"I object against the adoption of new Constitutions in Ukraine. We have the Fundamental Law of the country. We should improve it according to the demands of the time, especially nowadays, when we have an extra problem after 2004. Therefore, we should not only improve the Constitution, but draft it to the adequate form to prevent possible sources of extra problems in Ukraine, such as those currently existing due to the divergences between certain regulations of the Fundamental Law", - stated Oleksandr Lavrynovych, First Vice-Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, in the interview to "Holos Ukrainy" newspaper.
Commenting upon the experience of European countries concerning holding of referenda at the national and local levels, the First Vice-Chairman stated: "European experience testifies of the fact that referenda are efficient at the local level, when citizens can adopt resolutions that influence their life".
O.Lavrynovych believes that Ukraine is in need of a new version of the Law on referendum, as "effective version of the Law on the national and local referenda was adopted in the beginning of 1991 in Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, and it is impossible to hold a referendum in Ukraine in accordance with this Law. I mean if one is willing to hold it legitimately and receive real results".
O.Lavrynovych stated that a new Bill on referendum was adopted at the First Reading in Autumn 2008.
Full version of the interview is available in "Holos Ukrainy" newspaper of 8 May, or at the web-page http://golos.com.ua/article/1241708986.html