Ukraine closer to compromise?

Two of the demands made by protesters in Ukraine were fulfilled on Tuesday with the dismissal of the prime minister and a set of controversial laws overthrown. There are however no signs of compromise yet. Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and his government filed their resignations in the morning after the parliamentary session started. President Viktor Yanukovych accepted the dismissals and asked Azarov to continue performing his duties until a new government is chosen. Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, voted down nine out of ten controversial laws adopted last week. The laws limited the right to protest, imposed punishment for blocking public buildings and restricted the foreign funding of non-governmental organizations. In the afternoon the Verkhovna Rada was expected to adopt a law on amnesty, but failed to do so as the session was closed. Protests have continued in Ukraine since November, when the country’s government decided to call off talks with the EU on an association agreement. On January 22, the first protesters were killed and the death toll has since risen to six. The protesters are demanding snap presidential and parliamentary elections and amnesty. The situation in Ukraine will be one of the subjects of talks between Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, scheduled to take place on Thursday.