You're reading: Opposition Bloc demands resignation of Avakov, Odesa leader over Shufrych incident

Ukraine's Opposition Bloc party has complained about pressure exerted on its representatives across Ukraine, citing in particular the incident involving one of its leaders, parliamentarian Nestor Shufrych, which occurred in Odesa on Sept. 30, and demanded the resignation of Interior Minister Arseniy Avakov and the chief of the Odesa regional state administration, Ihor Palytsia.

 “We demand immediate resignation of the interior minister and the chairman of the Odesa regional state administration, and an immediate, public and objective inquiry into the organizing of mass disturbances across this country and punishment for those responsible,” Opposition Bloc said in a statement issued on Sept. 30.

Acts of “open aggression” with respect to Opposition Bloc representatives are “unacceptable for a country aspiring to build a European democracy,” the party said.

“The country’s president should decide which rules he is playing by. The president either guarantees voting rights for Ukrainian citizens and stop this lawlessness, or these elections will become a gravestone to democracy in Ukraine,” the statement said.

It was reported that on Sept. 30 Right Sector and Euromaidan activists stopped Party of Regions parliamentarian Nestor Shufrych and Odesa councilor Mykola Skoryk, who accompanied him, from holding a press conference in Odesa. Around a hundred activists gathered outside the building where the press conference was due to take place, intent on shoving Shufrych into a trash container. However, the politician did not show up for the press conference.

After that both politicians still tried to make a small statement for the press inside the building of the Odesa regional state administration. However, activists broke into the building, and a tussle ensued.

According to Skoryk’s spokesperson, he sustained “several tangible punches.”

Later, police launched a criminal inquiry into the brawl under Article 296 (hooliganism) of the Ukrainian Criminal Code.