15:20 23.11.2013

Yanukovych says politicization of tragic events is unacceptable

1 min read
Yanukovych says politicization of tragic events is unacceptable

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has said that the politicization of tragic historical events for the Ukrainian society, in particular, the Holodomor famine of 1932-1933, is unacceptable.

"I am confident that history should be open to all. At the same time, I think that the politicization of, first and foremost, heavy historical topics is unacceptable," he said in Kyiv on Saturday at a ceremony commemorating famine victims, which took place near the Holodomor Memorial.

Yanukovych said that political speculation on these topics leads to tensions in society, separates people and prevents the consolidation of citizens, which Ukraine now extremely needs.

"Today we must discard the political debate and unite. On this sad day, we are all united by the memory about our dead compatriots. This day [the Holodomor Remembrance Day] should be out of politics," he said.

After Yanukovych finished his speech the participants in the ceremony honored the victims of famines with a minute of silence.

The ceremony was also attended by former Ukrainian Presidents Leonid Kravchuk, Leonid Kuchma, Viktor Yuschenko, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, Verkhovna Rada Chairman Volodymyr Rybak, officials, and the public.

The Holodomor Remembrance Day is marked in Ukraine annually on the fourth Saturday of November.

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