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Activists, parents in Ukraine's port city of Odessa demonstrate for Russian classes

KIEV, January 11 (Itar-Tass) - Civil activists from the organization Dozor (Watch) and hundreds of parents in the Black Sea port city of Odessa, in Ukraine, demonstrated Friday outside the office of the Party of Regions demanding the protection of Russian-language classes in Odessa schools, Dozor’s press office told Itar-Tass.

Earlier, a court of appeal prohibited opening Russian-language classes at Odessa schools following a lawsuit from the nationalist party Svoboda (Freedom). According to Dozor, the Party of Regions has the universal authority and is therefore morally and politically responsible for the litigation’s results.

The ruling took effect on December 26, 2013 after judges considered an earlier decision of the Odessa City Council. The local deputies had earlier made amendments to the charters of 199 schools allowing schools to open Russian-speaking classes at the parents’ request.

Protesters demand the judges be called to account.

Dozor was established in February 2008 by a group of Odessa residents keen to protect the interests of the Russian-speaking majority in Ukraine and to see Ukraine and Russia as a united country.

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