Court Threat As Ukraine Power Struggle Grows

Ukraine's leadership crisis deepened yesterday as President Viktor Yushchenko threatened government officials with prosecution if they did not hold early elections. But the prime minister, Viktor Yanukovich, repeated his call for the president to reverse Monday's decision to dissolve parliament, and called for international mediation in the conflict.

The decision to disband the parliament has plunged Ukraine into its deepest political crisis since the Orange Revolution of 2004 and brought thousands of Mr Yanukovich's supporters on to the streets of Kiev. The prime minister, who heads a ruling coalition of MPs, announced that he had invited the Austrian chancellor, Alfred Gusenbauer, to mediate, and he might also approach Russia and Poland.

Mr Yanukovich said he had called Mr Gusenbauer after being alarmed by comments made by Mr Yushchenko in an interview with the Guardian, published yesterday, when the president said the country had been brought close to violent conflict. The prime minister said: "We are against any aggravation of the situation. We only want to stabilise Ukraine, and avoid a forceful resolution of the conflict."

Mr Yushchenko has said he dissolved parliament because MPs' defections to Mr Yanukovich's ruling faction were unlawful. Today he told officials to prepare for elections on May 27, adding: "I stress again that this order is binding. Failing to fulfil it will result in criminal charges."

For their part, the prime minister and his allies have asked the constitutional court to review Mr Yushchenko's decree disbanding parliament. Transport minister Mykola Rudkovsky told the Guardian: "The people will stay in the streets until he cancels his illegal decree."