KIEV, July 24 (RIA Novosti, Vladimir Suprun) - Tensions around the Ukrainian parliament building, where several thousand supporters of opposing parties have been demonstrating since Monday morning, escalated during the afternoon.
Supporters of the Party of Regions gathered outside the Supreme Rada in the morning to demand that their pro-Russian leader Viktor Yanukovych be appointed prime minister.
Supporters of the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc also gathered at the building toward the opening of an evening plenary session. Opposing groups of supporters are trading insults, but disputes have not turned violent. "The situation is tense, but still controllable," a police source said.
The parliamentary coalition led by the Party of Regions submitted the candidacy of its leader, to President Viktor Yushchenko July 18. The president must decide the potential prime minister within 15 days.
