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| Ukrainians demonstrating in support of EU integration (Image: INews) |
Tens of thousands of Ukrainian citizens all over Ukraine and now also
worldwide are protesting against the government’s decision to suspend the
process of European integration of Ukraine and the preparation to the signing
of the Association Agreement and demonstrating in support of EU integration.
Ukrainian government has issued an official statement on Thursday, 21
November, stating that all the processes of the preparation to the signing of
the Association Agreement with the countries members of EU are officially
suspended in order to protect the national interests and security of Ukraine
and to work for the further development of the country to be more prepared for
the cooperation with EU as the government claims the country will suffer great
economic losses if it will sign an agreement and loose the Russian market.
This decision shocked not only Ukrainian citizens and European
politicians and diplomats, it was also shocking news for the ruling party as
well as many members of pro-Yanukovich Party of Region didn’t expect such a
turn.
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| Ukrainians protesting in the capital's downtown (Image: Forbes UA) |
Thousands of Ukrainians went to the streets of Kyiv on the Thursday
night called by the internet campaign held by Ukrainian prominent journalist
Mustafa Nayem. People have gathered in Independence Square which is an iconic place
for Ukrainian people since Orange Revolution, and during several hours their
numbers have significantly increased.
It’s worth mentioning that this demonstration was an expression of
people’s will as it was organized totally spontaneously using only social
networks such as Facebook and Twitter. Ukrainian joint oppositional forces have
called for Ukrainians to hold nationwide demonstrations called “Narodne Viche”
(“People’s Council”) on Sunday 24 November in attempt to express European
aspirations of Ukrainians people and protests against the authorities ignoring
the will of Ukrainian people.
Despite the bad weather and constant rains hundreds of people stayed in
the Square to spend the night and to hold this site, as the police forces have
attempted to close the area and to erect the metal fences there.
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| CSF patrolling the area of protest (Image: Express News) |
The demonstrations are ongoing and the numbers of people are increasing.
More than three and half thousand people are protesting in Kyiv during three
days. The wave of protests called Euromaidan captured other Ukrainian cities as
well with the massive demonstrations being held in many cities including Lviv,
Ivano-Frankovsk, Uzhgorod, Lutsk, Chernigiv, Odessa, Chernivtsi, Cherkassy and
many others. Lviv activists have gathered nearly six thousand people march as
well. Even Eastern and Southern Ukrainian cities and Crimea which are
traditionally pro-Russian and pro-Yanukovich have joined the demonstrations for
EU integration with the rallies being held in Lugansk, Donetsk and Crimean
cities as well.
On Saturday, 23 November, the Euromaidan demonstrations have been held
also in other cities worldwide including USA, United Kingdom of Britain,
Poland, Germany etc. Ukrainians living abroad have supported Euromaidan and
political will of Ukrainians protesting currently in Ukrainian cities.
The atmosphere during the protests remains peaceful and friendly despite
several provocations. Though the situation could possible escalate as the
ruling powers declared there is another meeting of the government’s and
President’s supporters and opponents of the EU integration planned to be held
on Sunday on the Independence Square. EU supporters are calling for the people
to come and support them and not to leave the Square in order to prevent the
opponents from taking and blocking it and to avoid possible provocations and
clashes.
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| Demonstrations in support on EU integration in Ukraine (Image: Kyiv Day) |
Massive rally of Ukrainian citizens willing to express their political
will and dissatisfaction with the actions of the power is expected to be held
on Sunday, 24 November, in downtown Kyiv. People from all over Ukraine are
arriving to the capital in attempt to join the all-Ukrainian march to support
EU integration process and to show the EU politicians and all the world that
Ukrainian citizens won’t allow the authorities to manipulate their will and
their futures. Oppositional leaders including Arseny Yatsenyuk, Vitaly Klichko,
Oleg Tyagnybok and others are delivering their speeches during the
demonstrations being held in Independence Square and call for all Ukrainians to
gather on Sunday for the nationwide march.
In addition to that Ukrainian opposition considers the acts of Ukrainian
government and President being national treason and declared the beginning of
gathering the signatures for Victor Yanukovich’s impeachment and resignation of
Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and all the Cabinet of Ministers as well. The opposition
has started to gather the signatures in Ukrainian parliament, though on
Saturday the activists have started to gather also the signatures of Ukrainian
citizens as well.
Meanwhile EU politicians and diplomats including the heads of the
monitoring mission to Ukraine Aleksander Kwaśniewski and Pat Cox state the
doors of EU and Association aren’t closed for Ukrainian people and there is
still a chance the Agreement will be signed. Though the level of trust to the
current government and Ukrainian President is extremely low among the European
politicians. Most probably the Agreement will not be signed during the Summit
in Vilnius which is planned to be held on 28-29 November, and the time out in
the negotiations with Ukraine could last even several years, according to some
European diplomats and political figures.
The press service of Ukrainian President Victor Yanukovich though has
announced that he is expected to be present at the Vilnius Summit.
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