Explaining their motives, Lviv lawmakers belonging to various factions stressed that PoR and Communists engaged in subversive activities against the state and anti-Ukrainian declarations at the national congress of deputies in Siverskodonetsk on March 1. The Communists and Regions plunged into anti-Ukrainian rhetoric because they had not been prosecuted for similar anti-state activities at the 2004 congress in Siverskodonetsk when calls to break away from Ukraine were publicized.

Of the 120 Lviv council lawmakers present, 69 supported the appeal. The largest faction, BYuT, voted in full strength. Only 4 NUNS deputies backed the appeal.

Myroslav Senyk, head of the Lviv oblast council said that by endorsing the appeal Lviv lawmakers debased themselves.

By making the appeal to Yushchenko to ban the Communist party and PoR local lawmakers have discredited themselves. I didn’t vote for the appeal. You may ban the Communist ideology, but not a parliamentary party, Lviv lawmaker Oleh Nemchynov told ZIK March 18.