Former PM Tymoshenko forms opposition in Ukraine

KIEV, Sep 22 (Reuters) Former Premier Yulia Tymoshenko, the firebrand of Ukraine's ''Orange Revolution'' who was shut out of power by rivals more sympathetic to Moscow, said she had formed a shadow cabinet as a first step to returning to power.

The pro-Western Tymoshenko said TOday she was forming the team to champion the ideals of the mass protests in Kiev's Independence Square in 2004 that propelled President Viktor Yushchenko to office.

''We had a dream. We still have a dream. We still hope to implement our programme for the people,'' Tymoshenko, who roused crowds to support Yushchenko during the revolution, told a news conference.

''Those people in the square that thought Ukraine could be changed can take heart. We have no intention of staying long in opposition. We know the team now in power now does not deserve to be there.'' After a short spell as post-revolution prime minister, Tymoshenko was dismissed by Yushchenko last year following big splits in her government.

She had a chance to get the back the job after a March election.

But defections in the liberal camp allowed Viktor Yanukovich, the president's arch-rival rival who was more friendly to Moscow, to become premier in early last month.

Tymoshenko went into opposition.

Sporting her trademark peasant braid and a large pearl necklace, she said the shadow cabinet would keep Yanukovich's government from ''operating in uncontrolled fashion with no accountability''.

Yanukovich, in Moscow today negotiating gas prices for 2007, lost the re-run of a rigged 2004 presidential election to Yushchenko after the long weeks of protests.

But he made a comeback, with his Regions Party coming first in the March poll, and formed a coalition with Socialists and Communists, commanding about 240 seats in the 450-seat assembly.

Tymoshenko gave no details on the make-up of her shadow cabinet, but her group has about 125 seats in parliament. The pro-presidential Our Ukraine party has not yet decided whether to join the coalition or head into opposition.

Recent constitutional changes handed many of the president's powers to the prime minister and the two men have already clashed on policy issues.

Yanukovich has made two trips to Brussels in two weeks and called for a slowdown in Yushchenko's plan for Ukraine to seek fast-track membership of NATO.

REUTERS MS PM2129