Victor Yushchenko is holding crisis talks with Ukraine’s parliamentary leaders, according to the President`s press-office.
In his speech, the President said there were two major causes of the developing parliamentary crisis, which contributes to the country’s political turmoil. The parliamentary coalition is expanding in an unconstitutional way. He insisted that it should be formed by deputy factions within one month after their first session and never by individual or group members.
“Thus such a way of coalition formation in the Verkhovna Rada is unconstitutional and makes parliament illegitimate,” he said.
He said they were revising the results of last year’s parliamentary elections, which leads to an uncompromising struggle between the parliamentary majority and opposition. Yushchenko complained that the coalition passed unconstitutional laws which undermine the country’s balance of powers.
“Such encroachments have become usual in our parliament. It destroys constitutional balances in Ukraine and leads to an usurpation of power. After all, it jeopardizes democratic ideals and values in society,” he said.
The President said Ukraine’s government was represented by “polar political forces.” This is why the coalition cannot keep its promises and ensure that the National Unity Pact is fulfilled, he added.
“This is a good example of the reluctance of certain political forces to form national priorities, uphold national values and fight for them, in other words, act constructively,” he said, adding that it was impossible to achieve and fulfill constitutional goals without seeing “key issues of the nation’s development alike.”
“I can say that there is no such cooperation today and that our agreements prove to be empty words, for there is no political responsibility of those who sign them. This seriously complicates the political situation in the country.”
He said he had explained how to resolve the political crisis at a convention of his party on Saturday, March 31, and asked the leaders to put forth their arguments.
Under Ukraine’s constitution, this meeting may result in a dissolution of parliament.
