Ukraine opposition forms parallel government

Ukraine's opposition has announced forming a parallel government upping the ante in its confrontation with President Viktor Yanukovych. Arseniv Yatsenvuk, a leader of the Batkivshchyna Party, had turned down Mr. Yanukovych offer to appoint him Prime Minister and that opposition leaders reached a joint decision to form their own government.

Ms. Tymoshenko, leader of the Batkivshchyna Party, is serving a seven-year prison term for abuse of office.

Mr. Yatsenyuk demanded that the Parliament takes a vote on Tuesday on returning to the 2004 Constitution, which truncated presidential powers. He rejected the ruling party’s proposal to set up a parliamentary commission to reach a compromise decision on constitutional changes.

The opposition’s decision to form a parallel government means it is renouncing talks with Mr. Yanukovych. The decision was announced a day before Mr. Yatsenyuk and another opposition leader, Vitali Klitschko, travel to Berlin for crucial talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel.