Protests Growing in Ukraine After Opposition Rejects Yanukovych Offer
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Photo by Burak Akbulut/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images(KIEV, Ukraine) — Protests in Ukraine are reportedly spreading out from the capital city after opposition leaders turned down appointments to high positions in government offered by President Viktor Yanukovych.
Opposition figures Arseniy Yatsenyuk and former boxer Vitali Klitschko turned rejected Yanukovych’s offer of the position of prime minister and deputy prime minister, respectively this week. The BBC News reports that the opposition leaders believe the offered positions are a sign of weakness and that their campaign to unseat Yanukovych should continue.
The demonstrations began in November after Yanukovych opted to strengthen ties with Russia instead of signing a deal with the European Union. Last week, the protests grew more heated after Yanukovych’s administration passed new anti-protest laws.
The opposition is demanding an agreement with the European Union, the release of political prisoners and an early presidential election — before the currently scheduled vote in 2015.
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