Ukrainian President & Opposition sign early poll deal

[JayH]

Ukrainian president and opposition sign early poll deal


Baroness Ashton: "President Yanukovych has now staked himself on this"
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Ukraine crisis

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Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and opposition leaders have signed a deal to try to end the political crisis in the country.

Under the agreement, a national unity government will be installed and a presidential poll will be held by the end of the year.

The deal, reached after mediation by EU foreign ministers, also sees electoral reform and constitutional changes.

Ukraine's parliament has voted to reduce the president's powers.

It also approved laws which could see the release of jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko.

The deal follows hours of talks and months of demonstrations on the streets of Kiev and other cities.

Dozens of protesters were killed by security forces on Thursday.

The deal has been met with scepticism by some of the thousands of protesters who remain on Independence Square in Kiev, with some saying they still did not trust President Yanukovych.

The opposition leaders who signed the deal were booed and called traitors by a crowd in Independence Square, the focal point of the protests, the BBC's Gavin Hewitt reports from Kiev.

The agreement, published by the German foreign ministry, includes the following:

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Analysis

Olexiy Solohubenko
Ukraine analyst. BBC News
The primary aim of any new government - which could be in place with a week or two - will be to restore peace and political stability to a country that has been on the brink of civil war.

Alongside the political changes is the challenging task of reforming the police and dismantling the whole apparatus of repression. Corrupt prosecutors and judges will have to be replaced.

And then there's the economy. The Ukrainian currency, the hryvnya, has tumbled in value. There have been reports of some shortages of petrol, bread and even cash. International ratings agencies have warned of the country defaulting on its debts.

Ukraine cannot survive without help - but where should it come from? Russia has promised a $15bn (£9.2bn; 10.9bn euros) loan, lent in dribs and drabs. Now the EU has woken up to the importance of Ukraine, the question is whether it will commit to a multibillion-pound bailout package of its own for just a single country - one which may join the EU one day, but not soon.

The 2004 constitution will be restored within 48 hours, and a national unity government will be formed within 10 days
Constitutional reform balancing the powers of president, government and parliament will be started immediately and completed by September
A presidential election will be held after the new constitution is adopted but no later than December 2014, and new electoral laws will be passed
An investigation into recent acts of violence will be conducted under joint monitoring from the authorities, the opposition and the Council of Europe
The authorities will not impose a state of emergency and both the authorities and the opposition will refrain from the use of violence
Illegal weapons will be handed over to interior ministry bodies
The agreement was later signed by Mr Yanukovych and opposition leaders Vitali Klitschko, Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Oleh Tyahnibok at the presidential administration headquarters in Kiev.

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski tweeted that the deal was a "good compromise for Ukraine" which would open the way "to reform and to Europe".

Mr Sikorski told reporters on his return to Warsaw that Russia had played a constructive role in reaching the agreement.

The White House has welcomed Friday's deal, praising "the courageous opposition leaders who recognised the need for compromise".

President Barack Obama is due to speak to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, later on Friday.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron also welcomed the agreement and called on all sides in Ukraine to "get behind this deal and deliver it according to the timetable set out".

Ukrainian President Yanukovych (centre), opposition leaders and Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski sign the agreement
Mr Yanukovych (centre), opposition leaders and Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski (far right) observed a moment's silence at the signing for those who had died in recent violence
People carry the coffins of anti-government protesters who were killed during Thursday's clashes with riot police
The bodies of those killed in Thursday's clashes were brought to Independence Square on Friday afternoon
Ukraine's opposition members react during a Parliament session in Kiev
Opposition MPs reacted with joy during a session which voted to restore the 2004 constitution
Protesters build a barricade on February 21, 2014 at the Independent square in Kiev.
Earlier, protesters began rebuilding barricades in the square after Thursday's clashes
Tymoshenko vote
Shortly after the deal was signed, Ukraine's parliament approved the restoration of the 2004 constitution, with all but one of the 387 MPs present voting in favour.

