03/12/2013 19:00
Kiev deputies reject no-confidence measure, protests continue
Ukrainian lawmakers swatted down a no-confidence measure Tuesday proposed by opposition leaders to try to force a new government as tens of thousands of mostly anti-government protesters rallied outside the state parliament building, RIA Novosti reported.
Only 186 deputies voted in favor of the measure to force the resignation of Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and his government, safely short of the required minimum of 226 votes.
Speaking just before the vote, Azarov promised he would make staff changes in the government, noting the momentum Ukraine’s protest movement has gathered after nearly two weeks in what began as demonstrations over the government’s sudden rejection of a long-awaited trade deal with the European Union.
“I will make firm conclusions, decisive personnel changes will be effected in the government,” the prime minister said before the vote in parliament on Tuesday.
Arseny Yatsenyuk, leader of the parliament’s Fatherland party faction, said the opposition would still demand the resignation of the government and early presidential and parliamentary elections.
Opposition leaders called for protesters to go and rally outside the presidential administration building after the vote.
Russian media reports put the number of anti-government protesters in the tens of thousands, and said no more than 300 pro-government demonstrators were also present.
About 1,000 paramilitary police officers were posted to guard government buildings around Kiev, Viktoria Kushnir, a spokeswoman for the Interior Ministry’s Internal Troops, told RIA Novosti.