Ukraine protesters seize ruling party headquarters
Iran Press TV
Tue Feb 18, 2014 1:56PM GMT
Ukrainian opposition protesters have seized the party headquarters of embattled President Viktor Yanukovych in the capital Kiev amid fierce clashes with police.
Protesters briefly seized the party headquarters on Tuesday, attacking it with Molotov cocktails as thousands of people marched on to the parliament.
The protesters lobbed stones at police when they were barred from getting close to the parliament building. In response, police fired rubber bullets and smoke bombs.
The attack is the first major assault on the Ukrainian government in the capital city since mid-January.
Opponents are now calling for a return to an old constitution that would curb the president's control over the government and the judiciary.
Anti-government protesters say they want to form a government of their own, independent of Yanukovych's dictatorial authority.
Ukraine has been rocked by anti-government protests since Kiev refused to sign an EU pact in November last year, favoring instead to develop closer ties with Russia.
Moscow has said that it will give Ukraine two billion dollars in aid to support its heavily indebted economy.
The financial aid, to be provided through the purchase of Ukrainian eurobonds, will give a boost to the Ukrainian government, which is under pressure to sign an Association Agreement with the EU.
Kiev shunned the association agreement after European leaders called on Ukraine to allow jailed opposition leader, Yulia Tymoshenko, to travel overseas for medical treatment.
GMA/PR/SS
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