You're reading: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: Ukrainian lawmakers scuffle after opposition unblocks podium

Members of Ukraine's opposition Svoboda (Liberty) faction have scuffled with lawmakers from the ruling Party of Regions and the Communist Party in parliament.

The incident took place after the Communists and members of the ruling Party of Regions began shouting that Svoboda leader Oleh Tyahnybok should not address parliament.

The parliament resumed its work after members of three opposition factions — the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reforms, Batkivshchyna (Fatherland), and Svoboda — stopped blocking the podium.

They had been blocking the podium for two weeks to protest the ruling party’s initiative to strip opposition deputy Serhiy Vlasenko of his mandate.

Vlasenko lost his mandate on March 6.

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