Army coup illegal, admits new prime minister

FIJI’S newly imposed premier admitted the army’s ousting of the elected government was illegal and that elections could be two years away, but said the nation did not need Western-style democracy.

However, later in the day coup leader Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama looked to be at odds with his appointee, when he said democracy was “good for the people.”

In his first public comments a day after being sworn in, caretaker prime minister Jona Senilagakali defended the overthrowing of what he termed a corrupt government and warned Australia and New Zealand not to interfere.