Jacek Saryusz-Wolski MEP, Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group, has submitted the nomination of Euromaidan, to be represented by Mustafa Nayem, Ruslana Lyzhychko, Yelyzaveta Schepetylnykova and Tetiana Chornovol, for the 2014 Sakharov Prize.

“Euromaidan has become a truly European voice for values, freedom and human rights and as such deserves the highest recognition of the European Parliament”, he explained in the nomination.

“Awarding the Sakharov Prize to Euromaidan, recognising the endeavour of Ukrainians towards shared European values, also highlights the all-too-often forgotten successes of the European Union - the democracy and peace we have achieved over the last 60 years”, he added.

An agreement is being negotiated with other political groups in the Parliament in order to grant Euromaidan as much support as possible.

Mustafa Nayem was the first to urge Ukrainians to gather on Independence Square in Kiev to protest against the governmental decision to postpone the signature of the Association Agreement with the EU, which eventually led to the Euromaidan protest.

He is a journalist and blogger currently working for Hromadske TV. Whereas during the protest most of the information sources were censored and others cut-off from power, Hromadske TV was one of the main internet sources transmitting the latest developments held on Maidan and in other cities to the people.

Ruslana Lyzhychko, known as Ruslana, was elected leader of the Maidan Council which was the governing body of the protest and one of the leading figures of Euromaidan. She is a World Music Award and Eurovision Song Contest winning artist, holding the title of People’s Artists of Ukraine. She stayed at Kiev’s Independence Square day and night, sleeping only for a few hours in the Trade Union building.

Tetiana Chornovol was one of the first victims of Euromaidan, being severely beaten on December 25 after publishing photos of the luxurious private mansion of the then President of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych.

Taking into consideration that the state was in deep economic crisis, these photos showing immense wealth provoked outrage within the society and incited further protests. Until recently, she was government commissioner for anti-corruption policy. She is a widowed mother of two.

Her husband, Mykola Berezovyi, a volunteer fighter in the Azarov Battalion, was killed in August 2014 during the fighting in Eastern Ukraine. Tatiana keeps fighting for Euromaidan ideas in the East.