KIEV, February 06. /ITAR-TASS/. Over 8,000 people have gathered for a rally at Kiev’s Mariinsky Park in support of the authorities, said Alexander Zinchenko, “commander” in the “anti-Maidan” protest camps.

“Over 8,000 people have gathered for a peaceful action. We have no arms and we don’t hide faces. Our unique arm is the faith in the victory. We seek to solve all problems by peaceful means,” Zinchenko said.

Commenting on a rally, which is planned by protesters from Independence Square, he said, “I don’t consider the rally peaceful”.

Security has been reinforced on Independence Square. At least 2,000 law enforcers have been pulled by the parliament’s building.

 

Another attempt to hold session

Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada, or national parliament, on Thursday made another attempt to solve at least the most general organizations problems of its regular session that began on Tuesday. On Wednesday, February 5, the lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on the session’s agenda. Neither did they agree a timetable. However, the main issue that was supposed to be discussed on Thursday and at subsequent sessions is the constitutional reform.

Representatives of opposition parties all urge to change the Constitution. On Wednesday, deputy chairman of the Svoboda (Freedom) party Andrei Mokhnik urged the parliament to launch the constitutional process to “promptly begin comprehensive amendments to the Ukrainian constitution.” Alexander Turchinov of the Batkivshchina (Fatherland) party said that his faction had already drafted amendments to the constitutional court bill and had prepared a “detailed text of constitutional changes.” Leader of the UDAR party, Vitali Klitschko, said that first it was necessary to re-adopt the 2004 Constitution as way out of the current crisis and only after that it would be possible to raise the issue of a new Constitution.

Communist leader Pyotr Simonenko demanded that amendments to the constitution be made in line with the current constitution and called on lawmakers to appoint members of an ad hoc constitutional commission.

In response, Yuri Miroshnichenko of the ruling Party of Regions faction stated that his party is ready to set up a joint task group representing all parliamentary factions to agree on a text that would be put to a vote at the Verkhovna Rada.

However, the parliament failed to agree on creation of an ad hoc commission on constitutional reform.