Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, failed to settle the ongoing crisis in the country and only delayed acute standoff for two weeks, during which opposition should stop street protests for the amnesty law to come into legal force, Nezavisimaya Gazeta daily reported.
According to amnesty law, Ukrainian state authorities will begin to release protest activists from custody only after protesters vacate buildings, streets and squares, removing barricades. One of the opposition leaders Oleg Tyagnibok stated that protest movement would not abide by the new law, because state authorities continue to use force.
Opposition made a statement about forming a national guard, which would include units of self-defense and radically minded organization Right Sector. Ukrainian Interior Ministry officially stated about unlawfulness of a new structure and criminal responsibility of its commanders and fighters.
Nothing has changed in central Kiev yet. Despite severe cold spell, people continue to be on duty at the barricades.
The decision taken by the Verkhovna Rada did not give a chance to settle the crisis, but announced a two-week pause in clashes between opposition and police commandoes, Vice-President of the Gorshenin Institute Alexei Leshchenko told Nezavisimaya Gazeta daily.
The daily noted that more than a third of deputies from pro-presidential faction are inclined to seek a true compromise with opposition and therefore Yanukovich may dissolve parliament.
Russia has taken a pause in implementing major investment projects and fulfilling credit agreements at least as long as the situation with forming a new Ukrainian government is clarified.
“According to estimates of most observers, Kiev events are getting on a new level of siege that may be no less exhaustive. Determination of opposition to stand up to victory has never been reflected so obviously since the beginning of tense events in Ukraine last November,” Rossiiskaya Gazeta daily noted.
President Yanukovich has taken a sick leave for a timeout, RBK daily noted. Ukrainian parliament intends to hold a next meeting on February 4.