KIEV STANDS BY PRIME MINISTER REJECTED BY CRIMEAN PARLIAMENT.

Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma has restored Arkady Demydenko to the post of prime minister of Ukraine’s Autonomous Republic of Crimea, from which he was dismissed by the Crimean parliament at the beginning of this month. The standoff between parliament and prime minister continued, however, when members of parliament blocked Demydenko’s entry to the parliament building and prevented him from addressing the chamber. (Ukrainian Radio, April 17)

There were, moreover, increasing indications that Kiev may be thinking of dissolving the Crimean parliament and calling fresh elections. Last week, President Kuchma annulled the Crimean law on associations of citizens. Ukrainian law forbids the registration of political parties that do not have nationwide membership. The Crimean law sought to circumvent this restriction and allow the mainly Russian parties that dominate Crimean politics to function as parties in all but name, even though their membership is confined to Crimean residents. (Ukrainian Radio, April 17) If President Kuchma does decide to call a fresh election, parties such as the Crimean Republican party, the Crimean Communist party, and the Crimean Russian party could be ineligible to compete.

Ukraine Has Busy Weekend in the Black Sea.