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At the scene

image of Mark Lowen
Mark Lowen
BBC News, Lviv
Any political deal between President Yanukovych and the opposition movement will have to pass the test here in Lviv. It is a city that has been at the forefront of the protests, sending busloads of demonstrators 500km east to Kiev on a nightly basis.

Lviv has always looked west rather than east: a city for centuries under Austrian and then Polish rule, it only fell to the Soviets during World War Two and has remained fiercely proud of its Ukrainian identity ever since.

The writ of the Kiev government does not extend here. Every regional administration building is now under the control of the protest movement. I visited the police headquarters, taken on Tuesday night by the opposition and ransacked. At the security service office, burnt out cars lie in the courtyard. The mood here is one of defiance: that President Yanukovych must step down now.

Mr Yatsenyuk said the vote was "the first step to restore order in Ukraine".

Parliament also approved an amnesty for protesters accused of involvement in violence and voted for the dismissal of Interior Minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko.

MPs voted for a change in the law which could lead to the release of Tymoshenko, an arch-rival of Mr Yanukovych.

She was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2011 for abuse of power. Her supporters say this was simply Mr Yanukovych taking out his most prominent opponent.

"I think what we're witnessing is the collapse of this absolutely bizarre and terrible dictatorship which was building up in the country," opposition politician Andriy Shevchenko told the BBC from the floor of parliament.

Dozens of MPs from Mr Yanukovych's own Party of Regions voted for the motions, in what correspondents say will be a humiliation for the president.


Opposition MP, Andriy Shevchenko, describes the atmosphere from the parliament floor as the "historic" votes were cast
Bloodiest day
Despite the agreement, isolated outbursts of violence were reported in central Kiev on Friday morning.

It remains to be seen whether the deal will be enough to placate more radical elements of the opposition, including many in the west of Ukraine, who have been demanding Mr Yanukovych's resignation.

The protests first erupted in late November when President Yanukovych rejected a landmark association and trade deal with the EU in favour of closer ties with Russia.

The deal comes after the bloodiest day since the unrest began.

Police opened fire early on Thursday after protesters tried to push them away from the makeshift camps they have been occupying in central Kiev.

The health ministry said 77 people had been killed since Tuesday, and another 577 were injured.


Gabriel Gatehouse spent Thursday with protesters and witnessed the clashes up close
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Ukraine crisis
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After hours of intense negotiations, the Ukrainian president, Viktor Yanukovych, and opposition leaders sign a deal seeking to end the political crisis in the country.
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Telegraph
Ukraine: peace hopes in the air as president loses his powers
39 mins ago
Financial Times*
Ukraine peace deal faces first challenge
1 hr ago
Huffington Post UK
Peace Deal Agreed With Opposition Leaders
3 hrs ago
MSN UK
Ukraine foes sign crisis deal
3 hrs ago
London Evening Standard
Ukraine President agrees early poll to end bloodshed
4 hrs ago
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26289318

[JayH]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/10654922/Ukraine-crisis-protesters-determined-to-remain-in-Independence-Square-until-President-Yanukovych-resigns.html


Protesters still waiting for immediate  resignation.

[JayH]

http://dusia.telekritika.ua/kurilka/24226/v_kremle_dali_otmashku_rossiijskim_telekanalam__topit__ianukovicha___obnovleno


DARLING , 20.02.2014390802
THE KREMLIN HAS GIVEN THE GO-AHEAD TO RUSSIAN TV CHANNELS TO "DROWN" YANUKOVYCH? (UPDATED)

