The Bill (Reg. No.2504) supplements Article 7 of the effective Law with regulations appertaining to the principles of citizens´ participation in the referenda, especially, regarding the principle of free expression of will.
The Committee members believe that the effective Law adopted in 1991, before the Constitution of Ukraine was adopted, needs to be updated and coordinated with the Fundamental Law and other normative acts.
Moreover, in the resolution of 16 April 2008 concerning adoption of the Constitution of Ukraine and the Laws of Ukraine at a referendum, the Constitutional Court of Ukraine draws attention of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the President of Ukraine to the necessity of initiating and coordinating effective legislation on referenda with the Fundamental Law. Therefore, the Parliament members consider the attempt "to settle the problematic issues of legislation on referenda and its development" as positive.
However, adoption of the Bill in the version suggested will fail either to substantially improve the regulation of issues concerning holding of referenda, or to eliminate drawbacks in regulation of the said field.