Controversial bill proposed by Ukraine president Petro Poroshenko outrages pro-Western politicians and activists, but EU association agreement later ratified
The bill, proposed by Petro Poroshenko, Ukraine's president, was pushed through in a closed session Photo: EPA
1:51PM BST 16 Sep 2014
Ukrainian MPs passed a controversial law
on Tuesday handing self-rule and an amnesty to pro-Russian separatists
in parts of the rebellious east of the country.
The
bill, proposed by Petro Poroshenko, Ukraine's president, was pushed
through in a closed session, to the outrage of some politicians and
pro-Western activists.
Shortly
afterwards, Mr Poroshenko praised the "heavenly 100" demonstrators who
died in Kiev in street protesters earlier this year as the Verkhovna
Rada, Ukraine's parliament, ratified a pact bringing the country closer
to the European Union.
The
protesters, and soldiers who perished in fighting in the east of the
country, "have died not only for their motherland. They gave up their
lives for us to take a dignified place among the European family," he
said.
The self-rule law is aimed at
quelling violence in the east of the country, where rebels under
Russia's patronage have been fighting government troops since April.
More than 3,000 people have been killed in the conflict.
A ceasefire between the sides was agreed on September 5, but sporadic fighting has continued.
Yulia Tymoshenko, the former prime minister, said the bill was a "complete surrender" of Ukraine's interests in Donbas, as the east of the country is is known.
"This decision legalises terrorism and the occupation of Ukraine," she told a briefing in Kiev, Ukrainskaya Pravda reported.
The law guarantees a "special status" allowing a degree of self-rule for three years for the self-proclaimed separatist territories, the Donetsk and Luhansk "People's Republics".
It endorses policing by local militias, protection for use of the Russian language and the possibility for local government bodies to "strengthen good neighbourly relations" with their counterparts across the border in Russia.
The law also promises Kiev will pay to rebuild the region, and says local elections will be held on December 7.
MPs approved a separate bill guaranteeing an amnesty for "participants of events in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions", which appeared to mean fighters on both sides of the conflict. Kiev has until now called the rebels, "terrorists".
Rebel leaders gave a mixed reaction to the self-rule law.
Igor Plotnitsky, head of the Luhansk separatists, said it matched several of his fighters' demands, adding that, "a peaceful resolution has been given its first chance".
However, Andrei Purgin, the self-styled deputy prime minister of the Donetsk People's Republic, said he did not recognises laws created by Ukraine's parliament.
"It's possible this will be a point of engagement for future talks, but not more than that," he said.
Ukrainian opponents of the legislation called it "Putin's law" and said it had played into the hands of the Russian president, who is thought to want a "frozen" conflict" in Ukraine that would prevent the country joining Nato.
The EU "association agreement" was ratified simultaneously by the European parliament in Strasbourg. The free trade section of the pact will not come into effect until 2016 after Russian pressure.
It was a refusal to sign off on the pact by Viktor Yanukovych, the former president of Ukraine, which led to demonstrations in Kiev last year and his ousting in February.
Yulia Tymoshenko, the former prime minister, said the bill was a "complete surrender" of Ukraine's interests in Donbas, as the east of the country is is known.
"This decision legalises terrorism and the occupation of Ukraine," she told a briefing in Kiev, Ukrainskaya Pravda reported.
The law guarantees a "special status" allowing a degree of self-rule for three years for the self-proclaimed separatist territories, the Donetsk and Luhansk "People's Republics".
It endorses policing by local militias, protection for use of the Russian language and the possibility for local government bodies to "strengthen good neighbourly relations" with their counterparts across the border in Russia.
The law also promises Kiev will pay to rebuild the region, and says local elections will be held on December 7.
MPs approved a separate bill guaranteeing an amnesty for "participants of events in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions", which appeared to mean fighters on both sides of the conflict. Kiev has until now called the rebels, "terrorists".
Rebel leaders gave a mixed reaction to the self-rule law.
Igor Plotnitsky, head of the Luhansk separatists, said it matched several of his fighters' demands, adding that, "a peaceful resolution has been given its first chance".
However, Andrei Purgin, the self-styled deputy prime minister of the Donetsk People's Republic, said he did not recognises laws created by Ukraine's parliament.
"It's possible this will be a point of engagement for future talks, but not more than that," he said.
Ukrainian opponents of the legislation called it "Putin's law" and said it had played into the hands of the Russian president, who is thought to want a "frozen" conflict" in Ukraine that would prevent the country joining Nato.
The EU "association agreement" was ratified simultaneously by the European parliament in Strasbourg. The free trade section of the pact will not come into effect until 2016 after Russian pressure.
It was a refusal to sign off on the pact by Viktor Yanukovych, the former president of Ukraine, which led to demonstrations in Kiev last year and his ousting in February.
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