking about "what we can do to help support the Ukrainian economy", but said any aid would be linked to political reforms or the naming of a new government.
The US state department said Washington and Brussels were in preliminary discussions on financial help for Ukraine if a new, technocrat government is formed.
Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said: "We are consulting with the EU... and other partners about the support Ukraine may need after a new technical government is formed as the country gets back on the path to economic health through the IMF (International Monetary Fund)."
Credit: BBC
