Ukrainian pro-Western parties sign coalition deal
Kiev (AFP) - Pro-Western lawmakers in Ukraine announced Friday the creation of a parliamentary coalition which, for the first time, will be able to pass amendments to the constitution.
Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said the coalition would be made up of 300 legislators out of a total of 450 seats, during a meeting shown live on television.
The deal between five parties including those of Yatsenyuk, President Petro Poroshenko and former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko came after negotiations in the wake of October elections.
The agreement was signed as Kiev marked the first anniversary of the start of protests on Independence Square which led to the overthrow of the previous pro-Russian regime and sparked the conflict ravaging the nation's east.
