Komorowski, Tusk at Maidan anniversary ‘Dignity March’
PR dla Zagranicy
John Beauchamp
22.02.2015 16:47
Polish President Bronisław Komorowski and head of the European Council Donald Tusk attended a parade in Kiev marking the one-year anniversary since former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted from power.
Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko (C) with his counterparts and top officials from EU attend the 'March of Dignity' in Kiev, Ukraine, 22.02.2015. European countries presidents and top officials took part in events to mark the first anniversary of the escalated violence on the Maidan, in memory of people, who were killed on the Maidan and eastern
Also in attendance were Presidents of Germany and Lithuania, Joachim Gauck and Dalia Grybauskaite respectively.
Before Sunday’s ‘March of Dignity’ kicked off, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko told demonstrators in the Ukrainian capital that the presence of European leaders means a lot for the country.
“They are here to underline that the doors to the European Union are open,” Poroshenko said, adding that “This is […] a sign of recognition for the price Ukrainians have paid for the right to choose a European future”.
Many demonstrators held pro-European banners reading ‘Stop Russian Aggression’ and ‘Ukraine is Europe’.
However, while the parade came off without incident in the Ukrainian capital, a bomb blast ripped through a similar anniversary march held in the eastern city of Kharkiv, killing two and injuring at least 11 people.
Ukraine authorities have said they are treating the blast as “an act of terrorism”. (jb)
Source: IAR/PAP/AFP