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Yushchenko signs decree to take control over interior troops - 2

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Ukraine's president signed Friday a decree to make the country's Interior Ministry troops directly subordinate to him, removing them from the ministry's jurisdiction.
(Recasts, adds paras 6-8, 14-17)

KIEV, May 25 (RIA Novosti) - Ukraine's president signed Friday a decree to make the country's Interior Ministry troops directly subordinate to him, removing them from the ministry's jurisdiction.

The move follows yesterday's turmoil in Kiev, when Viktor Yushchenko dismissed the country's top prosecutor, and the interior minister defied the president, sending in riot police to defend the prosecutor as he remained in his office while protestors gathered outside. Police were also ordered to arrest State Guard Department officers at the premises.

Yushchenko said the decree claiming control over interior troops was intended to "prevent real and potential threats to national interests and prevent the use of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry troops in the interests of certain political forces."

The president also instructed the Interior Ministry troops to guard state power bodies' buildings, and ordered the troops' commander, Oleksandr Kikhtenko, to take personal charge of the decree's implementation.

The troops, whose role is to maintain public order, and who are not connected to the army, had been under the control of Interior Minister Vasyl Tsushko, a supporter of Yushchenko's long-time arch rival Viktor Yanukovych. A few hours after the presidential decree was announced, Yanukovych issued a statement defying it.

Ukraine's parliament, the Supreme Rada, voted Friday against Yushchenko's decree, and called the president's decision to step up security at the Prosecutor General's Office illegal.

"These documents were issued in violation of the Constitution and laws of Ukraine," the Supreme Rada said in a resolution backed by 259 lawmakers, with 226 votes required.

The legislature also warned the commander of Interior Ministry troops, as well as military commanders, regarding criminal responsibility if they carried out any illegitimate orders.

After the interior minister moved to support Yushchenko's opponent Prosecutor General Svyatoslav Piskun on Thursday, the president branded the minister's order to send in police a criminal act. Parliament also signaled its support for Piskun.

Yushchenko claimed it was illegal for Piskun to be both chief prosecutor and sit in parliament, where he is a member of Yanukovych's Party of Regions. However, the legality issue has been further complicated by the president's dismissal of parliament and firing of several Constitutional Court Judges.

Piskun was first fired by Yushchenko in 2005, but was reinstated a month ago after contesting his dismissal in court. The latest battle between the president and the prosecutor sprang up following a dispute over the Constitutional Court, which Yushchenko branded "illegitimate" when it failed to accept his decrees dissolving parliament and calling new elections. He demanded that Piskun take appropriate measures against the court.

A presidential supporter, National Security Council Secretary Ivan Plyushch, condemned the interior minister's defiant actions as an attempted seizure of a national law enforcement body, while Viktor Shemchuk, appointed by the president as acting prosecutor, said he had launched criminal proceedings.

In a separate development, Yanukovych appointed Oleksandr Kuzmuk, who served as defense minister under ex-President Leonid Kuchma, as deputy prime minister in charge of security and defense. Kuzmuk replaces Volodymyr Radchenko, who had asked the prime minister to be dismissed due to poor health.

Yanukovych said Friday Yushchenko's decision to take control of Ukraine's Interior Ministry troops interfered with the executive authorities' activities and was therefore unconstitutional.

"The president of Ukraine should not interfere with the executive power's activities and thereby violate the Constitution," he said, adding that it was parliament's responsibility to decide on law enforcement in the country.

Plyushch told journalists Friday that a state of emergency would not be introduced at the moment. "It is impossible now," he said, adding that he was confident Yushchenko and Yanukovych would meet Friday. Earlier the presidential press service said the president and the premier could meet, but the prime minister's press secretary said he was uncertain.

Yanukovych ruled out the use of force by pro-government factions in tackling the protracted political conflict with the pro-presidential forces. "We will never use troops and law enforcement bodies to tackle political problems," Yanukovych told parliament.

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