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Hundreds Rally Outside Ukraine Govâ€™t in Support of EU Deal

27 November 2013 18:26 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. About 500 protestors rallied outside the Ukrainian government building in downtown Kiev on Wednesday demanding that the country sign a key trade pact with the European Union, APA reports quoting Ria Novosti.

Riot police have been deployed around the building as the biggest anti-government protest since the 2004 Orange Revolution enters its seventh day.

Gas masks are being handed out among the protestors over fears that tear gas might be used.

Three Ukrainian opposition leaders – Arseniy Yatsenyuk, the leader of the Fatherland parliamentary faction, Oleh Tyahnybok who heads the nationalist Svoboda party and Vitaliy Klitschko of the Udar party – said they were unable to enter the building to deliver protestors’ demands to the ministers.

“All entrances have been blocked, and it was written that construction works were under way,” Klitschko said.

Hundreds of protesters rallied in downtown Kiev on November 21, hours after the announcement that Ukraine had suspended a landmark association agreement and a free trade deal with the EU and opted instead for stronger economic ties with Russia.