MP Serhiy Sobolev of the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc has said that President Viktor Yanukovych and his team have taken three steps towards a coup and usurping of power in Parliament.

"Our assessment of what happened today in Parliament is unambiguous: this is a coup and usurpation of power. The third step towards the usurping of power was taken by Yanukovych and (Party of Regions MP Mykola) Azarov. The first step was taken when the coalition, which was supposed to exist according to the Constitution, was disbanded illegally. The second, and equally important step, was the Cabinet's dismissal. And now, the third step is the formation of a so-called new majority and the so-called Cabinet of Azarov," Sobolev said today in Parliament. The head of the YTB faction in Parliament, MP Ivan Kyrylenko, described the possible formation of a new coalition as "a constitutional coup".

A draft law on parliamentary procedures allowing the coalition to be formed by MPs rather than factions was adopted in the first reading in Parliament today. The draft was submitted by two MPs of the pro-presidential Party of Regions.

Acting Deputy Prime Minister Hryhoriy Nemyrya was quoted by the Interfax-Ukraine news agency at 10:01 local time today as saying that the YTB would ask the Council of Europe, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe to give an international assessment of amendments to the law on parliamentary procedures in the event of their adoption.