RUSSIALINK: “Poroshenko fails to make speech on martial law after several factions block Rada rostrum” – Interfax

KYIV. Nov 26 (Interfax) – Several factions in Ukrainian parliament blocked its plenary session on Monday, preventing President Petro Poroshenko from explaining his proposal to impose nationwide martial law, the Petro Poroshenko Bloc faction said.

“A number of factions decided to block the rostrum without even allowing the president to reveal what exactly is happening in the Sea of Azov and what military-aggression challenges are facing our state… The president is being prevented by Verkhovna Rada from having a say. We hope the issue will be resolved. If not, that is the position of the Verkhovna Rada factions blocking the rostrum,” the faction’s deputy leader Serhiy Berezenko said on Monday.

Asked whether the president had already left the parliament building, Berezenko said: “If he left, I think that is logical. Because sitting here the whole hour and waiting for the possibility to speak before parliament with security people… That, unfortunately, he was not allowed to do,” Berezenko said, noting that he saw such blocking as the factions’ refusal to consider an imposing of martial law.