The Supreme Rada, Ukraine's legislative chamber, has never been the calmest of places, but no one expected a brawl to break out between lawmakers as it did on Friday. Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk was delivering his yearly report speech when Oleh Barna, a member of President Petro Poroshenko's Petro Poroshenko Bloc (BPP) party, walked to the podium and handed him a bouquet of flowers, then attempted to pick him up and hoist him from his podium, according to The Huffington Post. He then grabbed Yatsenyuk by his crotch to try to carry him away. This led to dozens of lawmakers rushing to the Prime Minister's aid to subdue Barna, and a fistfight ensued.
When the dust settled, Yatsenyuk urged lawmakers to act more responsibly, stating, "Parliament is not a circus and it is not a show," AFP reported.
Yuriy Lutsenko, leader of the BPP, later apologized for the incident and said that his party associate, Barna, would be "reprimanded," calling it an "unacceptable act." Local media has reported that Barna will be suspended from participating in the next five parliamentary sessions, according to ABC News.
Barna has been displeased with the Prime Minister and had been collecting signatures to create a resolution of no-confidence in the government, which would force Yatsenyuk to resign.
"He is blamed for the economic hardship, inflation and high gas prices," said Andreas Umland, an expert in Ukrainian politics at the Institute for Euro-Atlantic Cooperation, according to the Huffington Post. Yatsenyuk, however, said that, "You have all constitutional powers to raise the question of the dismissal of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, raise it and vote. I will accept the decision of the Ukrainian parliament, I am not holding on to this post," referencing his willingness to step down if necessary.
Both Yatsenyuk and Poroshenko's party are pro-Western and part of a coalition with two smaller factions.
There have been other brawls in Ukrainian Parliament in recent memory, at least two occurring last year during tensions and protests in the country.
