ODESSA, February 27, (ITAR-TASS). Governor of the Odessa region State Administration, Nikolai Skorik, has asked political forces in the region to renounce forcible pressure on regional officials so as to prevent a vacuum of power and to ensure legitimacy of its transition.
Thursday, Skorik addressed a session of the Governor’s Council, which includes the heads of local branches of various political parties represented in the Odessa region.
Among other things, he urged the former irreconcilable opposition turned country’s ruler to stop putting pressure on members of the Party of Regions, which is taking place in the Odessa region.
“We can see in this region now the instances of overt pressures on members of the Party of Regions, including the use of force against them to compel them to withdraw from the party and give up administrative post,” Skorik.
As an instance of this, he cited the situation in the town of Ovidiopol where unknown people blocked the district administration and subjected its chairman blackmail and threats so as to make him file a resignation request.
“And this is not a solitary example,” Skorik said. “I think that’s impossible in a democratic state, which I hope we will build it because what’s happening now is just impossible.”
He said he had had a telephone conversation with Alexander Turchinov, the country’s provisional acting president and parliament speaker.
“He supported our efforts to safeguard quiet and stability in the region and told me reshuffles in the regions would be carried out after a new ruling coalition and cabinet of ministers are formed,” Skorik said.
“We’ll continue our efforts and I’d like to ask political forces to refrain from careening the situation, to prevent a vacuum of state power and to ensure the legitimacy of its transfer,” he said.