UKRAINE'S KUCHMA VOWS TO NOMINATE PUSTOVOYTENKO AS PREMIER... President Leonid Kuchma told journalists in Istanbul on 19 November that he will propose Prime Minister Valeriy Pustovoytenko to head the new cabinet, Interfax reported. Kuchma added that he made that decision on the basis of "this year's economic results." JM

...REJECTS PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS BILL. Kuchma also said he will not sign the bill on parliamentary elections that lawmakers adopted in the first reading on 19 November. The bill proposes a proportional system. Kuchma noted that he could sign the bill only if a bicameral parliament were introduced in Ukraine. He added that the bill does not conform "with the interests of a majority of people," saying that political parties in Ukraine reflect "only the interests of their leaders, not the people." The chances of those parties improve under a proportional election system. JM

UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT BICKERS WITH KUCHMA OVER HIS INAUGURATION. The parliament on 19 November passed a resolution stating that Kuchma's inauguration for a second term in office will take place on 30 November in the parliament, Interfax reported. Kuchma said the same day that he has discussed his inauguration with parliamentary speaker Oleksandr Tkachenko and agreed with him that the ceremony will take place in the Ukrayina concert hall. "Should I take my oath in front of the parliament? I should take it in front of the Ukrainian people," Kuchma said. Meanwhile, parliamentary deputy Oleksandr Yelyashkevich said that if Kuchma's inauguration does not take place in the parliament, this will mean "the beginning of the end of parliamentarism" in Ukraine, according to Interfax. JM