By . Sam Webb . The boxer turned political heavyweight Vitali Klitschko has today called on demonstrators occupying the square that became the flashpoint for the   troubles in the Ukraine to fold up their tents and go home. The newly-elected mayor of Kiev and former world heavyweight boxing champion spoke with dissenters and self-defence members at a mass gathering on Independence Square - or Maidan - telling them he plans to create a representative body for them in the city council. He also promised to take his   oath to Ukrainian people on the Maidan. Last week Klitschko promised to dismantle the iconic protest encampment that had helped oust a pro-Russian leader because Kiev residents are losing patience   with the disruption and the effect it has on traffic. Political heavyweight: Kiev city mayor-elect Vitalii Klitschko argues with Maidan activists prior to the rally on Independence Square in Kiev today . He told the activists he plans to create a representative body of the Maidan in the city council . Even after the May 25 election for a president to replace the interim leader who took power amid chaos in February, many Ukrainians remain deeply   suspicious of the government, and several hundred are still holding out at the vast protest camp. Three months of protests during the winter eventually drove pro-Russia president Viktor Yanukovych to flee the country. But the extensive protest tent   camp and the barricades of wooden pallets, tires and trash that protected the camp remained even after interim president Oleksandr Turchynov was   appointed. many Ukrainians remain deeply suspicious of the government, and several hundred are still holding out at a vast protest camp . The holdouts say they want to keep up the encampment until the new government and president-elect Petro Poroshenko carry out important reforms in a   country long riddled by corruption. 'Personally, I have no plans to leave. They need to show the people that the new laws are working - they're where they are thanks to us,' said   demonstrator Anna Chaikovska, from the Rivna region in western Ukraine. Russia has repeatedly criticised the Ukrainian authorities for failing to clear out the encampment and free buildings occupied by demonstrators, which   was among the terms stated in an agreement reached between Russia, Ukraine, the United States and the European Union in April aimed at cooling tensions   in Ukraine's crisis. In Ukraine's east, where separatists have declared two provinces independent and are fighting government forces, many are deeply suspicious of the Kiev   demonstrations and the new government they have propelled to power. The conflict between government forces and the insurgents in the east escalated markedly in the last week, including rebels' attempt to seize the   airport in the city of Donetsk on Monday and the shooting down of a Ukrainian military helicopter on Thursday. Twelve people, including a general, died   in that incident.  On Saturday, Russia's Foreign Ministry criticised a suggestion by an official from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe that it could   withdraw its observer mission from Ukraine because of safety concerns, as shooting between government troops and pro-Russian rebels continued in the   region. The international monitoring body says it lost contact on Thursday with a group of five monitors in separatist eastern Ukraine. Another four-member team   has been held by eastern rebels since Monday. Russia has repeatedly criticised the Ukrainian authorities for failing to clear out the encampment and free buildings occupied by demonstrators . The holdouts say they want to keep up the encampment until the new government carry out important reforms . Wolfgang Ischinger, the OSCE's negotiator on national dialogue in Ukraine, told German broadcaster ZDF this week that the monitor mission might have to   withdraw if the organisation fears for its employees' lives. But the Russian ministry said in a statement Saturday that 'amid Kiev's intentionally intensified punitive operation in the east of the country, it is   essential to step up the work of international observers.' Confrontations continued Saturday between government troops and the rebels, who have seized administrative and police buildings across the east and want   to join the region to Russia. The UDAR (Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform) party leader shakes hands with a member of self-defence units of the Maidan movement . Three months of protests during the winter eventually drove pro-Russia president Viktor Yanukovych to flee the country . At a government-controlled checkpoint in the city of Sloviansk, which has been the epicentre of the conflict, troops came under fire but repelled the   attack. No casualties were reported in the latest attempt to break the army's ring of checkpoints around the city. Vladislav Seleznev, press secretary for Ukraine's anti-insurgent operation in the east, said Saturday that the army had successfully destroyed a cannon   in Slovyansk, which he said rebels had been using to shell civilian buildings in the town. As violence escalated in the region, the Ukrainian and pro-Russian sides have blamed each other for the rising number of civilian casualties in the   conflict. One man raises his arms as fire rages behind him in dramatic scenes in Kiev on Saturday . A man wears a gas mask while posing for the camera in front of a raging fire - started to protect the barricade .
Boxing great Vitali Klitschko says Maidan will have a voice in city council .
The newly-elected mayor has told electorate he will clear the square .
Kiev residents are losing patience with the vast protest camp .
