23 December 2008, 11:11
Oleksandr Lavrynovych, First Vice-Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, disproved false and tactless public claims of Yulia Tymoshenko concerning reasons for which the agreements regarding creation of the coalition between the Party of Regions and the BYuT had not been reached.
The First Vice-Chairman made relevant statements at the press conference on 22 December.
Unfortunately, certain mass media failed to report the content of the statements made by O.Lavrynovych correctly, which resulted in dissemination of incorrect information.
Therefore, the Press Service of the First Vice-Chairman deems necessary to specify the statements in question. Thus, answering the questions of the journalists concerning reasons that made creation of the coalition between the Party of Regions and the BYuT impossible, O.Lavrynovych stated: "The main reason for the lack of positive actions as the result of long-lasting meetings, consultations and negotiations is the willingness of Yulia Volodymyrivna to preserve the office of a Prime-Minister and assume complete authority by means of introducing constitutional amendments. This is a real reason. And I want Yulia Volodymyrivna to hear these words".
However, the politician refrained from specifying "the guarantees given by Yulia Volodymyrivna personally or by her authorized representatives" for the sake of achievement of her aim, as, "it would look indecent".
At the same time, O.Lavrynovych is convinced that "if one was closely watching official positions and documents, one would understand the inveracity" of recent public claims of Yulia Tymoshenko.
The First Vice-Chairman stated that 3 Bills on Amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine had been registered at The Verkhovna Rada. All the Bills were submitted by the members of the Party of Regions. O.Lavrynovych stressed that "there is no Bill on Amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine submitted by the BYuT".
He drew attention of the journalists to the Bill "On Amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine" (Reg. No.2722 of 08.07.2008, submitted by V.Yanukovych, O.Lavrynovych, O.Lukash) that clearly regulates election of a President of Ukraine "by the citizens of Ukraine on the grounds of general, equal and direct suffrage by means of secret voting".
"This is an official stand of the Party of Regions", - stressed the First Vice-Chairman.