Ukraine

President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko continued their political infighting in 2008, and after Tymoshenko joined the opposition in trying to reduce the president's powers, Yushchenko in October sought to disband the parliament and hold new elections. The parliament refused to fund the voting, however, forcing Yushchenko to postpone the elections indefinitely. Yushchenko and Tymoshenko reached a new coalition agreement in December, forestalling the push for early elections, but relations between the two remained hostile at year's end. The sharp deterioration of the economy in the fall highlighted the politically divided state's inability to carry out fundamental reform. Also during the year, the president continued to interfere with the courts, and corruption remained a severe problem. Even as the domestic media operated with relative freedom, regulators suggested that broadcasts from Russia be taken off the air, leading some local stations to do so.