President, PM at odds

Ukraine's political crisis sharpened yesterday when Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko threatened to break off her alliance with President Viktor Yushchenko, accusing him of undermining her government.

Tymoshenko's supporters on Tuesday forced Yushchenko to abandon his annual address to parliament. It was the president's second abortive attempt to deliver the speech this year.

The economy, beset by soaring inflation and slowing growth, has become a battleground between Yushchenko, a former central banker, and Tymoshenko, an ex-gas magnate turned social crusader.

(China Daily 05/15/2008 page12)