Our Ukraine was part of a short-lived coalition with the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc and the Socialists - the two other political forces that propelled Viktor Yushchenko the presidency in the 2004 "orange revolution" - that emerged three months after parliamentary elections but then collapsed when the Socialists left.
"We are in talks with Our Ukraine and Our Ukraine will most likely join the coalition," said former premier Yanukovych. "Therefore, quotas for posts [in the parliament] will be distributed with account for all members of the coalition."
The new parliamentary coalition led by Yanukovych's Party of Regions officially assumed duties Tuesday and re-submitted his prime ministerial candidacy to Yushchenko. The president will now have to decide on recommending the candidature to parliament within 15 days.
Yanukovych, a 56-year-old former regional governor who lost the 2004 presidential vote after ballot-rigging accusations, said if Our Ukraine did not join the coalition it would have no powers.
But Roman Bezsmertniy, head of Our Ukraine's parliamentary faction, said Thursday his party would never join "the so-called anti-crisis coalition."
