A Ukrainian lawmaker has taken a stuffed doll to parliament in an apparent stunt to highlight the unruly behavior of legislators.
Ukraine's parliament is notorious for the unruly behavior, including widespread absenteeism where certain lawmakers vote on behalf of absent colleagues using their personal electronic voting cards, as well as repeated instances of lawmakers resorting to fistfights to resolve their political differences.
Borislav Bereza, 42, who is an independent and former spokesperson for the ultra-right ultra-nationalist party Right Sector, arrived in parliament on Friday with the gray-colored blob-shaped stuffed doll and placed it in sitting position on an empty seat designated to lawmakers.
The doll is referred to as Pochekun, which means “the one who waits” in Russian and Ukrainian languages.
Bereza wrote in social media that there were 322 lawmakers registered to be in the chamber; but no more than 150 of them were physically present.
"But Pochekun is here in the hall," he wrote.
"Like a majority of Ukrainians, he is waiting for MPs to start attending and working. He does not lack time or patience. Unlike Ukraine," he added in a sarcastic tone.