Literally just forty Doucet brought interesting news from Moscow. By which has reached my ears of information about an hour ago in the Russian capital held a meeting on the information policy towards Ukraine and yet President Viktor Yanukovych . Rumor has it that the owners of the pro-government media Kremlin gave the nod to the fact that the "wet" Fedorovich.
Say what you want with it, and do it. So now, the Russians need to hear not only about "fascists on Independence", but their main enemy. But in order to visually verify the reliability of this information, we will try today Musya track news on the leading Russian TV channels.
Meanwhile web poyavilah information that Yanukovych called today and asked Vladimir Putin to provide guarantees in the event of escape from Ukraine. This writes the online edition of "Hvilya" with reference to its source in the Kremlin, which argues that GDP did not give a clear answer VFYA. "Meanwhile, in Sochi, Russian President held a closed meeting on the situation in Ukraine. Following which it was decided to wait and see. It also became known that Russia has decided not to provide the second tranche of Ukraine within the framework of the Moscow agreements, "- said the publication.

PS Today, the call information Yanukovich Putin  confirmed journalist Pavel Sheremet , citing sources and the Presidential Administration of Ukraine.


Darling Katasonova

[Misha]

I would say that the writing was on the wall when the Ukrainian president was called a "rag" (трапка) by Medvedev and now the "rag" is being hung out to dry 

[Misha]

Now, it gets even more interesting. Reports that Yanukovich left Kyiv/Kiev when the Rada voted to release Timoshenko and his plane did not land at his destination. There must be some desperate pleading going on between him and Moscow at the moment methinks... http://www.gazeta.ru/politics/2014/02/21_a_5921077.shtml

[JayH]

http://espreso.tv/new/2014/02/22/prezydentskyy_litak_siv_u_aeroportu_fudzheyra_oae


"The presidential plane" sat in the airport Fujairah (UAE)

img
"The presidential plane" landed at Fujairah International Airport, which is located in the United Arab Emirates

Tail of the presidential call sign sat a few minutes ago.

Presidential "board number 1" flew from Kyiv few hours ago.

[JayH]

PRESIDENT GONE  __ CONFIRMED   !!!
Yanukvych   offices unguarded
Speaker Rybak resigns

[JayH]

With reports that Yanukovych has fled Kyiv, parliament takes charges of nation today (live updates)
 Print version
Feb. 22, 2014, 11:57 a.m. | Kyiv — by Kyiv Post

Police troops leave their position around the Ukrainian Parliament in Kiev on February 21, 2014. Ukraine's deputy army chief has resigned in protest over government attempts to involve the army to put down unrest rocking the country, after Kiev erupted in unprecedented deadly violence. "Today the army is being involved in the civil conflict, which could lead to the mass deaths of civilians and soldiers," General Yuri Dumanski, deputy head of the army's general staff, told Channel 5 television in comments broadcast Friday. AFP PHOTO / GENYA SAVILOV
© AFP

Kyiv Post
Rada passes bill allowing Tymoshenko's release



Ukrainian parliament reinstates 2004 Constitution


Rada suspends Acting Interior Minister Zakharchenko from his duties






Parliament members want to know where Yanukovych went

Feb. 22, 11:55 a.m. -- Rostislav Pavlenko of Vitali Klitschko's opposition party says that parliament has requested information from Ukraeorukh, the air traffic regulator, on the whereabouts of President Viktor Yanukovych and are waiting for response. Parliament also preparing to vote for a constitutional act that would enact 2004 constitution now, regardless of presidential signature. after that they will proceed to appoint cabinet, particularly law enforcers.

Yanukovych loyalists flee party

Feb. 22, 11:44 a.m. Ukrainian Parliament Deputy Speaker Ruslan Koshulynsky has announced that more parliamentarians have withdrawn from the Party of Regions faction.

In particular, Oleksandr Volkov, Yuriy Polyachenko, Vitaliy Hrushevsky, Volodymyr Dudka, Yaroslav Sukhy, Artem Scherban, and one more parliamentarian, whose name Koshulynsky pronounced unintelligibly, had left the Party of Regions faction.

Koshulynsky later announced the names of four other deputies who left the Party of Regions faction, i.e. Viktor Zherebniuk, Ivan Myrny, Hennadiy Vasylyev, and Nver Mkhitarian. He later added Larysa Melnychuk and Serhiy Katsuba to this list.

