Protesting Pro-EU Students Occupy Education Ministry in Kiev
World | December 4, 2013, Wednesday // 17:05| viewsProtesting pro-EU university students in the Ukrainian capital Kiev complain of being threatened with repressions and university expulsion for participating in the rallies. Photo EPA/BGNES
Protesting pro-EU university students in the Ukrainian capital Kiev have destroyed security fences around the Ministry of Education and have occupied the building.
The Russian RIA Novosti reported Wednesday the news about the latest blockade in the city.
Their main demand is the resignation of the Minister of Education, Dmitriy Tabachnyk. They have expressed concerns about being threatened with repressions and university expulsion for participating in pro-EU protests in Ukraine.
Students have met with the Deputy Minister of Education, Yevgen Sulima. He has assured them that no punitive action will be taken against participants in the rallies.
Kiev City Hall is also blocked. Thousands of demonstrators continue to rally, waving EU and Ukrainian flags under the watch of riot police.
Citizens and university students have been staging mass rallies for over a week in Kiev against their President Viktor Yanukovych's refusal to sign the Association Agreement with the EU.
Rallies have been held in Odessa, Lvov, and other cities.
Violent clashes with riot police were reported with many demonstrators sustaining serious injuries after being attacked with batons and teargas.
Before the vote, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov apologized for the actions of Berkut, Ukraine's special riot police units, early Saturday morning, when they dispersed by extreme force pro-EU protesters in Kiev.
Ukraine made the decision on the EU deal two weeks ago, saying it could not afford to break ties with Moscow. Russia is trying to bring Kiev into its own customs union
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