Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Volodymyr Lytvyn supposes that Introduction of a Mixed Majoritarian-Proportional Electoral System will strengthen Parliament´s Authority
In the interview to Interfax-Ukraine news agency, V. Lytvyn stated that the existing model of elections based on closed party lists "proved absurd and unacceptable." He believes that criticism against the Verkhovna Rada is often justified, as "the current election system makes the parliament faceless." "Bright personalities are lost under the pressure of party dictatorship," the Head of the Parliament admitted.
According to V. Lytvyn, electoral system of Great Britain majoritarian one with the candidates nominated from the parties proved successful. However, "such question formulation is utopian for Ukraine." "It must be a mixed majoritarian-proportional electoral system. A compromise will be reached," the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada stated. "A mixed majoritarian-proportional electoral system will help us restore and strengthen parliament´s authority."
V.Lytvyn emphasized that the resolution on a mixed majoritarian-proportional electoral system will become a breakthrough. He believes that in one parliamentary cadence, "a majoritarian electoral system will be restored" to facilitate political structuring.
The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada informed that vote threshold is another topic for discussion. "There should be a sanitary limit, so that one could not slip into the Verkhovna Rada on the wave of populism," he said.
V. Lytvyn informed that the Verkhovna Rada had not received the bill on elections yet. However, a working group is finalizing this document by order of the President of Ukraine. "This bill might be introduced by the President of Ukraine. However, I am in favour of it being submitted by the deputies," the Head of the Parliament said. "President should not be involved into the parliamentary affairs. Someone will inevitably be dissatisfied with the law."
According to the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, the bill on elections will be brought forward after the official recommendations of the Venice Commission are scrutinized. Then the working group will revise the bill, considering the recommendations, and send it to the parliament. He reminded that fifteen bills on elections had been registered at the Verkhovna Rada: two integral bills on election of the People´s Deputies, two electoral codes, and eleven bills on amendments to the applicable law on elections. The parliament shall scrutinize these bills before starting the work over the bill prepared by the working group on the basis of recommendations of the Venice Commission.
V. Lytvyn informed that election laws do not set any deadlines for introduction of amendments. "There is no deadline for adoption of a new law on election of the People´s Deputies of Ukraine or introduction of amendments to the applicable law," he stated.
The Head of the Parliament supposes that the Verkhovna Rada should adopt "a new balanced law on elections, so that election laws will not be amended before the next elections under the influence of political situation or for the benefit of some politicians and political forces." "It should be done by the year 2012, so that we had clear rules and were not blamed that the law is politically biased," said V. Lytvyn. He stated that adoption of this law should become a result of consensus, and should be strictly followed.