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Ukraine Opposition Vows To Continue Struggle After Yanukovych Offer

January 25, 2014
by RFE/RL

Ukrainian opposition leaders have vowed to continue their struggle hours after President Viktor Yanukovych offered them two senior posts to defuse a widening crisis.

Addressing supporters on January 25 in Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko repeated opposition calls for snap presidential elections and changes to the constitution.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk said the opposition was ready to take on responsibility but added the 'people will determine the power in Ukraine.'

Earlier, Yanukovych offered Yatsenyuk the post of prime minister and Klitschko the post of deputy prime minister for humanitarian affairs to defuse protests that are now spreading from Kyiv to other parts of the country.

Yanukovych also agreed to consider changes to the constitution, which currently gives most powers to the president.

At a later news conference, Yatsenyuk said 'we are not throwing out the proposal, but we are not accepting it, either. We are conducting serious consultations among three opposition forces.'

He also said the opposition would demand the government sign a free trade agreement with the European Union and free political prisoners, including former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

About an hour after the opposition leaders spoke, demonstrators began attacking a building -- Ukrainian House -- about 100 meters from Independence Square -- center of the protests -- where police were stationed, smashing windows, breaking doors and hurling firebombs.

According to the AP news agency, the assault started after an estimated 200 police were seen entering the building and speculation spread that they were preparing to disperse demonstrators.

During a visit to Warsaw on January 25, European Union President Herman Van Rompuy condemned the 'use of force and brutality by the Ukrainian authorities against demonstrators.'

Earlier, Ukrainian authorities confirmed one more antigovernment protester has died as a tense standoff between protesters and riot police continues in Kyiv and unrest spreads throughout the country.

Kyiv's city health department said the man died on January 25 of injuries sustained in violent clashes earlier this week. His death brings to four the number of confirmed fatalities since violent clashes began in the capital six days ago.

The situation was mostly calm in Kyiv early on January 25 after sporadic clashes overnight. Protesters occupied the Energy Ministry building, but left after several hours.

Police accused protesters of holding two police officers captive in Kyiv's city hall which protesters have occupied, and demanded their immediate release.

Protesters deny they are holding the officers.

Interior Minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko said efforts to end the crisis peacefully without the use of force remain 'futile.'

Zakharchenko accused the mainstream opposition of failing to control radicals and claimed protesters were 'hoarding firearms' at the Kyiv city hall.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's richest man, Rinat Akhmetov -- a key backer of President Viktor Yanukovych -- has said the use of force was 'unacceptable.'

On January 25, protesters stormed the regional administration offices in the town of Vinnytsia, southwest of Kyiv. Protesters are already occupying government offices in several cities in western Ukraine.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele, in Kyiv to try to mediate a solution, urged the government to take concrete steps to halt the violence.

Fuele met on January 24 with both Yanukovych and the three main opposition leaders.

Yanukovych has promised to reshuffle his government, an amnesty for detained protesters, and amendments to laws restricting protests whose passing last week triggered the recent clashes.

But he also said on January 24 he would use all legal measures to end protests.

'First of all, I don't want people to be frozen in the streets. They suffer and they don't know how to get out of this situation. And I will repeat myself -- if we can do it in a good way to stop the radicals we will, if not, we will use all measures under the law. But it's all for the people. There is no other way,' Yanukovych said.

The opposition had dismissed Yanukovych's promises and wants him to resign. Opposition leader Vitali Klitschko said 'to change just the ministers in not enough.'

'People want to change the rules because they are already tired of living without rules. Everybody is saying 'no.' You can buy any court, you can't find justice in our country. The system is totally corrupt. And that is why people right now are not happy,' Klitschko said.

The antigovernment protests began after Yanukovych unexpectedly pulled back from a long-negotiated agreement on closer ties with the European Union in late November.

They have been fueled by what activists say is widespread government corruption, abuse of power, and the violation of human rights.

With reporting by AFP

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/protesters-police- tense-standoff-ukraine/25241945.html

Copyright (c) 2014. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.