The Communist Party of Ukraine will cease to exist on Thursday, the speaker of Ukraine's parliament announced.
"We only have to tolerate this party for another day," Verkhovnaya Rada speaker Oleksandr Turchinov said on Wednesday in comments carried by online news portal Ostro.org.
Discussion of the Communist Party's dissolution began in earnest in May, after party leader Petro Simonenko said that if he were in charge of the country, he would immediately call back the troops from eastern Ukraine, referring to the military operations taking place there as acts of "war against the people," RIA Novosti reported.
Turchinov, who was serving at the time as acting president, then appealed to the Justice Ministry to request an investigation into the Communist Party's activities.
Russia's State Duma denounced the move at the time, viewing it as an attempt by the new Kiev authorities to "force political and civil forces that do not agree with the path taken by the ultranationalist powers to shut up," according to RIA Novosti.
The Verkhovnaya Rada paved the way for the party's dissolution on Tuesday by amending its rules to vest the speaker of the house with power to dissolve the Communist Party. On Tuesday evening, President Petro Poroshenko signed a bill giving effect to the new regulations.
Turchinov's announcement was made on Wednesday morning amid heavy infighting.
Speaking before his fellow parliamentarians, Simonenko made a statement about Ukraine's security services having allegedly "destroyed" citizens for black-market organ transplants, Interfax reported, citing members of the nationalist Svoboda Party.
Svoboda Party members then accused Simonenko of disseminating false information, and endeavored to physically eject him from the parliament.
An all-out brawl promptly ensued.
Amid the chaos, Turchinov exercised his new powers to announce the party's impending dissolution, before calling for a 15-minute break so deputies could calm down. Following the news, all of the Communist Party members present at the time then reportedly walked out.
See also:
Ukrainian Politicians Brawl After Vote to Send Military Reserves East
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.