Hence, the Party of Regions has lost 41 deputies, including 28 on Friday and the other 14 on Saturday.

The Party of Regions parliamentary faction earlier included 205 members. There are a total of 450 seats at the Ukrainian parliament. -- Interfax-Ukraine

Parliament still seeks 300 members to take action out of 450-seat body

Feb. 22, 11:34 a.m. -- The following is a summary of some of the comments from today's emergency session of Verkhovna Rada, in which members of parliament are considering President Viktor Yanukovych's impeachment.

1. Opposition leader Vitali Klitschko: early presidential elections, not later than May 25.

2. Opposition leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk: calling for deputies to come to parliament to have 300 votes for impeachment; calls for heads of fractions to gather for meetings.

3. Oleh Lyashko: The Verkhovna Rada has to pass impeachment law, as Yanukovych is not capable of fulfilling his presidential duties. This is the one single most important decision that the Verkhovna Rada has to make today. Lyashko registered the bill for early presidential elections for May 27. He proposed to change the composition of Central Election Commission to ensure an honest vote. He calls to ban Yanukovych's participation in the next election, as the person who led country to collapse.

4. Opposition leader Stephan Kubiv: We have political and moral default in the country today. Not to let economic collapse happen, we need to stabilize the government and make it working and functioning. 130 people lost lives. Calls for minute of silence to commemorate dead. I call for churches to calm the population down. God and Ukraine are main values."

5. Former Verkhovna Rada speaker Volodymyr Lytyvn: The Rada bears full responsibility today; we need to do everything not to let third parties to play their card in Ukraine in their interests. We need to decide on the question about the position of interior minister, Security Service of Ukraine, Ministry of Defense and the composition of government. Bill on constitutional order will have to be passed to ensure peace and stability in the country.   

Vyacheslav Kerilenko calls for deputies to come to parliament- it is safe to come- Rada is being guarded by state police + Maidan self Defense. Call for ministers and civil servants to return to their work places. All of those who think that you can save your stolen money throughseparatism, you are wrong. We are united. There is no separatism. Those spreading separatism moods will end up in jail.

Andriy Ilynko of Svoboda Party said: Mezhyhyria is open to visitors. It is great that Rada finally resembles Rada, however, the price we paid for that is too high. There are still a lot of people, who call themselves deputies who are not here and don’t want to make decisions, most likely out of fear. This is not the time to talk about political ambitions, future plans. The only question today is about saving the country. There is no separatism in the country. And if there are people, who’ll be trying to create the separatist moods outside, they will be punished.

Mehalchshyn, Svoboda Party: it is critical task not to let criminals to fly the country; we need to locate the heads of special forces, who opened the fire on peaceful civilians. If there at least one deputy general prosecutor, they should issue a arrest order. We need to make sure NOONE escapes from Ukrainian judgment. Calls for at least one deputy prosecutor to come to Rada.

Shvaika, Svoboda:  Kharkiv is being pushed to be a new Severodonetsk. We have only ONE task today: securing the unity. 247 policemen in Kharkiv announced their readiness to move on the side of people.

Averchenko, Udar. We made a huge mistake 3 years ago. We elected a person who even now doesn’t realize his responsibility for the country and us.   He is father of the nation. What father kills his own children? We call for immediate impeachment and trial.

Ginka, Udar. All the lost lives- huge loss for all of us. I am also responsible for this loss, as I was calling for people to come on Maidan.  I am againstany behind-the-scenes talks. From now and on everything will have to be discussed transparently, in front of people, those people died for that.

Herman says Yanukovych in Kharkiv, has not fled Ukraine

Feb. 22, 11:22 a.m. -- Regions Party member of parliament Hanna Herman, another loyalist of President Viktor Yanukovych, says he has not fled Ukraine, but is rather in Kharkiv. She says, however, that Yanukovych will not take part in any separatist initiatives promoted by Kharkiv's mayor and governor.

