KYIV. May 17 (Interfax) - Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada Speaker Andriy Parubiy has announced the termination of the work of the European Ukraine parliamentary coalition.
"I've got sad news. In light of the statement made by the head of the parliamentary faction of People's Front political party about the faction's withdrawal from the coalition and, in this connection, the termination of the coalition's work, I inform you that the European Ukraine coalition of parliamentary factions in the Verkhovna Rada of the 8th convocation has terminated its work today. And we have to admit that it was a good coalition. I congratulate all of you, my colleagues, on our joint work," Parubiy said.
He called on MPs to launch consultations on forming a new parliamentary coalition following the demise of the European Ukraine coalition.
"In accordance with the provisions of Part 7 of Article 83 of the Ukrainian Constitution, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has one month from this day, the day when the coalition of deputy factions terminated its work, to form a new coalition. In this connection, I call on representatives of all factions and groups to start consultations on forming a new coalition," Parubiy said.
Under the law, Verkhovna Rada factions can agree to set up a new coalition within 30 days after the announcement about the absence of a parliamentary coalition. If such a coalition is not formed, the president has a right to dissolve parliament and order an early election.
The European Ukraine coalition was established on November 27, 2014 and initially included the parliamentary factions of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc, the People's Front, Samopomich, Oleh Lyashko's Radical Party, and Batkivshchyna (a total of 302 MPs).
Samopomichm, the Radical Party and Batkivshchyna later withdrew from the coalition.