Ukrainian border guards wearing protective masks control vehicles at a checkpoint at the Ukrainian-Polish border in Rava-Ruska November 3, 2009. Ukraine closed schools and banned public meetings including election rallies and restricted travel on Friday for a three-week period after confirming its first death from H1N1 flu.
'The Ukrainian government is coming under increasing criticism in the German media for imposing military rule on the country in response to a pandemic.
The Ukraine yesterday said it would close all schools in the country for a week, and suspend basic rights such as the freedom of movement and assembly.
In addition, some border crossings to Slovakia have been closed.
The latest crackdown comes as the government said a planned election might not be held on schedule because of the pandemic.
The President is expected to declare a state of emergency any day heralding the beginning of rule by presidential decree. Konstantin Bondarenko, head of an insitute in Kiev, told the Russian newspaper "Trud" that the current wave of sickness was no worse than the usual seasonal flu.
He said that there were political forces that wanted to profit from portraying themselves as saviours of the nation, according to a report in the German news magazine Der Spiegel.'
'Whatever is causing so much sickness in the Ukraine -- whether it is a pneumonia plague bioweapon intentionally released or another virus, -- it is clear that the government is using the pandemic to undermine democracy in the Ukraine, a country brought to its knees by a corrupt clique of oligarchs in government, who have enriched themselves at the expense of the people and whose grip on power has been shaken by violent protests.'
Original English Translation HERE
Related Post:
Widget by [ Iptek-4u ]
