 |
| Massive anti-government rallies in Kyiv, Euromaidan (Image: Aleksander Dvoretsky) |
Ukrainian President Victor Yanukovich has stated on Saturday during the
round table attended by the representatives of the government, opposition and
civil society, that the persons responsible for violent dispersal of protests
on 30 November have been found and they will be punished.
On Sunday, 14 December, Mr. Pschonka, Ukrainian Prosecutor General,
announced that four high ranking officials will be held accountable for the 30
November night’s events and they will be punished as well. Among those accused
are Kyiv deputy governor Oleksandr Popov, Secretary of National Defense Council
Volodymy Sivkovich, Head of Kyiv police forces Valery Koryak and his deputy
Petro Fedchuk. All of them will be held accountable and are accused of alleged organization
and giving the orders to disperse the sit-in of protesters. Mr. Pshonka stated
all of them have been called for questioning to the Prosecution. President in
his turn has issued decree to remove them from office.
Oppositional leaders though aren’t totally satisfied with this decision
of President and find in insufficient as government decided to remove just some
persons only obeying the orders, but all of these officials have the
authorities above them, and these representatives of authorities couldn’t stay
not informed about the plans of dispersal. In addition to that opposition has
held its own investigation on the case and they claimed they can name the organizers
and those responsible for the dispersal with names.
 |
| Massive demonstrations against government (Image: Aleksander Dvoretsky) |
Thus one of the oppositional leaders Arseny Yatsenyuk declared during
the press conference of opposition in the House of Trade Unions on Saturday,
that the high officials and the first persons of state are responsible for these
events. Gennady Moskal, one of the oppositional MPs, declared that among those
responsible persons are Minister of Interior Vitaly Zakharchenko, heads of the
troops of “Berkut” (special security forces troops) of Crimea, Poltava,
Chernigiv, Sumy, Lugansk governorates, Head of the Department of Civil Security
Oleg Marynenko and his deputy Sergy Karandyuk. These persons should be held
accountable and be punished for the direct involvement in the violent
dispersals.
Mr. Moskal thus stated that the evident found during investigations show
that Ministry of Interior, not another authority, has received the orders to
prepare for dispersal of protesters’ sit-in. He also added that if Ukrainian
Court and Prosecution won’t take any measures and will refuse to take the case,
these persons will be sued in Hague Tribunal.
Massive anti-government and pro-European protests are ongoing in Kyiv,
and the numbers of protesters have significantly increased on the eve of the
Sunday fresh Million-man march called by the opposition and named “Day of
Dignity”. Nearly 200 thousand people have gathered on Saturday on Kyiv
Independent Square, called Maidan, and more people are expected to join on
Sunday. Ukrainian prominent rock band Okean Elzy has performed in front of the
demonstrators on Saturday and dedicated their concert to all the victims of the
recent clashes and dispersal. Independence Square, Khreshchatyk Street and the
neighboring streets have been packed with people.
 |
| Pro-government and pro-Yanukovich rallies in Kyiv (Image: Euromaidan) |
At the same time another rally has been also held on Saturday in Kyiv.
This rally consisted of supporters of President Victor Yanukovich and his Party
of Regions. According to the estimations of government and organizers nearly 200 thousand people
from other regions of Ukraine, mostly Eastern and Southern ones, have gathered
on European Square, located just 200 meters from Euromaidan. But unlike Euromaidan
this event looked more like carefully organized and planned event, as dozens of
buses and trains arrived on the previous day in Kyiv carrying people from other
regions. Many of them are workers of budget organizations and have been forces
to participate in the pro-government rally under the threats of being fired,
according to the interviews with some of them. There were also paid people, who
said to journalists they have been promised daily payments for their
participation in the rally. Though there were probably also the real supporters
of the ruling regime as well. There were many worries that these events could
provoke clashes between two protests’ sides, and there were reports about so
called “titushki” (hired thugs used to provoke the clashes), but the clashes
and provocations have been avoided today. The pro-government meeting has
started at 10 a.m. and was finished at 4 p.m. with the remaining supporters
moved to Maryynsky Park, close to the building of Parliament.
 |
| USA Senator John McCain (Image: Kyiv Post) |
Government claims that really huge rally of Yanukovich’s supporters is
expected to be held on Sunday, 15 December. Oppositional leaders worry about
possibility of provocations and clashes in order to justify using force, but
protesters call on each other to remain peaceful and ignore all the possible
provocations avoiding any violence.
USA Senator from Republican Party John McCain has arrived on Saturday in
Kyiv in order to participate in the talks with the current government of
Ukraine and opposition and to study the situation closer as US and also EU
governments are monitoring the situation closely.
John McCain has met oppositional leaders in the building of Trade Unions
and was watching the demonstrations and the following concert from the upper
floors of the building. US Senator has really amazed by these protests,
according to the reports of journalists presented there. He expressed his
amazement and made several pictures of Euromaidan.
John McCain has also made an official statement regarding the current
situation and political crisis in the country and declared that the resolution
regarding imposing the sanctions against Victor Yanukovich and other high
officials responsible for the recent violence and the decisions led to it was
presented to USA Senate and it will be voted positively and unanimously.
No comments:
Post a Comment