Party of Regions of Ukraine expects reciprocal steps from opposition after activists' release
KYIV. Feb 14 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian government is complying with its obligations it has undertaken under the so-called amnesty law, and now it is the opposition's turn to act, says Vitaliy Hrushevsky, a parliamentarian of the Party of Regions of Ukraine faction.
"The prosecution services filed requests today on mitigating the restrictive measures for all people suspected of organization of mass unrest, disorderly conduct, and the blockage of administrative buildings and transportation routes in January 2014. The relevant procedural decisions have already been made in relation to all participants regarding the application of restrictive measures alternative to arrest, with the aim of humanizing the criminal proceedings," the Party of Regions press service quoted Hrushevsky as saying.
The law stipulates that all administrative buildings occupied by protesters, not only in Kyiv but also in other cities of Ukraine, must be vacated and the transportation routes in Kyiv (Hrushevsky Street) and other populated areas of Ukraine must be unblocked, except the venues where peaceful protests are under way, he said.
"We hope that the fulfillment of the amnesty law will not be unilateral and, despite the statements that have been heard from members of the Euromaidan's radical wing, the opposition leaders will take reciprocal steps and will be able to ensure the unblocking of the buildings and government institutions and will clear the center of the capital and remove the barricades," he said.
It was reported earlier on Friday that a court had replaced restrictive measures on the last of the 234 arrested protesters by means of house arrest.
Ukrainian Prosecutor General Viktor Pshonka said also that, after the protesters unblock Hrushevsky Street and vacate administrative buildings they have occupied, the criminal proceedings against the activists will be closed.
The opposition has, however, put forward its own demands.
Rostyslav Pavlenko of the UDAR party's parliamentary faction suggested that the changing of the restrictive measure for the arrested activists does not fully meet the opposition's demands.
