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Ukraine opposition party demanding top posts in parliament

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Ukraine's opposition Party of Regions said Thursday it would continue to block the country's parliament until it was offered leading posts in the assembly.

KIEV, June 29 (RIA Novosti) - Ukraine's opposition Party of Regions said Thursday it would continue to block the country's parliament until it was offered leading posts in the assembly.

"We demand the posts of the heads of some parliamentary committees," party leader and ex-presidential candidate Viktor Yanukovych said.

The pro-Russia party, which won the largest share of votes in March 26 parliamentary elections but was frozen out of a coalition deal, has also been protesting against the coalition's intention to vote for Yulia Tymoshenko, an ex-prime minister and prominent figure in the "orange revolution" whose recent career has courted controversy, and Petro Poroshenko, a businessman and former secretary of Ukraine's Security Council.

But Yanukovych said he was sure the coalition - comprising Tymoshenko's bloc, pro-presidential grouping Our Ukraine, and the Socialist Party - would never agree to these demands or make concessions, and said his faction would continue blocking parliament until the coalition "ceased to break the law".

Leaders of the three groups agreed to form a coalition majority in the Rada June 22 after months of political wrangling following elections in March. Members of Our Ukraine and the Socialist Party have said the opposition's demands should be partially met in order to allow the Rada to get down to work.

The Party of Regions is protesting in parliament for a second day. Yanukovych, beaten by President Viktor Yushchenko in the 2004 presidential race, said earlier: "We are prepared to block the parliament's work for 30 days if it is necessary."

The Supreme Rada, or parliament, would have to be dissolved in 30 days if its members fail to hold a session.

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