adminKIEV — Thousands of Ukrainian protesters yesterday blocked entrances to the government building and called for the ouster of the prime minister and his cabinet, as anger at the president’s decision to ditch a deal for closer ties with the EU gripped other parts of the country and threatened his rule.
The besieging of the building follows a huge rally in the capital by hundreds of thousands Ukrainians on Sunday, which was mostly peaceful, until a group of protesters tried to storm President Viktor Yanukovych’s office. After hours of scuffles, police chased protesters away with tears gas and truncheons.
It was a violent police action against protesters early on Saturday that has galvanised the latest round of protests whose aim is to bring down the president and his government.
At least three lawmakers of the governing Party of Regions have quit in protest, and the opposition wants to oust the Cabinet of Prime Minister Mykola Azarov during a confidence vote in Parliament today.
But the opposition, who now control about 170 seats would need 226 votes in the 450-seat Parliament to oust the government.
Azarov’s spokesperson Vitaly Lukyanenko yesterday said the government was not planning to impose a state of emergency.
He would not say whether the prime minister and his ministers were able to enter the Cabinet building.
In parts of western Ukraine, where most speak Ukrainian and lean toward the EU, some local officials seem to be in open revolt.
The mayor of Lviv called on the people there to protest and warned that police would take off their uniforms and defend the city if central government sends reinforcements.
Scores of protesters from Lviv and elsewhere in western Ukraine headed to Kiev by train and cars to take part in the rallies. — AP.
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