Anti-protest bills signed in Ukraine

KIEV, Ukraine - Ukraine’s president on Friday ignored sharp Western criticism and approved anti-protest legislation aimed at quashing anti-government demonstrations, which have rocked Kiev for nearly two months.

Viktor Yanukovych also fired his longtime chief of staff, Serhiy Lyovochkin, who was seen as a more liberal counterweight to some of the hawkish members of his inner circles.

Yanukovych signed into law a series of bills passed Thursday by his loyalists dominating the parliament, despite fistfights and noisy objections from the opposition. The laws significantly curb the right to protest, free speech and the activity of nongovernmental organizations.

The demonstrations were sparked by Yanukovych’s decision to shelve a long-discussed economic and political treaty with the European Union. Instead, Yanukovych chose to focus on improving ties with Russia and received a pledge of a $15 billion bailout loan from the Kremlin to aid the troubled Ukrainian economy. The protests swelled to hundreds of thousands after police violently dispersed several rallies.

EU enlargement commissioner Stefan Fuele, who has worked for years to get Ukraine to sign the EU treaty, voiced his disappointment Friday.

“I’m shocked,” Fuele told Ukraine’s Interfax news agency. “It is deeply disappointing to see such a turn from the European path of Ukraine.”

Opposition leaders dubbed Thursday’s legislation as unconstitutional and called for a big rally Sunday to protest the move.

Front Section, Pages 5 on 01/18/2014

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