Odessa: Bessarabian activists elect ‘people’s defender’

The assembly elected a “people’s defender.” He is Alexander Yankov, who previously worked as a senior investigator of the Prosecutor’s Office in Odessa.

“I think our mission is to protect the interests of the inhabitants of Bessarabia in the face of the regional and central government, to officials who have forgotten how to act,” he said in his speech. 

The leader of the People’s Rada of Bessarabia, Vera Shevchenko, commented on Yankov’s appointment.

“Bessarabia does not trust Saakashvili, Bessarabia does not trust Poroshenko. So today we have chosen a defender, the commandant of Bessarabia. He will defend our interests in the offices of the bureaucrats,” she explained.

The Bulgarian community leader was unable to attend the events and the election of the commandant, as she continues her hunger strike against the repression in Odessa. [Shevchenko was attacked and beaten on June 16, following threats from Right Sector fascists.]

Earlier, the head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Basil Gritsak, said that one of the people’s deputies of Ukraine planned to become “the defender of Bessarabia.” SBU officers are already conducting a search of People’s Deputy Vitaly Barvinenko from Odessa.

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