Cheats should be hit hard

The depths of the shamefaced depravity that so-called Ukrainian parliamentarians stooped to yesterday when voting in copy-cat Russian/Belarussian-style repressive laws can be seen in this photograph from opposition deputy Lesya Horobets' Facebook page.

 Only 120, tops, had hands raised to provide Ukraine with many of the attributes of an authoritarian state...well under the minimum 226 required to pass any legislation and about half of what the official parliamentary register shows..

The laws, and the manner in which they were voted through is clear indication of the deep psychotic fear in Yanukovych's heart.

In any European country such behaviour should be absolutely and totally unacceptable.

The time for clear messages has arrived. Western governments must annul visas to all pro-government parliamentarians immediately..unless they can produce photographic record they are amongst the 120..To stand by and do nothing is to condone the cheating. 

Leaders of pro-government factions and parliamentary speakers should be singled out for extra attention.  

High-profile grease-ball PoR deputy and crack-pot legal eagle, head of the parliamentary counting committee, Volodymyr Oliynyk is now calling for a dialogue with opposition deputies...He is the co-author of the repressive anti-journalistic new laws..

Is this guy serious?        

p.s. Having watched several PoR spokesmen on tv, my impression is that they realise the new laws will do little to solve the current problems...and Yanukovych and his parliamentary bloc may have gone too far. In short, I think they fear the new laws will not work.  A big EuroMaidan turnout on Sunday will further increase their apprehension.