Ukraine, Russia, the United States, and the European Union reached an agreement in Geneva earlier this week under which "all illegally occupied streets, squares, and other public places in Ukrainian cities and towns must be vacated."
Talking to the BBC today, Deshchytsya said that the pro-European activists camped out on Kyiv's Independence Square had "asked permission from the city council" and that their camp was therefore not an "illegal occupation".
Pro-Russian separatists have seized government buildings in a dozen eastern Ukrainian cities.
They say they will leave only if Euromaidan activists in Kyiv pack up their camp first.
Russian migration authorities claim only 3,000 residents of the newly annexed Crimea have refused to become Russian citizens.
Konstantin Romodanovsky, the head of the Russian Migration Service, said on April 19 that the agency had already prepared 250,000 Russian passports for Crimea residents.
The agency says it plans to issue Russian passports to up to 1.7 million local residents.
Romodanovsky said those who have failed to apply for Russian passports "will not be held liable" for the absence of compulsory registration during the transition period, which ends on January 1, 2015.
Ukrainian media on April 18 quoted Crimean Tatar leader Mustafa Dzhemilev as saying officials in Crimea are checking the residents' documents "in every street."
He said Crimean Tatars who don't want to become Russian citizens have been warned they would be "fired from their jobs."
OSCE mission in Ukraine April 18th report: * Western & central Ukraine: calm. * Luhansk and Donetsk districts:... http://t.co/cgpf5iSA9B
— English EuroMaidan (@EuroMaidanEN) April 19, 2014
На Донецьких териконах - українські прапори #Донбасс pic.twitter.com/4tO2fFiTa6
— Hromadske.TV (@HromadskeTV) April 19, 2014
#Ukraine recaptures two airborne combat vehicles on eve of truce http://t.co/tt9DTbdDQT pic.twitter.com/nTVEP5bxTA
— KyivPost (@KyivPost) April 19, 2014
#Донбаcс #Україна #сепаратизм #Украина #Донецк pic.twitter.com/soN25LFn3h
— Євромайдан (@Dbnmjr) April 19, 2014
Crimean Tatar leader Dzemilev returns 2 Crimea for first time since Russian invasion. Tatars fly their flag and Ukrainian flag in his honor
— bruce springnote (@BSpringnote) April 19, 2014
#євромайдан #Украина #Україна #РФ #Россия pic.twitter.com/BtArTqyukR
— Євромайдан (@Dbnmjr) April 19, 2014
Girl flying Ukrainian colours walks into the 'pro-Russia' barricade area here in #Sloviansk #Ukraine #Russia pic.twitter.com/QDc0YDBWGu
— GrahamWPhillips (@GrahamWP_UK) April 19, 2014
#ukraine poll: support for joining Russia is highest in Luhansk at 30.3, Donetsk 27.5, in all other Russian-speaking regions it is FAR less
— Gulliver Cragg (@gullivercragg) April 19, 2014