CENTRIST AND RIGHT-WING UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENTARY DEPUTIES VOTE, 2000-01-21 (photo)

Ukrainian centrist and right-wing parliamentary deputies presided over by deputy speaker Viktor Medvedchuk hold a vote at the "Ukrainian House" culture centre in Kiev to remove leftist speaker Olexander Tkachenko from his post, January 21; at the same time some 180 leftist deputies were holding a separate session in the parliament. Passions in the ex-Soviet state's parliament rose last week when some 240 deputies formed a majority in support of President Leonid Kuchma, who had repeatedly blamed the chamber for blocking reforms and spoiling relations with foreign creditors. YK/