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Ukrainian parliament ends its evening session as opposition lawmakers block its work

KIEV, November 21. /ITAR-TASS/. Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada, or parliament, ended its Thursday evening session ahead of schedule after opposition lawmakers had blocked its work.

“It is not possible to continue. You see, the presidium and the rostrum are blocked,” first deputy speaker Igor Kaletnik said and closed the session.

The opposition lawmakers, who demand the the Verkhovna Rada pass European integration bills, including the one allowing former Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko, who is serving a prison term for office abuse, to leave Ukraine for medical treatment abroad, left the session hall. The parliament will resume its work at 12:00 Moscow time on Friday. The opposition however warns it would block the parliament’s work again.

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