 |
| Independence Square (Maidan) on Saturday (Image: Reuters) |
After horrible days of the real street war led by Yanukovich regime
against Ukrainian protesters in the streets of Kyiv and other cities across
Ukraine the country has experienced really decisive moments changing the
country significantly. But this victory is not final yet, and the battle
continues, as the most important task of Euromaidan revolution and the key
demand is total change of power in the country.
Ukrainian Parliament has gathered on Saturday for the fourth day amid
the continuous attempts to resolve the deepening crisis in Ukraine in a
peaceful and legitimate way, as EU ministers and diplomats are in Ukraine, and
Western and Russian politicians as well follow the situation closely.
The majority of Ukrainian parliamentarians were presented on the
Saturday’s session despite the fact that many members of pro-Yanukovich Party
of Regions and officials close to Yanukovich and supporting him have fled the
country. Parliament has voted on Saturday for immediate return of 2004
Constitution, release of political prisoners and release of ex-Prime Minister
Yulia Tymoshenko. Aleksandr Turchinov, member of Yulia Tymoshenko Batkivshchyna
(Homeland) Party, currently led by Arseny Yatsenyuk, was officially appointed
new Parliament’s Speaker.
 |
| Protesters on the barricades in Kyiv (Image: Illya Varlamov) |
Prosecutor General Pshonka was officially dismissed by the Parliament’s
decision. In addition to that he is wanted by SBU and was stopped on the border
where he attempted to escape the country. Minister of Interior Vitaly
Zakharchenko was also dismissed.
But the most important decision supported by Parliament on Saturday was
impeachment for Victor Yanukovich. This decision was supported by 328 votes.
Early presidential elections will be held in Ukraine on 25 May 2014, according
to the document.
All the laws and decisions supported by Ukrainian Parliament on Saturday
have been already signed by the Parliament’s speaker and published in an
official governmental newspaper “Golos Ukrainy” (“Voice of Ukraine”), which
means that they are immediately put in effect.
Meanwhile several MPs from the Eastern and Southern regions of Ukraine
and Crimea led by Kharkiv leaders Mr. Dobkin and Mr. Kernes have attempted a
coup d’état today as they’ve tried to announce federalization of Ukraine during
the extraordinary meeting of the MPs from the abovementioned regions.
Yanukovich and several high officials have reportedly left Kyiv late on Friday
to arrive in Kharkiv and participate in this meeting, but they failed to
appear, as the airplane of Yanukovich, monitored of Flight Radar programs, was
caught on the way to Russia.
 |
| Maidan is packed with people (Image: Illya Varlamov) |
Tens of thousands of protesters and supporters of Euromaidan have
gathered in Kharkiv to support the decision taken by Parliament in Kyiv and to
prevent the separatist MPs from dividing Ukraine and deteriorating the crisis. There was though
no quorum, as many Crimean MPs failed to appear. Dobkin and Kernes have made
statements from the stage claiming they don’t want Ukraine to be divided and
announced they want cooperation with Russia. However, the attempt to federalize
the country was made as the meeting has announced the text of its official
Resolution, claiming that they don’t recognize the recent decisions of
Parliament and consider them being illegitimate and take power in their hands
in order to defend Constitutional order in Ukraine and save at least the
Eastern and Southern regions. The federalization plan has failed again, like it
happened already in 2004. Dobkin and Kernes in their turn are facing charges on
separatisn and extremist calls and statements from SBU. Both of them have been
arrested today in airport, trying to escape Ukraine to Russia.
Former Prosecutor General Pshonka and ex-Minister of Interior Zakharchenko
have also fled the country, but Pshonka was stopped on the border, while
Zakharchenko managed to get to the neighboring Belorussia, where he was met by
the local FSB agents and was said that he must leave the country till 6 p.m. or
he will be arrested. The same fate had Sergiy Kurchenko, another high official
from the closest circle of Yanukovich.
 |
| Yanukovich's residence taken by people (Image: Illya Varlamov) |
Yanukovich is his turn has called today several oppositional leaders
claiming that he is ready to resign and that he will make a statement about it.
Later though his video speech appeared on the channel owned by the currently
dismissed Prime Minister Sergiy Arbuzov. The prerecorded video, taken in a
strange location, has shown angry and grim Yanukovich talking about coup d’état
and taking over the power in an illegitimate way, about bandits and criminals
in the streets of Kyiv and assassination attempts. He stated that members of
Party of Regions who supported the current decisions of Parliament either made
it under terrible pressure or are the traitor. He also added that his car was
under fire, but he will not leave. Yanukovich stated that he will not step down
and that he will not sign the documents and laws supported by Parliament today.
He compared opposition, protesters and Euromaidan with the German Nazi in 30ies
and declared that he will not give up on power.
Later though his private airplane was denied the right to leave Ukraine
in Donetsk airport, as Yanukovich tried to escape to Russia.
 |
| Some of the numerous documents found in Yanukovich's residence (Image: UA Info) |
Among the most significant events of Saturday was also historical
seizure of Mezhygirjya, Yanukovich’s luxury residence, which was left in a
hurry in the morning leaving packages of documents burning and sinking in the
lake located on the territory of the residence. The residence and all of its
territory was totally taken by protesters, and journalists and activists had
the possibility to finally get inside and see with their own eyes the amount of
luxury and consumerism of Yanukovich and his regime. Millions of documents,
financial papers and bills, dossiers of all the oppositional politicians,
activists, journalists and civic activists with the detailed information about
them were found in Yanukovich residence. These documents will be given to the
Prosecution and Court and there are materials for several hundred cases, according
to the journalists and lawyers. Among the evidence left in Yanukovich residence
was also weapon of different kinds. Impressive albums with the pictures
capturing the level of luxury and corruption are going viral in social networks
now, and the residence remains open for visitors for at least two next days.
Meanwhile, Euromaidan commemorated today Ukrainian Heroes, slain during
the days of the fight with regime. Tens of thousands of people have gathered in
Kyiv Independence Square and in the main squares of many other cities of
Ukraine to commemorate the slain protesters.
 |
| Documents found in Yanukovich's residence (Image: Tatyana Danylenko) |
The ceremony was attended by released Yulia Tymoshenko, who arrived on
Maidan and made a speech from the stage calling people for continuation of
fight for changing the country and lustration and praising the heroes of
Ukraine.
Yulia Tymoshenko was the strongest rival of Yanukovich when he gave an
order to imprison her, and her release was one if the key demands of EU
politicians on the path towards signing an Association Agreement with EU. She
has extremely high chances for victory if she will decide to run for President,
but many experts and activists as well are sure, there would be better if she
would decide to leave political career.
Western countries in their turn have supported developments in Ukraine
happened today and expressed their support of the legitimate resolution of
crisis and hopes that Ukraine will start to rebuild itself and to develop. EU
diplomats claim that Ukraine still has all the chances to sign an Association
Agreement with EU and receive financial aid from the Western countries for implementing
the reforms in order to stabilize the situation in the country and to rebuild
economy.
 |
| People on Maidan, commemorating slain protesters (Image: Illya Varlamov) |
Ukraine though is only at the beginning of the long way of building the
real democratic society and democratic and free country, as there are still a lot
of things to do on this path, but it is totally clear: Ukrainian Nation was
born today.
No comments:
Post a Comment