yanukovich warns of a new vote

Reuters

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich said Friday he would call a snap parliamentary election if a court ruled that the creation of the ruling coalition broke constitutional rules.

Parliament amended the rules on forming coalitions earlier this month, paving the way for the new government of Prime Minister Mykola Azarov -- a close ally of Yanukovich who was elected to the top post last month.

Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, a bitter rival of Yanukovich in the presidential election, had called the amendment a "constitutional coup d'etat."

"If the decision of the Constitutional Court will be that the coalition was formed illegally, then I will take a decision on a snap election," Yanukovich told a delegation from the European Parliament.

"I will never go down the path of breaching the constitution that is in force."

Yanukovich said the Constitutional Court had already begun reviewing the case. It was unclear when it could issue a ruling. On urgent matters the court rules within weeks but on matters deemed less urgent it can take months or even longer. ...