All news

Ukraine gvt, opposition agree to counter extremists’ attempts to destabilize situation

The authorities and the opposition adopted a memorandum on preserving peace and calm in the region

ODESSA, January 29. /ITAR-TASS/. The radical opposition’s attempts to destabilize the situation in the Odessa region the last weekend have yielded no result.

The situation is calm in the city and in the region. The efforts by law enforcers and the authorities’ flexible policy facilitated calm in the area and counter extremists’ attempts to radicalize the situation. The authorities and the opposition adopted a memorandum on preserving peace and calm in the region. The memorandum was signed by Governor Nikolai Skorik and leaders of regional and city party organizations, including of the Batkivshchina party and UDAR (Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform). The Svoboda (Freedom) party was the unique one that abstained.

The memorandum condemns any animosity between citizens and the resolution of the political crisis by force. The parties agreed that political processes should be based on the constitutional level in strict compliance with laws. They also agreed to work out concrete measures if the situation aggravates.

“According to latest information, certain ‘hotheads’ wanted to spread riots across our region. When there was no support from the majority of the people, who showed wisdom, stakes were made on riots organizers from outside,” Skorik told Itar-Tass.

“Riots organizers from outside have a clear task - to seize the regional administration and stir up chaos as it happened in several regions, including in neighboring Vinnitsa,” the governor said.

Skorik said he did not doubt when the opposition said it had not made an appeal to force.

“I realize that professional militants, who will arrive for a special purpose, will seize administrative facilities while police can’t use arms. I address the people to come and support the regional administration. The people approved my address and extremists’ plans were wrecked,” Skorik said.

Further cooperation

He asked residents of the city and of the region to provide further support. The governor said he did not rule out that extremists’ attempts might be repeated. “We got accustomed that Odessa had different points of view, different confessions and cultures, and no one was beaten for this,” he said, adding “There are people who deny tolerance and mutual understanding.”

The Odessa region governor said he was hopeful that Odessa “will show the civilized way to resolve political disputes”.

Odessa residents do not support the opposition’s protest actions at the monument to Duke de Richelieu and involve about hundreds of people together with passersby.

Meanwhile, last weekend several hundreds of supporters of the opposition led by masked young people passed along the Odessa streets to the building of the regional administration. They sought to enter the building. But they were stopped by the authorities’ supporters who had organized a protest action against the opposition riots in Kiev and other cities.