Political struggle tightens in Ukraine

Political tensions in Ukraine heightened Saturday as a court suspended the president's plan to dissolve Parliament and hold early elections, officials said.

The Kiev District Court said it was suspending President Viktor Yushchenko's election decree while it considered an appeal from Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko's political bloc, RIA Novosti reported.

Yushchenko dissolved Parliament Oct. 9 and ordered elections held Dec. 7 when members of Parliament failed to form a new ruling coalition after the collapse of Yushchenko's pro-Western coalition Sept. 3, RIA Novosti said.

While Saturday's court ruling barred the Central Election Commission from organizing new parliamentary elections, the Ukrainian justice minister said there was no way to cancel elections once the president called them.

Yushchenko and Tymoshenko, once political allies, both are expected to run for president in elections scheduled for 2010.