Ukraine President Voted Out By Parliament, New Elections To Be Held In May [PHOTOS]
Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych was voted out by parliament on Saturday, leaving protesters in the city of Kiev overjoyed. Vitali Klitschko represented the opposition as the European Union helped President Yanukovych and the protesting parties to reach a peace agreement on Friday. Only a day later, Parliament voted unanimously to remove him from office.
Vitali Klitschko & other opposition leaders sign peace deal with Ukraine President Yanukovych @nycjim pic.twitter.com/8aaydP6mjd
— NewsBreaker (@NewsBreaker) February 21, 2014
After the peace agreement on Friday, President Yanukovych was nowhere to be found. On Saturday, following the vote, the Ukrainian leader went on television to announce he was not leaving office or the country. “What we see today is a coup — I did everything to prevent the bloodshed. We adopted two amnesty laws. We did everything to stabilize the political situation. But it happened the way it happened.”
Photo of Ukraine President Yanukovych on UBR-TV, says he is not resigning – http://t.co/IdEzfKkyaZ pic.twitter.com/O1blhEM1SP
— Matthew Keys (@MatthewKeysLive) February 22, 2014
Protestors seized the opportunity to overrun the President’s compound. Immediately pictures of the zoo, motorcade, and other luxuries inside the property began to be released. Protestors rejoiced as they felt they had finally won a victory in the civil unrest that had rocked the country for years and even more intense in the last few months.
People Of Ukraine Invade Presidential Estate, Admire Car Collection http://t.co/TnLcQ18gXw pic.twitter.com/sgGV35HCnm
— Jalopnik (@Jalopnik) February 22, 2014
Ukraine Protestors Raid Empty Presidential Compound To Find Zoo, Mansion, And Yacht http://t.co/JSKlrgNY6r pic.twitter.com/LdCU9cpZrj — BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) February 22, 2014
Crowds enter grounds of #Ukraine president’s country house – latest video http://t.co/gbODDBcGVR & pic.twitter.com/Um1KXv0B8e — BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) February 22, 2014
#Gold coins discovered in Viktor Yanukovych’s garage & 1Kg gold coin with president’s portrait http://t.co/wMV2XR6fMGpic.twitter.com/cfLnh1xpH1 — Dan Popescu (@PopescuCo) February 22, 2014
Even though the Ukraine President is not voluntarily stepping down, it will be very difficult for him to regain any form of power at this point. The European Union is now involved, many of his party are resigning across the country, and Parliament is ready to announce early elections beginning May 25. And as Yanukovych was making his television announcement, the face of the opposition, Yulia Tymoshenko, was being freed from prison. The former Prime Minister had been jailed since 2011 in what many called a politically motivated trial. Her release is another victory in a flurry for the opposition.
Here’s a clear picture of Yulia #Tymoshenko *after* her release today. Via @lifenews_ru stream http://t.co/b5wsZrnbRP pic.twitter.com/zugWv6MQzo
— ADM Links (@admlinks) February 22, 2014
Protesters stand in front of a poster showing Yulia Tymoshenko http://t.co/9xueEcRXJv (Photo: Reuters) pic.twitter.com/YEnx7Jj0B4
— GuardianUS (@GuardianUS) February 22, 2014
What exactly will happen with the Ukraine President following the Parliament’s vote is unclear. But one thing is clear, Saturday represented a new beginning for the nation.
