Mykola Azarov offers to go as parliament repeals anti-protest laws – but moves stop well short of opposition's demands

This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

In back-to-back moves to try to resolve Ukraine's political crisis, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov submitted his resignation on Tuesday and parliament repealed anti-protest laws that prompted violent clashes between protesters and police.

The twin moves were significant concessions to the protesters who have occupied the capital's main square for two months and fought sporadically with police for the last 10 days. Yet key issues remain unresolved in Ukraine's political crisis, including the opposition's repeated demands for President Viktor Yanukovych to resign and a new election to be held.

"The conflict situation which has come about in the country is threatening the economic and social development of Ukraine, creating a threat to the whole of Ukrainian society and to each citizen," said Azarov, adding that he had personally asked Yanukovich to accept his resignation.

Under the constitution, the departure of the prime minister means the resignation of the entire government.

Yanukovych has been under increasing pressure since he pushed the tough laws through parliament, setting off clashes and protests in other parts of the country in a sharp escalation of tensions after weeks of mostly peaceful protests over his rejection of a deal to deepen ties with the 28-nation European Union.

Azarov's resignation has yet to be accepted by the president, but that appears to be only a formality. Yanukovych last week offered the premiership to Arseniy Yatsenyuk, one of the opposition's top figures. Yatsenyuk turned down the offer.

The prime minister's resignation would remove one of the figures the opposition most despises, and the repeal of the anti-protest laws should remove a severe aggravating factor in the crisis. Yatsenyuk hailed the move, saying: "We have repealed all the laws against which the whole country rose up."

Another potential sticking point is that the proposed amnesty for arrested protesters will not be offered unless demonstrators stop occupying buildings and end their round-the-clock protests and tent camp in Kiev's central Independence Square.

Protest leaders say scores of people have gone missing, presumably arrested.

Three protesters died in the clashes last week, two of whom were shot by hunting rifles, which police insist they do not use.

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