Vice-president of European Parliament Marek Siwiec believes Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko will step down in order to run for president as an opposition candidate in 2010.
He gave his opinion in an interview with the Ukrainskyi Tyzhden magazine.
In his opinion, Tymoshenko will have to decide this fall what the best time for her is to start the election campaign.
"In the fall Tymoshenko should decide what the best moment for her is to start the campaign. She will leave the government then and launch active preparations for the elections as one of the main candidates for the president," he said.
Siwiec said Tymoshenko was unlikely to be elected the president as the head of the government.
"She will have less chance to be the president if she heads the government before the elections. She knows this too well. Consequently, she will work as an opposition candidate," he said.
Siwiec further predicted political instability in Ukraine after the start of the election campaign of Tymoshenko.
"One should expect disorders in Ukraine when Tymoshenko decides to leave the government, because the entire country will be engaged in the elections," he said.
Siwiec also believes there will be no political activities in Ukraine before the fall.
As Ukrainian News earlier reported, 24.5% of Ukrainians polled by the Sofia center late in June were prepared to elect Party of Regions Leader Viktor Yanukovych the president, while 20.4% of Ukrainians wanted Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko for president and 6.6% of Ukrainians wanted President Viktor Yuschenko to retain the post.
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