EU parliament condemns use of force against demonstrators in Ukraine

The European Parliament Sunday condemned the Ukrainian police attacks and disperision of a demonstration supporting the Association Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on Friday night in Kiev. "I stand on the side of people taking part in the peaceful demonstrations and I condemn the police attack on EuroMaida," said Pawel Kowal, chair of the EU-Ukraine parliamentary cooperation committee, in a statement. He urged the Ukrainian authorities to ensure security to all the participants in peaceful mass demonstrations, and called "for allowing the people to peacefully and freely express their outlooks on Ukraine's European choice." Kowal called for an urgent meeting of the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Co-operation Committee. "In the face of police brutality directed against the demonstrators we, the elected deputies, parliamentarians, should speak in one voice," he added. Meanwhile, media reports said demonstrators Sunday stormed the Kiev city council building, protesting a government decision not to sign an agreement with the EU for closer ties.