Rybak resigns as speaker, Svoboda Party's Ruslan Koshulynsky takes charge

Feb. 22, 11:17 a.m. -- Verkhovna Rada speaker Volodymyr Rybak, a President Viktor Yanukovych loyalist, has resigned and was nowhere to be seen at the parliament's emergency session on Feb. 22. Oppsoition Svoboda Party's Ruslan Koshulnysky was presiding.

Presidential elections will come early

Feb. 22, 11:16 a.m. Ihor Miroshnychenko: It's clear to everyone that no presidential election will happen in November or December. They will happen as soon as possible.

Yanukovych's Mezhyhyria estate abandoned, open to journalists

Feb. 22, 11:03 a.m. - The sprawling multimillion-dollar estate that President Viktor Yanukovych exerted much effort into hiding is reportedly abandoned and a tour has been organized for journalists to inspect the premises. It's not clear who is in charge of the tour or the residency.

More Regions deputies defect

Feb. 22, 10:59 a.m. --Deputies Olexander Volkov, Olexander Dudka, Artem Shcherban, Viktor Zherebniuk, Vasiliev, Nver Mhitaryan, Ivan Popesku left the Party of Regions. The exodus is picking up steam and means that an anti-Yanukovych majority has formed in parliament.

Member of parliament pleads for no attack on National Bank of Ukraine

Feb. 22, 10:58 a.m. Member of parliament Mykola Rudkovskyi calls on self-defense groups not to attack National Bank of Ukraine as the country need sustainable economy.

Lytvyn calls for appointment of interior minister

Feb. 22, 10:56 a.m. Former Verkhovna Rada speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn, now a member of parliament said: "I support the idea of Rada taking over the power and responsibility. We must appoint new interior iinister. Some of our colleagues here have experience that fits."

Oleh Liashko says Yanukovych has fled nation

Feb. 22,  10:52 a.m. Oleh Liashko of the opposition Radical Party: "The president left Ukraine, he's out of the country. So now the Verkhovna Rada needs to oust him because he's unable to fulfill his presidential liability."

Yatseniuk seeks 300 votes in parliament

Feb. 22, 10:45 a.m. Opposition leader Arseniy Yatseniuk said that parliament needs 300 votes today to take action because President Yanukovych didn't sign the laws which were passed to him yesterday which means that now we need to vote for his resignation.

Tiahynbook calls for new presidential election no later than May 25

Feb. 22, 10:30 am.. -- Oleh Tiahnybok, leader of the we need to vote for the new government, set the new date for presidential elections, it should be no later than May 25. Rada need to vote for the transformation of central election committee and start judicial reform.

Turchinov says Yanukovych, most ministers have fled

Feb. 22, 10: 28 a.m. -- Former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Turchynov sats that most of the ministers disappeared as well as Interior Minister Vitaly Zakharchenko and President Viktor Yanukovych. "The only one legitimate body left is the Verkhovna Rada - so we are here to vote today. The major tasks for today are: to vote for the new speaker, prime minister and interior minister."

Klitschko said Rada is ready to vote for impeachment

Feb. 22, 9:30 a.m. -- Vitaly Klitschko, UDAR party leader, took a stage on Maidan Nezalezhnosti to announce that he's about to join opposition parties in Verkhovna Rada now.

"I don't have much time, but I want to announce you that I'm going to Verkhovna Rada, where the opposition will vote for  the impeachment of the president of Ukraine," Klitschko said from the stage, while the anti-government activists burst in applause. The bill on impeachment was registered by a member of Parliament Mykola Rudkovsky on Feb. 21. -- Olena Goncharova

Lutsenko explains tactics of riot police

9 p.m. In a brief interview outside the parliament, former interior minister and opposition leader Yuriy Lutsenko shed some light on details of the Feb. 18 crackdown on EuroMaidan. Specifically, Lutsenko explained the tactics used by the riot police on Feb. 18 to make the protesters retreat from the government quarters so quickly.

