Brussels, 15/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - At its traditional meeting immediately before the European Council, the leaders of the European People's Party (EPP) called, on Wednesday 15 October, for the ruling coalition in Ukraine to be reinstated and for plans to hold fresh elections (the third in three years) to be abandoned. Early elections were called by President Viktor Yushchenko following September's break up of the coalition made up of his party (Our Ukraine) and that of the Prime Minister Julia Timoshenko (BIT), both observer members of the EPP. “The EPP strongly supports the revival and strengthening of democratic, pro-European forces in Ukraine. What Ukraine needs is not new elections, but responsible leadership and stable government,” says an EPP statement, read to press by its leader Wilfried Martens. This position is an “invitation” to President Yushchenko to change his mind on holding early elections, “because we are concerned about the consequences of political instability in Ukraine,” Martens added, with Timoshenko present. The call clearly went unheeded by Yushchenko, who, according to comments reported by the Ria Novosti news agency, said at a press conference on the same day: “These elections will take place despite the machinations of Ukrainian Prime Minister Julia Timoshenko”. (A.B./transl.rt)