More than 65,000 protest against Yushchenko in Ukraine capital

Apr 27, 2007, 18:27 GMT

Kiev - More than 65,000 demonstrators protested against President Viktor Yushchenko on Friday in the Ukrainian capital Kiev.

It was the largest mass demonstration since the country's Orange Revolution in 2004, that put Yushchenko into office.

Police presence was substantial and the crowd was peaceful, though columns of protestors snarled rush-hour traffic. Law enforcers made no arrests, but did help some protestors needing assistance for minor injuries or health problems suffered while walking through the city.

Speaking to the crowd at Kiev's central Maidan Square, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich accused Yushchenko of repeatedly violating the constitution.

The pro-Europe Yushchenko ordered parliament dissolved on April 2, citing alleged violations of legislative procedure by the parliament's ruling majority, which Yanukovich heads.

Yanukovich and his allies have argued Yushchenko had no constitutional authority to order the legislature dissolved, and have continued to meet parliamentary session in defiance of the President.

Kiev has seen protests almost every day of April. The Kiev city government on Thursday estimated the cost of cleaning up after the protestors, and providing them health care, at approximately 1.5 million dollars - a major sum for the city's budget.

Ukraine's constitutional court has reviewed the case since last week, with final arguments bing delivered on Thursday. It has not set a deadline for giving a decision.

Yushchenko initially set new parliament elections for May 27, but on Wednesday he revised the date to June 24.

Most Ukrainian political analysts have expressed doubt that either date will see elections, given the government's inability to prepare for them, as parliament has banned using tax money for that purpose.