UKRAINE: Parliament abolishes ban on protests while Prime Minister Azarov offers his resignation

Record ID: 564873

  • Title: UKRAINE: Parliament abolishes ban on protests while Prime Minister Azarov offers his resignation
  • Date: 28th January 2014
  • Summary: KIEV, UKRAINE (JANUARY 14, 2014) (REUTERS) DEPUTIES IN PARLIAMENT OPPOSITION LEADER ARSENIY YATSENYUK SURROUNDED BY UKRAINIAN DEPUTIES OPPOSITION LEADER VITALY KLITSCHKO IN PARLIAMENT SPEAKING TO OTHER DEPUTIES VARIOUS OF PARLIAMENT SESSION IN PROGRESS WIDE OF PARLIAMENT SESSION IN PROGRESS ZOOMING TO SCREEN WITH VOTING RESULTS VOTING RESULTS ON SCREEN PARLIAMENT SESSION IN PROGRESS
  • Embargoed: 12th February 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Ukraine
  • Country: Ukraine
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAE5Z3VID6PW8KMD8QQGICJ1WJA
  • Story Text: Ukrainian parliament abolished the controversial anti-protest law during its emergency session on Tuesday (January 28), while Prime Minister Mykola Azarov tendered his resignation.
    Parliament went into the emergency session on Tuesday with ministers loyal to President Viktor Yanukovich saying they would press for a state of emergency to be declared if the opposition leaders did not rein in protesters and end occupation of municipal and government buildings across the country.
    Opposition leaders, including boxer-turned-politician Vitaly Klitschko and nationalist Oleh Tyahnibok, were also pressing for the repeal of sweeping anti-protest laws rammed through parliament by Yanukovich loyalists on January 16.
    The laws were annulled by an overwhelming majority of 361 votes against two.
    A government reshuffle had also been slated for discussion at the emergency session but it was not clear now how this would proceed given Azarov's resignation offer.
    Another battle lies ahead over protesters detained during the unrest. The Yanukovich side said these would be pardoned, but only once protesters had ended their occupation of public buildings and blockade of roads.
    The parliamentary session observed a moment of silence in respect of those who had been killed in the wave of unrest and parliament speaker Volodymyr Rybak then announced a recess.
    Talk of a state of emergency being declared in the former Soviet republic of 46 million made the European Union's foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, hastily move up a visit to Kiev on Tuesday.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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