Ukraine deal offers new election, reduction of Yanukovich powers, thousands still protest
Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovych announced plans on Friday for early elections aimed at ending violence in the country which is consuming headlines across the globe.
photo by Guillaume Speurt from Vilnius, Lithuania via wikimedia commons
The Russia supported Yanukovych is conceding to pressure from mass demostrations, which continue to today despite the new agreement.
Yanukovych offered a series of concessions to his pro-European opponents, including a national unity government and constitutional change to reduce his powers, as well as the presidential polls.
He made the announcement in a statement on the presidential website without waiting for a signed agreement with opposition leaders after at least 77 people were killed in the worst violence since Ukraine became independent 22 years ago.
“There are no steps that we should not take to restore peace in Ukraine,” he said. “I announce that I am initiating early elections.”
Yanukovich said Ukraine, which emerged from the wreckage of the Soviet Union in 1991, would revert to a previous constitution under which parliament had greater control over the make-up of the government, including the prime minister.
“I am also starting the process of a return to the 2004 constitution with a rebalancing of powers towards a parliamentary republic,” he said. “I call for the start of procedures for forming a government of national unity.”
He also set no date for the presidential election, which had been due in March, 2015.
