Ukraine’s President due back from sick leave amid protests

PanARMENIAN.Net - Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovych is to return to work Monday, Feb 3, after a short sick leave, his official web site reported Sunday, as the anti-government protests continued in the capital, according to RIA Novosti.

The president’s site announced last Thursday that Yanukovych had to take the sick leave due an acute respiratory illness, prompting the country’s opposition to accuse him of inaction amid the ongoing political crisis.

“After having taken the needed treatment, Ukraine’s president is feeling well; his health is satisfactory,” the statement said citing the government’s chief doctor.

Last week, the Ukrainian Prime Minister resigned, prompting the collapse of the government.

The move followed months of protesters in Ukraine, which took to the streets in November after Yanukovych backed off from signing landmark trade deals with the EU. The movement has since transformed into a loose coalition of opposition groups seeking Yanukovych’s ouster.

Tens of thousands of people, including opposition leaders Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Vitali Klitschko, gathered at an anti-government demonstration in Kyiv on Sunday.

Yatsenyuk, a former foreign minister, told the crowd that they had asked the West for financial aid.

Both Klitschko and Yatsenyuk attended Saturday the Munich Security Conference, where the U.S. and EU officials spoke in support for the demonstrators.