KIEV, April 6 (RIA Novosti, Olga Bernatskaya) - Viktor Yanukovych, the leader of Ukraine's pro-Russian Party of Regions and former prime minister warned Thursday against the formation of an "orange" coalition in the country's new parliament.
"I would like to warn the authorities on behalf of millions of people who backed the Party of Regions during the elections that the revival of the 'orange' team is a repeat of the mistakes of 2005 in the worst possible way," Yanukovych said, referring to the dismissal of Yuliya Tymoshenko's government.
"Ukraine will undergo a catastrophe if its political elite does not put the country's interests above career ambitions and narrow prejudices," said Yanukovych, who lost to Viktor Yushchenko in a re-run of the second round of presidential elections in late December 2004.
He also said the Party of Regions was interested in top posts in the parliament and government only in as much as having the right people in these posts will boost the implementation of Ukraine's economic development strategy.
Yuliya Tymoshenko, a former Ukrainian prime minister, said earlier her eponymous election bloc would not cooperate with the Party of Regions.
"No mixture of political blood is possible," Tymoshenko said, adding that representatives of Yanukovych's party could chair a number of committees in the new parliament or the Audit Chamber.
Pro-presidential bloc Our Ukraine said earlier it had signed a protocol on forming a parliamentary coalition with Tymoshenko's bloc and the Socialist party.
Ukraine's parliamentary elections saw the Party of Regions come out on top but without enough seats to form a majority in the 450-seat parliament, the Supreme Rada. Under the Ukrainian Constitution, the Rada must form a coalition majority within 30 days of the new parliament starting work, and appoint a new government in the next 30 days.
Speculation has been rife on possible majority coalitions in the new parliament, with some analysts predicting an "orange" coalition comprising the groups that backed President Yushchenko when he came to power in late 2004 following the disputed vote, and others suggesting a "grand coalition" involving pro-presidential groups and the Party of Regions.
