Klitschko is Turning into Party of Regions Ally, Says Batkivschyna

On October 16 Batkivschyna addressed the Klitschko's Strike party with a proposal to sign the political agreement on creating a coalition of democratic powers in Verkhovna Rada of the VII calling. Earlier Svoboda party has agreed to sign such an agreement.

The agreement makes the provision for the uniting of democratic political powers in the future parliament and their joint actions, says he statement released by opposition press service today:

"We offered Vitali Klitschko and his plurality candidates to prevent Yanukovych from introducing changes in the Constitution that will make the President elected by the parliament, to jointly vote for law on impeachment procedure and for the impeachment to Yanukovych itself, for the revoking of the language law, the anti-people's pension reform and Tax Code, prolongation of moratorium on land sale, and joint actions aimed at the release of political prisoners Yulia Tymoshenko and Yuriy Lutsenko.

The Agreement also provides for passing of the law on recalling deputies, criminalizing the responsibility for voting for other deputies, securing the signing and ratification of the Association Agreement with the EU including the creation of a free trade area, creation of conditions for introduction of visa free travel to EU countries, and denunciation of treacherous Kharkiv Agreements.

Finally, the Agreement would decrease the formation of pro Presidential majority in Verkhovna Rada. However, today we received Vitali's answer through mass media - he refused to sign the Agreement under the pretense of avoiding Ministries and offices distribution squabble. This answer coming from a politician who on numerous occasions claimed that he represent democratic powers has surprised us. Especially, considering the fact that the draft Agreement published on the Batkivschyna website contains no mention of positions in the future government. We would like to draw Vitali's attention - we are not talking about offices, we are talking about uniting around certain values, formation of a new democratic, European course of our country.

We are confident that this course will become an alternative to harmful police of the current regime that is leading this country to a disaster. Klitschko's refusal to sign the Agreement is a step that benefits the Party of Regions, a step that turns him into a Regions' ally, a step that will lead to dispersion of democratic powers instead of their unity in the struggle against Yanukovych. It is now clear why the Strike has broken off negotiations before the campaign start. And last week it has unilaterally ended the negotiations with the United opposition regarding plurality candidates and without consulting its partners has made a decision that may allow the Party of Regions to obtain 10 extra seats in the future parliament.

We regret to state that at these important times Klitschko has made a decision based on his own mercantile interest, not the interests of Ukraine and its people.

Today our friendly hand that we stretched out is hanging in the air, however, we are confident that sooner or later, in full or in part consisting of those who resisted the temptation, Klitschko's faction will join the democratic powers in the parliament.