Mykola Tomenko: President's Veto on the Tax Code should presuppose Responsibility of the Government, i.e. its Resignation
At the today´s briefing after the Conciliative Council, Mykola Tomenko, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, declared that the opposition had always been of the same stance and insisted that the President vetoed the Tax Code of Ukraine. He emphasised that the opposition announced this stance during the adoption of all the versions of the Code.
However, analyzing the discussion of the Tax Code, Mykola Tomenko reminded that scrutinizing the legislative act in the second reading, the opposition insisted on the exclusion of norms that are being considered by the governmental officials and the President as "criminal, facilitating corruption and anti-national."
The Deputy Chairman is surprised by the fact that the Prime Minister, the President and other dignitaries have not been familiar with the text of the document, and have learnt by chance of the protesters who have been standing for the second week in the street. "The government´s stance was announced for more than four hundred times in the session hall", he stressed.
M. Tomenko can not understand the statement that the officials should be called to account. "Our demand is strict and distinct the whole Government is responsible for the situation. If the President vetoes the Tax Code, the whole Cabinet of Ministers, headed by the Prime Minister should be called to account", he explained. The Deputy Chairman stated that the given document with the signature of the Prime Minister was brought before Parliament by the Government after the preliminary discussion and voting at the sitting of the Cabinet of Ministers. "Thus, it is the responsibility, that is resignation, of the Government, since it failed to suggest a sound tax reform and should be held responsible for it", the Deputy Chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament is convinced.
Mykola Tomenko explained that the resignation would be logical, provided the President of Ukraine vetoes the Tax Code, which would actually give a vote of non-confidence to the work of the Government that has been supported neither by the society nor by the small and medium-sized business. If the President fails to use veto, he will evidently support the work of the Cabinet of Ministers and share responsibility for it.