Protesters will call for a revision of the Stockholm Arbitration Tribunal’s decision and a moratorium on raising natural gas prices.
The opposition plans to hold a protest demonstration on Sept. 7 outside the Ukrainian parliament.
“[President Viktor] Yanukovych signed the fleet deal with Russian and promised in exchange the gas prices will not grow,” said Oleksandr Turchynov, a top ally of ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. “However, they do. That is the way they are trying to fill the budget… which is unacceptable.”
In June, the Stockholm Arbitration Tribunal obliged the state holding to return 11 billion cubic meters of gas to Swiss-registered gas trader RosUkrEnergo, a murky intermediary that Tymoshenko cut out of the Ukraine-Russia gas trade before she left office earlier this year.
In April, Yanukovych signed a controversial Kharkiv agreement that extended the stationing of the Russian Black Sea fleet on the Crimean peninsula for another 30 years in exchange for cheaper gas.
Protesters will call for a moratorium on raising natural gas prices for consumers.
“We hope many people will participate, as more are losing illusions about Yanukovych’s administration,” said Turchynov.
The opposition protest will start at 10 a.m., timed for the opening session of the Ukrainian parliament.
Kyiv Post staff writer Svitlana Tuchynska can be reached at [email protected].
