UKRAINAN LEFTIST DEPUTIES HOLD A SESSION IN A HALF-EMPTY HALL, 2000-01-21 (photo)

Ukrainian Parliament's leftist deputies hold a session in the half-empty parliamentary hall after some 240 centrist and right-wing deputies, presided by deputy speaker Viktor Medvedchuk, split off to hold a session at the "Ukrainian House" culture centre to remove leftist speaker Olexander Tkachenko from his post, January 21. 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/GB