On Wednesday an extraordinary Conciliatory Council meeting with factions’ representatives in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine headed by the Chairman of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Rybak was held.
First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ihor Kalyetnik, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Koshulynskyi, first deputy chairman of the Party of Regions deputy faction Mykhailo Chechetov, deputy chairman of the All-Ukrainian Union “Batkivshchyna” deputy faction Serhii Sas, deputy chairman of the political party “UDAR” deputy faction Vitalii Kovalchuk, deputy chairman of the All-Ukrainian Union “Svoboda” deputy faction Andrii Mokhnyk, and Chairman of the Communist Party of Ukraine deputy faction Petro Symonenko participated in the meeting. Non-affiliated deputies were represented by people’s deputy Ihor Yeremeiev.
Chairman of the Parliament claimed that the necessity of holding this meeting was determined by statements of three opposition factions’ leaders which, according to articles 19 and 73 of the Rules of Procedure of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, require holding an extraordinary plenary meeting.
Participants of the meeting discussed issues suggested by the opposition factions to be included into the meeting’s agenda: ways of returning to the 2004 Constitution, consideration of bills on amnesty without any conditions, and forming the Government. There were also suggestions regarding consideration of ways of overcoming the political crisis at an extraordinary plenary meeting.
During the discussion M.Chechetov, P. Symonenko and I.Yeremeiev said that they favoured holding an extraordinary meeting, as the issues suggested for consideration are not elaborated yet, they have not been considered by specialized committees. Herewith, Chairman of the Committee on Judicial Policy Valerii Pysarenko stressed that all actions regarding the issue of amending the Basic Law should be made within the constitutional framework.
In his turn, S.Sas emphasized that return to 2004 Constitution by adopting acts not stipulated by the Basic Law and the Rules of Procedure has no chances to success. According to him, the procedure of amending is clearly regulated in sector XIII of the Constitution and in chapter 26 of sector V of the Rules of Procedure of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. He also reminded that the Constitutional Court does not overrule or cancel its decisions.
Responding to a remark of A.Kovalchuk, S.Sas confirmed that “we have discussed it with the faction and this stand is my own stand that is agreed with the faction’s leadership.” According to A.Kovalchuk, “we can return to the old Constitution (2004), but only by the political decision requiring political will of the opposition, the majority, and the President.”
Regarding the Government’s formation, S.Sas said that we need to agree upon something.
Summing up, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine said it is necessary to hold a meeting on Friday with participation of factions’ leaders for discussing a schedule for the next week and particularly for Tuesday.
According to Volodymyr Rybak, those issues suggested by the opposition factions to be put to an extraordinary plenary meeting for their further consideration by members of the Conciliatory Council next Monday can also be discussed at this meeting.
***