As the Thursday session opened, head of the Lviv oblast council Myroslav Senyk apologized for his emotional reaction after the original vote March 18. His apology was applauded by lawmakers.

The Lviv oblast council voted March 18 to appeal to Pres Yushchenko to ban PoR and Communist party.

Lawmakers explained their decision by the fact that PoR and CP have engaged in anti-Ukrainian activities and issued statements at the Siverskodonetsk congress of deputies that humiliated the national identity of Ukrainians. PoR and Communists dared to resort to such statements because they had not been punished for their separatist declarations voiced by them at the first congress in Siverskodonetsk in 2004.

Lviv lawmakers said they were confident that the president, as a guarantor of the Ukrainian constitution, would support the ban on PoR and CP.

The motion was backed by 64 deputies of 120 present. The BYuT faction voted in full strength, with only 4 NUNS lawmakers supporting the motion.

Speaking on the heels of the vote, head of the Lviv oblast council Myroslav Senyk said that by voting for the motion deputies discredited the council.