You're reading: Ukrainian opposition to discuss further steps at protest rally – Svoboda party leader

The Ukrainian opposition will hold street debates concerning its further actions following the Verkhovna Rada's adoption of amnesty legislation proposed by Party of Regions parliamentarian Yuriy Miroshnychenko, Oleh Tiahnybok, the leader of the Svoboda (Freedom) association, told journalists following an extraordinary parliamentary session. 

“We’ll convene the People’s Rada and discuss what to do,” Tiahnybok said.

Asked whether the demonstration on Independence Square (Maidan) in the center of Kyiv will be dissolved, Tiahnybok replied, “Of course not.”

The adoption of an amnesty law  will only serve to further escalate tensions in Ukrainian society, the other opposition leader, former world heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko, said. 

“Instead of bringing the temperature down in society, it will only serve to increase it even further,” Klitschko told reporters after the Ukrainian parliament passed a law providing amnesty for protesters detained during recent unrest.

The opposition’s “stance remains unchanged”, and it will continue to fight for the release of all of the detained activists, he said.

When asked by a journalist to disclose what he is going to do next, Klitschko said that “we will certainly [go] to Maidan, to the people in order to speak to them and explain everything to them.”