According to the former police minister, when the riot police units started using firearms against the protesters people started running away.

“Berkut was so obsessed by all this blood that it didn’t stop at the first line of the barricades (on Institutska str.) as it was order, but jumped on Maidan,” Lutsenko said. “It took over both October Palace and European Square without any order.”

Lutsenko explained that once Maidan’s self-defense unit was able to stop the retreat and stabilize the situation, Berkut was able to access the top floor of the Trade Unions House through the roofs of adjacent buildings, which enable to be in direct vicinity to the stage.

“They stopped because we had several pieces of firearms,” Lutsenko said. “I personally heard the communications of interior troops officers, who when ordered to attack would respond in Russian (with an expletive). When Berkut was ordered to attack, they would say ‘we haven’t been paid for this.' The danger of death has stopped them.” -- Mark Rachkevych, Vlad Lavrov

Several Party of Regions lawmakers leave the party

6:48 p.m. Tens of lawmakers from President Viktor Yanukovych's ruling Party of Regions left the faction on Feb. 21, signaling that the presient was loosing his grip on power and influence over those once loyal to him.

At least 28 Party of Regions members of parliament were reported to have left the faction, according to Interfax-Ukraine news agency. -- Christopher J. Miller

Parliament votes to suspend Interior Minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko

Feb. 21, 6:20 p.m. -- In another unanimous vote today, 332 members of the 450-seat parliament voted to insist on the suspension of the nation's top cop, Vitaliy Zakharchenko, as part of a political compromise. Zakharchenko is blamed for the violent police crackdowns on protesters that have killed nearly 100 people and injured thousands since November. -- Brian Bonner

SBU warns against separatist movements

Feb. 21, 6:12 p.m. -- In a bid to tamp down pro-Russian separatist sentiment in Crimea and eastern Ukarine, the Security Service of Ukraine -- the security services known as SBU -- said on Feb. 21 that "it will use severe measures to prevent any action taken against diminishing the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine."

The SBU noted that “certain politicians, local government officials, leaders of civil society organizations, and radically-inclined individuals have attempted to create grounds for escalating the civil conflict, and have spread autonomous and separatist attitudes among the people, which could lead to the demise of our as a united nation and loss of its national sovereignty.” In addition, the statement said that certain lawmakers of every level have begun separatist negotiations with representatives of foreign nations. “Open consultations are being held on the possible division of the country into separate parts in violation of the Ukrainian constitution,” read the statement. “This could lead to an escalation of conflict between different sectors of society, inciting ethnic or religious hatred and military conflict.” -- Mark Rachkevych



 
Police troops leave their position around the Ukrainian Parliament in Kiev on February 21, 2014. Ukraine's deputy army chief has resigned in protest over government attempts to involve the army to put down unrest rocking the country, after Kiev erupted in unprecedented deadly violence. "Today the army is being involved in the civil conflict, which could lead to the mass deaths of civilians and soldiers," General Yuri Dumanski, deputy head of the army's general staff, told Channel 5 television in comments broadcast Friday. AFP PHOTO / GENYA SAVILOV


Protesters on offensive, occupying private businesses, retaking government buildings

Feb. 21, 5:42 p.m. -- In the wake of the latest and bloodiest clashes between police and demonstrators on Kyiv’s Independence Square, protesters have expanded their control over several parts of central Kyiv.

The violence began on Feb. 18 when protesters organized a “peaceful offensive” on parliament and began throwing stones at lines of riot police. Soon thereafter, police launched a counter-offensive, firing live rounds of ammunition into crowds of protesters. The clashes left more than 75 dead and hundreds wounded.

Beginning on Feb. 19, the second day of the three-day confrontation, protesters retook control of government buildings and private businesses along Khrehyshatyk Street -- many of the same buildings they briefly abandoned on Feb. 17, when an amnesty law went into effect that called for release of protesters in exchange for demonstrators vacating government buildings.

