Ukraine has been the latest European country to be taken over by anti-government protesters. Over the past weeks, Kiev, the capital of one of Europe's biggest countries, has been in a state of chaos.
What led to these protests on the 21st of November was the refusal of the national government to sign a partnership deal that would culminate the entrance of Ukraine into the European Union. To the bewilderment of various EU countries, thousands of pro-EU Ukrainians took to the streets and called on President Vijtor Yanukovych to rethink his decision.
As President Yanukovych refused to go back on his words the protesters took the streets-demanding his resignation and a call for new elections.
The leader of the protests is none other than heavyweight-boxer Vitali Klitschko. The celebrity face of the Udar movement also wants to run for president in 2015 with the goal to establish a modern country with European standards.
Klitschko told Christiane Amanpour, of CNN, that "Ukraine is the most corrupt country in Europe," and added "Ukrainians don't want to live in a police country."
Other foreign actors are also becoming involved, such as former Polish Prime Minister Jawoslaw Kaczynski, and Russian opposition activist Pyotr Verzilov.
Also, former Ukranian PM Yulia Tymoshenko, who has become an international symbol of opposition after she was sentenced to serve 7 years in jail for criminally exceeding her powers over a gas deal with Russia, has called for the EU-Ukraine agreement to be signed.
On Tuesday the opposition lost a no-confidence vote in parliament in a failed attempt to overthrow the government. At the parliamentary session, the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Mikola Azaroz, denied the accusations that the current government had "sold Ukraine to Russia", saying that the real culprit was “she who had “sold the gas contract with Russia that bent the country to its knees", referring to Tymoshenko's deal in 2009.
For the time being Klitschko continues to drive the opposition and insists that their voices be heard by the government.
a global affairs media network
Video Wednesday: Ukraine Attempts to Slip Out of Russia’s Firm Grip
December 4, 2013
Ukraine has been the latest European country to be taken over by anti-government protesters. Over the past weeks, Kiev, the capital of one of Europe's biggest countries, has been in a state of chaos.
What led to these protests on the 21st of November was the refusal of the national government to sign a partnership deal that would culminate the entrance of Ukraine into the European Union. To the bewilderment of various EU countries, thousands of pro-EU Ukrainians took to the streets and called on President Vijtor Yanukovych to rethink his decision.
As President Yanukovych refused to go back on his words the protesters took the streets-demanding his resignation and a call for new elections.
The leader of the protests is none other than heavyweight-boxer Vitali Klitschko. The celebrity face of the Udar movement also wants to run for president in 2015 with the goal to establish a modern country with European standards.
Klitschko told Christiane Amanpour, of CNN, that "Ukraine is the most corrupt country in Europe," and added "Ukrainians don't want to live in a police country."
Other foreign actors are also becoming involved, such as former Polish Prime Minister Jawoslaw Kaczynski, and Russian opposition activist Pyotr Verzilov.
Also, former Ukranian PM Yulia Tymoshenko, who has become an international symbol of opposition after she was sentenced to serve 7 years in jail for criminally exceeding her powers over a gas deal with Russia, has called for the EU-Ukraine agreement to be signed.
On Tuesday the opposition lost a no-confidence vote in parliament in a failed attempt to overthrow the government. At the parliamentary session, the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Mikola Azaroz, denied the accusations that the current government had "sold Ukraine to Russia", saying that the real culprit was “she who had “sold the gas contract with Russia that bent the country to its knees", referring to Tymoshenko's deal in 2009.
For the time being Klitschko continues to drive the opposition and insists that their voices be heard by the government.