Oleksandr Turchynov, the chairman of the 7th Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada, opened a ceremonial session of the 8th parliament in Kyiv on Thursday morning, at which the parliamentarians are to take an oath.

During the opening ceremony, the Ukrainian national anthem was performed by the Hryhory Veriovka National Academic Popular Choir.

Attending the ceremony are Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Cabinet members led by Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk, former Presidents Leonid Kravchuk, Leonid Kuchma, and Viktor Yuschenko, members of the diplomatic corps and other dignitaries.

Meanwhile, about 100 supporters of the Kyiv Maidan are holding a rally near the Rada building. Among them are activists from the Auto-Maidan movement, some are holding flags of the Popular Rukh of Ukraine, and some are wearing camouflage uniforms. The demonstrators are demanding resolute steps from the parliamentarians and protesting against the taking of an oath by 64 parliamentarians who voted in favor of the so-called January 16 repressive bills in the previous Rada.

Two lines of National Guard members have been deployed in front of the parliament's entrance to provide its security. The demonstration is proceeding without incident.