15 February 2008, 12:30
The Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Arseniy Yatseniuk, called for the Leaders of the Deputies´ Factions to sign, on Monday 18 February, a Political Agreement on the renewal of proceedings of the Second Session of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the 6th Convocation.
During a meeting with leaders of the Deputies´ Faction on Friday 15 February, A. Yatseniuk notified them that he had personally prepared and circulated among all Faction leaders the text of the said Agreement.
Speaking of the contents of this Document, the Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine emphasized that ‘the primary and most important issue is that this Agreement is a political one, not judicial.´ ‘This is a Document enabling the Political Forces to take a step backwards so as then to take two steps forward, enter Parliament and get down to work´, he noted, and added: ‘also to get down to an oppositional struggle, but not a physical but an intellectual struggle from the rostrum of the Ukrainian Parliament´.
The Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine also stressed that Parliament is being employed as a tool for creating a political crisis, and alerted the Deputies of the great risks involved for all political players to be once and for all excluded from the political orbit.
In the event that a compromise is not achieved, based on this Political Agreement, ‘a 30-day period, as specified in Article 90 of the Ukrainian Constitution, will continue to be counted; ‘With shame and disgrace, we shall put paid to Ukrainian parliamentarism´, said A. Yatseniuk.
He offered three options for resolving the parliamentary crisis. The first suggests discussion of all Draft Resolutions on NATO, the second suggests the adoption of a compromise version of this Resolution in line with the National Unity Universal, and the third is signing a Political Agreement.
‘I, as the Speaker, will obey any Will expressed by the Ukrainian Parliament, but it should be expressed´, stated A.Yatseniuk.
All present at the meeting agreed that such a Document should be signed, and formulated their proposals and comments on its text.
Full text of the Political Agreement:
POLITICAL AGREEMENT
ON THE RENEWAL OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE SECOND SESSION OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE OF THE 6TH CONVOCATION
____ February 2008
We, The Deputies´ Factions within The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine:
‘The Regions of Ukraine´ Party Faction, represented by the Faction Leader, Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych;
‘The Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc´ Faction, represented by the Faction Leader, Ivan Hryhorovych Kyrylenko;
‘Our Ukraine/People´s Self-Defence´ Bloc Faction, represented by the Faction Leader, Viacheslav Anatoliyovych Kyrylenko;
The Communist Party of Ukraine Faction, represented by the Faction Leader, Petro Mykolaiovych Symonenko;
‘The Lytvyn Bloc´ Faction, represented by the Faction Leader, Volodymyr Mykhailovych Lytvyn,
fully aware of our political responsibilities, and based on the electors´ interests, have herein agreed as follows:
- Notice shall be taken of the fact that the signature of the Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, inscribed on the letter addressed to The Secretary General of the North-Atlantic Treaty Organisation, does not reflect the consolidated vision of the Constitutional Membership of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine;
- The Resolution of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine No.158-5 dd.19. September 2006 shall be deemed valid;
- Clause 8 of the Law of Ukraine ‘On Essentials of National Security´ and Resolution of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine No.223-4 dd. 21 November 2002 shall be deemed valid;
- Plenary meetings of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine shall commence according to the Planned Schedule of Sittings of the Second Session of the 6th Convocation, adopted by The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on 12 February 2008;
-The practice of blocking the rostrum of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, and the blocking of the Presidium of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine shall cease.
- An Agenda for the Second Session of the 6th Convocation shall be approved, taking into account the Will of every Faction, on the basis of compromise.
Signatures of the Parties hereto:
___________________
V.F. Yanukovych
‘Regions of Ukraine´ Party Faction
___________________
I.H. Kyrylenko
‘The Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc´ Faction
___________________
V.A.Kyrylenko
‘Our Ukraine/People´s Self Defence´ Bloc Faction
__________________
P.M. Symonenko
CPU Faction
______________
V.M.Lytvyn
‘The Lytvyn Bloc´ Faction