The parliament dismissed Arseniy Yatsenyuk from his post as the speaker. 233 of the 350 members of parliament registered in the session hall voted in favour, including 175 members of the Party of Regions, 27 members of the Communist Party, 20 members of the Lytvyn Bloc, 10 members of the United Center, which are part of the OUPSD and one member of the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc.

The International Monetary Fund approved a US $16.4 million stand-by line-of-credit for Ukraine for two years. In the fund’s communiqué it was noted that the credit is being granted to assist the Ukrainian government in renewing financial stability in the country.

The parliamentarians approved the president’s package of anti-crisis measures in order to prevent the economy from collapsing. This was the main requirement of the IMF to Ukraine. As a reminder, the parliament worked on this document since last week and was only approved in full today in its second reading. 243 members of the YTB, OU-PSD and the Lytvyn Bloc voted in favor of the anti-crisis measures.

The president suspended the validity of the decree on early elections. The head of state explained that he renewed the powers of the Verkhovna Rada for a few days so that the parliamentarians can make amendments to the 2008 National Budget, which will allow for financing early elections.

Presidential assistant Maryna Stavniychuk informed that the holding of early elections of the parliament of the 7th convocation is under threat. She said the latest events in the courts are an attempt to drag out the process and postpone voting.

President Viktor Yushchenko announced the dissolution of the parliament and the holding of early elections on December 7.

By uniting the YTB and OU-PSD annulled practically all the laws vetoed by the president. In particular, these were the laws approved by the YTB and Party of Regions factions on September 2 concerning the Cabinet of Ministers, the SBU, the Constitutional Court, Ad Hoc Investigation Committees and the Civil Service. A day earlier Premier Yulia Tymoshenko promised to fulfill the demands of the president in order to salvage the coalition and avoid early elections.

Talks between the YTB and OU-PSD continued today. The pro-presidential force put forth three conditions to the premier: a joint statement on the Russian-Georgian conflict, sticking to the coalition agreement between the democratic forces and annulment of agreements with the Party of Regions. The YTB faction stated that it is ready to sign a coalition agreement that would have effect between OU-PSD and the YTB to include the Lytvyn Bloc in the talks.

VR Speaker Arseniy Yatsenyuk announced the dissolution of the parliamentary coalition. He informed that the statement about recalling the previous statement issued by the OUPSD faction concerning the suspension of the coalition’s activity did not make it to his office. Now the deputies of the parliament have 30 days to form a new coalition. If this does not happen, the president will have the right to dissolve the Verkhovna Rada and declare early parliamentary elections.

Premier Yulia Tymoshenko presented three possible scenarios of the development of events in the Verkhovna Rada. The first is reviving the democratic coalition, the second is early elections to the VR and the third is reformatting of the coalition. Tymoshenko said the revival of the coalition is the most acceptable variant for both the country and the president and she is categorically against early elections calling this the worst option. The premier did not rule out the third scenario of forming a new coalition in the parliament.

In his address to the Ukrainian people President Yushchenko informed that the country is going through a political and constitutional revolution. The president emphasized that he will disband the parliament if the deputies fail to form a new coalition within the timeframe of one month stipulated in the Constitution. In her address to the Ukrainian people Premier Yulia Tymoshenko informed that the YTB is in favor of a coalition between the YTB and OU-PSD and sees no coalition other than a democratic one. Tymoshenko called on OU-PSD to reject any ultimatums and return to the coalition within 10 days.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine passed judgment on Russia’s decision to recognize the independence of Southern Ossetia and Abkhazia. In the ministry’s statement it reads that Ukraine regards this step as an extremely dangerous precedent that will aggravate the overall situation in the Caucuses.

During a meeting with U.S. senators Joe Lieberman and Lindsey Graham, President Viktor Yushchenko stressed the need for Ukraine to be given international guarantees of the country’s integrity and independence, which is only possible within the framework of collective security.

President Viktor Yushchenko approved the procedure for military servicemen, the navy and air force of the Russian Black Sea Fleet stationed on the territory of Ukraine crossing the national border of Ukraine. The procedure calls for the high command of the Russian Black Sea Fleet sending a corresponding communiqué to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Headquarters of the Foreign Affairs of Ukraine regarding the navy and air force of Russia crossing the border of Ukraine no later than 72 hours in advance.

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili declared a state of war at a meeting of the National Security Council on Saturday. He stated, “I am signing a decree regarding a state of war and will pass it on to parliament for approval as Georgia is in a state of military aggression on the part of Russia.”