30 May 2014
President-elect Petro Poroshenko will be inaugurated on Saturday, June 7 on Independence Square (Maidan) in Kyiv, the Presidential Administration reported. Journalist Mustafa Nayem reported that inaugural ceremonies will occur in locations in Kyiv beyond the Maidan itself, citing anonymous sources.
Zenon Zawada: We believe Nayem’s report that the main inauguration ceremonies will occur beyond the Maidan stage, which will likely be reserved for music and speeches. The EuroMaidan public is quite dissatisfied with how the government has handled events since Yanukovych’s ouster and may offer some shouts and jeers to ruin the event for the television cameras.
More importantly, security is a top concern for the newly elected president and his entourage, who need to be well-protected. Therefore, we expect controlled and restricted attendance for the ceremonies.