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Law on raising red banners on Victory Day to split Ukrainian society, says Borys Tarasiuk.

Tarasiuk: Law on raising red banners on Victory Day to split Ukrainian society

May 5, 2011 at 16:52 | Interfax-Ukraine

Leader of the People's Movement of Ukraine (Rukh) Borys Tarasiuk has said that a law by the Verkhovna Rada that allows the raising of replicas of the Soviet Banner of Victory on May 9 is a mistake and still hopes that the head of state will not sign this law.

"We believe – I'm speaking on behalf of the People's Movement of Ukraine and other parties of the democratic opposition - that this was a mistake to allow the raising of red banners," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Thursday.

According to the MP, this decision is leading to a split rather than unity in Ukrainian society.

"Instead of splitting Ukrainian society over the flags of a non-existent state, more funds should have been allocated for certain social assistance to veterans of the Great Patriotic War [World War Two], not many of whom remain," Tarasiuk said.

He said that the banner costs exceed the costs of assistance to veterans by 30 times.

"I hope that the president will make deliberate decision and will not sign this decision, which is mistaken from a political point of view, and which splits Ukrainian society," the MP said.

On May 4, President Viktor Yanukovych announced that he would sign a law permitting the use of the flag of victory during the celebrations on May 9, Victory Day, along with the national flag of Ukraine.

On April 21, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine settled the issue of the use of replicas of the flag of victory on May 9 - Victory Day.

According to the law, the banner of victory can be raised along with the national flag of Ukraine. The law establishes the procedure for official use of the red flag.

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