Published time: December 03, 2013 10:43
Ukraine’s Cabinet has survived a vote of no confidence initiated by opposition MPs in the Verkhovna Rada. The decision was announced as thousands of opposition supporters rallied outside the parliament building.
Only 186 MPs voted for the motion, well short of the simple majority of 226 needed for it to pass.
Ahead of the vote, Ukraine’s Prime Minister, Nikolay Azarov, gave a speech in parliament.
He apologized for law enforcement agencies’ actions during the dispersal of the pro-EU rally last week, and said that all those responsible for violence would face charges.
Azarov said that the EU was ready to consider financial compensation to Kiev.
“Yesterday, in my presence, the president of Ukraine had a long telephone conversation with the president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso,” Azarov said.
Azarov said that the EU was ready to consider financial compensation to Kiev.
“Yesterday, in my presence, the president of Ukraine had a long telephone conversation with the president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso,” Azarov said.
“We have agreed that we’ll go on with the talks on the conditions for a deal on integration and a free trade zone. Both the EC and the EU are ready to consider the issue of financial compensation to Ukraine.”
Azarov’s speech was peppered with chants of “Resign!” from some opposition MPs.
Prime Minister called on the opposition to immediately end the blockade of the Cabinet of Ministers’ building.
“You’ll be held responsible for this,” he told MPs.
The motion of no confidence was called in the Rada on December 2 by opposition leaders Arseny Yatsenyuk, of the Homeland (Batkivshchina) party, Vitaly Klitschko, of the Strike (Udar) party, and Oleg Tyagnibok, of the Liberty (Svoboda) party.
The text of the document accuses the cabinet of “the betrayal of the Ukrainian people,” which it sees in the government’s suspension of talks on EU integration. According to Ukrainian laws the cabinet, headed by Azarov, will have to resign if the motion is passed.
The text of the document accuses the cabinet of “the betrayal of the Ukrainian people,” which it sees in the government’s suspension of talks on EU integration. According to Ukrainian laws the cabinet, headed by Azarov, will have to resign if the motion is passed.
At a session, which took place earlier in the day Ukrainian opposition leaders demanded that the government and President Viktor Yanukovich resign, and called for Interior Minister Vitaly Zakharchenko to face criminal charges over last week’s brutal crackdown on the opposition.
“The Azarov government is responsible for both the crackdown of the protest and the collapse in the economy. The country’s authorities must be fully and legitimately replaced,” said Klitschko.
MPs of the ruling Party of Regions spoke against taking hasty decisions and called for a special commission to assess the situation in the country.
Since early morning, thousands of protesters have been rallying outside the Ukrainian parliament building to show support for the opposition leaders. Clashes have erupted between the protesters and the Berkut special police forces, RT’s video agency Ruptly reported.
“The Azarov government is responsible for both the crackdown of the protest and the collapse in the economy. The country’s authorities must be fully and legitimately replaced,” said Klitschko.
MPs of the ruling Party of Regions spoke against taking hasty decisions and called for a special commission to assess the situation in the country.
Since early morning, thousands of protesters have been rallying outside the Ukrainian parliament building to show support for the opposition leaders. Clashes have erupted between the protesters and the Berkut special police forces, RT’s video agency Ruptly reported.
Dozens of rally participants tried to break through police cordons near Ukraine parliament. Some of them attacked the police with sticks. The law enforcers have been fighting back, not letting the protesters pass.
Earlier, the opposition ensured it had enough MPs in the Ukrainian parliament to vote in favor of the cabinet’s resignation.
“Today we are speaking about the cabinet’s resignation as of the main task the opposition has set for itself in the parliament. We have the necessary number of MPs to fulfill that goal,” deputy head of the opposition Svoboda party Ruslan Koshulinsky told Channel 5 TV.
Earlier, the opposition ensured it had enough MPs in the Ukrainian parliament to vote in favor of the cabinet’s resignation.
“Today we are speaking about the cabinet’s resignation as of the main task the opposition has set for itself in the parliament. We have the necessary number of MPs to fulfill that goal,” deputy head of the opposition Svoboda party Ruslan Koshulinsky told Channel 5 TV.
Supporters of President Yanukovich meanwhile have declared an indefinite rally in support of the leader. The pro-government demonstration has drawn around 200 people to Mariinsky Park near the Ukrainian parliament.
On Tueadsy, the PM, cabinet and other government officials could not get to their workplaces, blocked off by the protesters, spokesman Vitaly Lukyanenko told RIA news agency.
“This creates serious tension in in the work of the government,” he complained. “It’s fulfilling its responsibilities, but in a way it’s far from normal.”
On Tueadsy, the PM, cabinet and other government officials could not get to their workplaces, blocked off by the protesters, spokesman Vitaly Lukyanenko told RIA news agency.
“This creates serious tension in in the work of the government,” he complained. “It’s fulfilling its responsibilities, but in a way it’s far from normal.”
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