Protesters have reoccupied City Hall, the Ministry of Agriculture, the exposition center Ukrainian House, and several other government buildings in the center of Kyiv. Though the state Trade Unions building was scorched in the recent skirmishes, protesters have since moved in and attempted to clean the interior.

Many of the occupied buildings serve as medical stations, as many protesters fear seeking treatment in state-run hospitals. Over the past several weeks, demonstrators have been arrested by police officers immediately after being released from the hospital.

 Medical supplies now line the windows on the first floor of the café “Coffee Time,” which serves as an impromptu hospital to treat wounded protesters. Organizers are using the café’s food and kitchen appliances to serve men in dressed in army fatigues and helmets taken from riot police officers.

 On the second floor, organizers have transformed dining booths into cots for demonstrators to sleep on.

Bohdan Gobovei, who is helping to coordinate activities in Coffee Time, says that there was no conflict with the owners of the business when the protesters first set up camp. “We are a peaceful people.  We simply asked him if we could use the building, and then we had an agreement.”

Next door, the paramilitary group Maidan Self-Defense occupied Raiffeisen Bank.

With the exception of a few street stands, commerce has stopped in the city’s center.

Several hundred meters away on Independence Square, another Coffee Time is closed.  A sign on the front door says it is closed for “technical reasons.” There, an employee who asked to be identified only by her first name, Alla, says the owner closed because he feared that it would be destroyed in future skirmishes.

Since authorities closed metro and bus routes to the center of the city on Tuesday, the business has been losing money: “we need to pay our personnel, we need to pay for the services of the restaurant, but how are we supposed to pay without any customers?” -- Isaac Webb

 Parliament votes to revert to 2004 constitution

Feb. 21, 4:55 p.m. -- Parliament today unanimously voted, 386-0, to return to the 2004 Constitution, one of the pre-conditions for ending the anti-government EuroMaidan protests. This follows the signing of a compromise agreement between President Viktor Yanukovych and political opposition leaders to end the nation's political crisis. However, it's still not clear whether the compromise -- which also calls for December elections -- will be enough to end the standoff.

Still parliament cheered upon the vote for the 2004 constitution, while Verkhovna Rada speaker Volodymyr Rybak congratulated the parliament members and all sang the national anthem.

Borys Kolesnikov, the former vice prime minister: “Unfortunately, in our Slavic countries it does not work to have a president with the powers like Bruce, the almighty.” Kolesnikov said the nation's regions need more autonomy, particularly over budget.

Yaroslav Sukhoi, a Party of Regions member of parliament, said: “We're taking on a commitment to vote” for all those things in the list “we need to involve into the investigation of the bloody events of European, foreign special services because the bullets that killed the soldiers and that were pulled out of people's bodies, are the same.”

The return to the 2004 constitution, which lessens presidential powers and strengthens parliamentary ones, is only one aspect to a compromise agreement that also calls for presidential elections no later than December.

Here is the full text of the compromise reached between Yanukovych, opposition leaders and members of the Maidan Council

More complete list of EuroMaidan casualties since Feb. 18

Feb. 21, 4:21 p.m. -- This is the latest list of the more than 75 people killed in Kyiv since Feb. 18. The Health Ministry says the casualty count is 77 people, while 76 people are on this list. The source is here.

[JayH]

Parliament meeting to consider bringing election forward to earlier date.

Media reporting high system of command working effectively to prevent damage and maintain order  by protesters. in Kiev.

All parties urging  people to maintain and respect law and order.

Yulia to be released  immediarely

[Noch1]

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&ved=0CCcQqQI&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fworld-europe-26302572&ei=HYAIU5OGH4bSyAHXyYD4Aw&usg=AFQjCNHt4lTOB7Ugf6xoJ8iu9-CThgXi9g

[pokerintherear]

All the reports are saying the protestors have control over the government buildings. The government police have abandoned their post's.

Nobody is moving until the former president resigns according to the reports.

[JayH]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/