Tymoshenko: Coalition has enough votes to appoint ministers

The Ukrainian parliament is planning to appoint a number of ministers on Wednesday and the coalition has enough votes to do this, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has said.

"The coalition currently has [enough] votes to make all staff appointments in government and state committees," she told reporters after a conciliatory council meeting on Wednesday, Interfax-Ukraine reported.

Tymoshenko also said that it had been agreed at the meeting that apart from government bills, opposition bills would also be considered by parliament, and added that the opposition bills could not win enough votes.

She said that the Regions Party had the right to submit bills on the dismissal of ministers for consideration by parliament, but expressed confidence that parliament would not support these bills.

Commenting on plans to dismiss the coal minister, Tymoshenko said that the government had not had any problems with the minister's work.

"The minister's work is successful, fruitful, and effective... But the man asked [to be dismissed] due to the state of his health. This is his right," she said.