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Protestors set up camp in Ukraine capital as new elections loom

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Thousands of people gathered in front of Ukraine's parliament Wednesday to protest the current political turmoil and support their political parties.
KIEV, July 12 (RIA Novosti) - Thousands of people gathered in front of Ukraine's parliament Wednesday to protest the current political turmoil and support their political parties.

About 3,000 supporters of the pro-Russian Party of Regions have set up pickets after arriving from various cities Tuesday evening. They are demanding that the Supreme Rada begin working properly and stability be brought to the country's political and economic life.

On Tuesday Ukrainian Parliamentary Speaker Oleksandr Moroz said Ukraine had formed a new parliamentary coalition comprising the pro-Russian Party of Regions, the Communist Party and the Socialist Party, which led ugly scenes as members of the 450-seat legislature started numerous fist fights, traded insults and attempted to drown each other out with sirens and megaphones.

On Wednesday morning hundreds of supporters of Yulia Tymoshenko, the leader of her eponymous block and former prime minister, also came to parliament. They set up tents opposite the building in the center of the capital, Kiev, and are demanding the dissolution of parliament.

Tymoshenko, who was widely expected to return to the prime minister's chair she occupied for eight months last year, said Tuesday her faction would go into radical opposition and was ready for new elections.

Despite the formation of a new alliance led by Party of Regions and the nomination of leader Viktor Yanukovych for the prime minister's job Tuesday, President Viktor Yushchenko can dissolve the Rada as the deadline for the formation of a new government expires July 24.

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