By . Sam Webb . The boxer turned political heavyweight Vitali Klitschko has today called on demonstrators occupying the square that became the flashpoint for the   troubles in the Ukraine to fold up their tents and go home. The newly-elected mayor of Kiev and former world heavyweight boxing champion spoke with dissenters and self-defence members at a mass gathering on Independence Square - or Maidan - telling them he plans to create a representative body for them in the city council. He also promised to take his oath to Ukrainian people on the Maidan. Last week Klitschko promised to dismantle the iconic protest encampment that had helped oust a pro-Russian leader because Kiev residents are losing patience   with the disruption and the effect it has on traffic. Political heavyweight: Kiev city mayor-elect Vitalii Klitschko argues with Maidan activists prior to the rally on Independence Square in Kiev today . He told the activists he plans to create a representative body of the Maidan in the city council . Even after the May 25 election for a president to replace the interim leader who took power amid chaos in February, many Ukrainians remain deeply suspicious of the government, and several hundred are still holding out at the vast protest camp. Three months of protests during the winter eventually drove pro-Russia president Viktor Yanukovych to flee the country. But the extensive protest tent   camp and the barricades of wooden pallets, tires and trash that protected the camp remained even after interim president Oleksandr Turchynov was   appointed. many Ukrainians remain deeply suspicious of the government, and several hundred are still holding out at a vast protest camp . The holdouts say they want to keep up the encampment until the new government and president-elect Petro Poroshenko carry out important reforms in a   country long riddled by corruption. 'Personally, I have no plans to leave. They need to show the people that the new laws are working - they're where they are thanks to us,' said   demonstrator Anna Chaikovska, from the Rivna region in western Ukraine. Russia has repeatedly criticised the Ukrainian authorities for failing to clear out the encampment and free buildings occupied by demonstrators, which   was among the terms stated in an agreement reached between Russia, Ukraine, the United States and the European Union in April aimed at cooling tensions   in Ukraine's crisis. In Ukraine's east, where separatists have declared two provinces independent and are fighting government forces, many are deeply suspicious of the Kiev demonstrations and the new government they have propelled to power. The conflict between government forces and the insurgents in the east escalated markedly in the last week, including rebels' attempt to seize the   airport in the city of Donetsk on Monday and the shooting down of a Ukrainian military helicopter on Thursday. Twelve people, including a general, died   in that incident.  On Saturday, Russia's Foreign Ministry criticised a suggestion by an official from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe that it could   withdraw its observer mission from Ukraine because of safety concerns, as shooting between government troops and pro-Russian rebels continued in the region. The international monitoring body says it lost contact on Thursday with a group of five monitors in separatist eastern Ukraine. Another four-member team   has been held by eastern rebels since Monday. Russia has repeatedly criticised the Ukrainian authorities for failing to clear out the encampment and free buildings occupied by demonstrators . The holdouts say they want to keep up the encampment until the new government carry out important reforms . Wolfgang Ischinger, the OSCE's negotiator on national dialogue in Ukraine, told German broadcaster ZDF this week that the monitor mission might have to withdraw if the organisation fears for its employees' lives. But the Russian ministry said in a statement Saturday that 'amid Kiev's intentionally intensified punitive operation in the east of the country, it is   essential to step up the work of international observers.' Confrontations continued Saturday between government troops and the rebels, who have seized administrative and police buildings across the east and want   to join the region to Russia. The UDAR (Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform) party leader shakes hands with a member of self-defence units of the Maidan movement . Three months of protests during the winter eventually drove pro-Russia president Viktor Yanukovych to flee the country . At a government-controlled checkpoint in the city of Sloviansk, which has been the epicentre of the conflict, troops came under fire but repelled the   attack. No casualties were reported in the latest attempt to break the army's ring of checkpoints around the city. Vladislav Seleznev, press secretary for Ukraine's anti-insurgent operation in the east, said Saturday that the army had successfully destroyed a cannon   in Slovyansk, which he said rebels had been using to shell civilian buildings in the town. As violence escalated in the region, the Ukrainian and pro-Russian sides have blamed each other for the rising number of civilian casualties in the   conflict. One man raises his arms as fire rages behind him in dramatic scenes in Kiev on Saturday . A man wears a gas mask while posing for the camera in front of a raging fire - started to protect the barricade .
heavyweight Vitali Klitschko has today called on newly-elected mayor of Kiev and former world pro-Russian leader because Kiev residents are losing patience   with the disruption and the body of the Maidan in the city council . Even hundred are still holding out at the vast protest