The 2004 Orange Revolution raised the nation's reform hopes
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Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko has sacked his government after a spate of resignations and corruption claims.
He has appointed a regional governor from the east as acting prime minister.
Earlier on Thursday two top Ukrainian officials
resigned, crippling the government of Yulia Tymoshenko, who had helped
secure Mr Yushchenko's victory.
Criticism of Mr Yushchenko's team has intensified amid
impatience over the pace of the Orange Revolution reforms. He came to
power in January 2005.
Ukraine's Unian news agency said Mr Yushchenko on
Thursday named Dnipropetrovsk governor Yuri Yekhanurov - from eastern
Ukraine - as acting prime minister.
His dramatic move came shortly after the resignations of
Security and Defence Council chief Petro Poroshenko and Deputy Prime
Minister Mykola Tomenko.
It meant that three of Mr Yushchenko's top aides had resigned in the space of a week.
Reform crisis
"I hoped it would be a temporary thing, and as they get
down to work they would have no time left for quarrels," Mr Yushchenko
told a news conference.
"But with each passing day, I saw the conflict get worse."
Mr Zinchenko (left) and Mr Poroshenko: Exposing crisis
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He deplored what he called "conflicts" between the
cabinet and the National Security and Defence Council, and between the
cabinet and parliament.
"The president should not have to work as a nanny to settle relations between these people," he said.
"My colleagues have lost their team spirit and their faith. I say this with sadness, because these people remain my friends."
Mr Yushchenko, a pro-Western liberal, came to power
after massive street protests, pledging to make the fight against
corruption one of his top priorities.
But on Saturday presidential chief of staff Oleksandr
Zinchenko resigned, accusing officials of undermining the goals of the
Orange Revolution that swept Mr Yushchenko to power. He included Mr
Poroshenko in his criticism.
Mr Yushchenko said the new team must have "the ability to work as one".
"We need to halt the disappointment in society and make sure that ideals (of the Orange Revolution) are not cast into doubt."
Earlier, Mr Tomenko said he did not want to bear "collective responsibility" for corruption in Mr Yushchenko's team.
"I have realised that some people steal and others resign," he told a news conference.
Mr Poroshenko said he was stepping down so as not to
obstruct an official investigation. He denied the allegations of
corruption.
Tensions between Mr Poroshenko and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko were widely reported.
Mr Yushchenko himself had also come in for strong
criticism as a result of a reporter's recent investigation into his
son's alleged life of luxury.
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