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Ukraine’s South-East Movement for Federalization puts up several demands to Kiev

KIEV, April 17, /ITAR-TASS/. Ukraine’s South-East Movement for Federalization on Wednesday put up demands to the interim government in Kiev, including a constitutional reform and Ukraine’s transition to a federative state structure.

Local media reports that the Movement led by Ukraine’s presidential candidate Oleg Tsaryov held its first meeting in Donetsk earlier on Wednesday.

It was attended by representatives of public organizations who are holding pro-federalization rallies in Lugansk, Dnepropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kharkov, Odessa and Zaporozhye. They drafted two blocks of requirements to the authorities in Kiev.

The first block concerns political persecution. The movement demands that the authorities adopt a law on amnesty for anti-Kiev protesters; drop criminal charges against the officers of Alfa and Berkut anti-riot police units and release political prisoners, including Pavel Gubarev, the People’s Governor of the Donetsk region.

The second block concerns military matters. Ukraine’s South-East Movement for Federalization demands that the Kiev authorities cancel mobilization and stop all security operations in eastern Ukraine.

On April 11, Oleg Tsaryov said he would be ready to head Ukraine’s South-East Movement for Federalization. He strongly believes that federalization is the only way to save Ukraine from disintegration.

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