Volyn residents are picketing the Regional State Administration

Ten thousand Lutsk residents besieged the Volyn Regional State Administration with the aim of influencing the region's leadership so that they would take an oath of loyalty to the people and to Viktor Yushchenko, proclaimed President by the Regional Council. At the entrance to the RSA building, people's deputy of Ukraine Volodymyr Bondar, deputies of the Volyn Regional and Lutsk City Councils were tried to be stopped by about two dozen members of the "Sokil" special unit, however, after brief negotiations they let the deputies and several journalists into the building. Volodymyr Bondar is outraged by the actions of the local authorities, since "there has never been such a thing in Volyn, that the authorities fenced themselves off from the people with police armed with weapons and shields," he said.

People's deputy of Ukraine Volodymyr Bondar appealed to the region's leadership with a request to resign their powers and heed the voice of their people. All three deputy heads of the regional state administration refused to recognize Viktor Yushchenko as President, since they "act according to the laws and carry out the instructions of President Kuchma, who hired them." One of the deputy heads of the RSA, Vitaliy Maksymyak, said: "It is not the prerogative of the Regional Council to recognize Yushchenko as President; I am with the president who will be announced in accordance with current legislation." Unlike their leadership, the employees of this body of state power express support for their fellow countrymen and, as a sign of solidarity, handed over the flag of Volyn to be installed on Independence Square in Kyiv. The first deputy head of the RSA, Volodymyr Panchyshyn, even came out to the community, however, he failed to express his position – amid the chanting of "Get out of Volyn," "Yushchenko is President!" and "Shame!" he returned to his office.

The protesters decided to remain on the square until the session of the Regional Council adopts a decision to limit the powers of the current leadership of the regional state administration.