Ukraine oppn leader rejects PM post offer
Sunday, 26 January 2014
Ukrainian opposition leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk says protests will continue after he rejected President Viktor Yanukovych's offer to appoint him as Prime Minister of the country.
Mr Yatsenyuk said on Jan 26 the opposition was generally ready to accept leadership, but several key demands must be met, including new elections, reports BBC News Europe.
Clashes continued overnight. Activists stormed a Kiev building housing police.
The president's proposal came amid new efforts to end the deadly unrest.
He offered the post of prime minister to Mr Yatsenyuk and the position of deputy PM to former boxer Vitali Klitschko following talks on Saturday.
Speaking to large crowds in central of Kiev late on Saturday, the opposition leaders repeated their demands.
"Viktor Yanukovych announced that the government wasn't ready to take the responsibility for the country and offered to the opposition to lead the government," said Mr Yatsenyuk.
"What is our response to this? We are not afraid of the responsibility for the destiny of Ukraine."
The opposition is demanding that a free trade agreement with the European Union be signed and political prisoners be freed, including former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
They are also demanding early presidential elections. A vote is not due until 2015.