Oleh Kalashnikov continues to hold his position as State Deputy

According to member of the Party of the Regions, Taras Chornovil, “At the present time the legal norm states that deprivation of a deputy’s mandate is carried out in accordance with the law, and such a law does not exist.”

When asked whether the Party had approached Oleh Kalashnikov suggesting that he resign, Taras Chornovil replied: “As far as I am aware, Oleh Kalashnikov is presently in hospital and there has been no approach asking him to hand in his resignation. He remains a non-faction Deputy”.

On 12 July 2006 a group of people from the Party of the Regions, among them Oleh Kalashnikov, interfered with the work of a television team from STB near the building of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. They forcibly removed a cassette with footage from the film crew, and journalists were beaten up. On 14 July the Prosecutor’s office of the Pechersky District in Kyiv initiated a criminal investigation over the interference with the lawful professional activities of journalists.