03 June 2010, 13:35
"The President shall deliver his annual message to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Other forms of its presentation are illegitimate", the Deputy Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine stated. He commented upon the declarations of representatives of the President´s Administration that after the President´s address to the Ukrainian people on 3 June, Viktor Yanukovych has no intention to deliver his annual message to the Parliament, but will submit the statements in a written form.
"It looks at least strange that the President´s team compels him for illegal actions", M.Tomenko stated. He declared that the procedure of delivering the annual message by the President of Ukraine to The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is regulated by the Constitution and the Law "On the Standing Orders of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine." Thus, under item 2 of clause 106 of the Constitution, "the President of Ukraine shall deliver addressed to the public, and annual and extraordinary messages to The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine concerning domestic and foreign situation of Ukraine." Pursuant to item 8 of chapter 1 of clause 85 of the Constitution and part 1 of clause 167 of the Standing Orders of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Parliament shall listen to the annual and extraordinary messages of the President of Ukraine concerning domestic and foreign situation of Ukraine. Moreover, the procedure of listening to the President´s messages is regulated by chapter 29 of the Standing Orders of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (clauses 167, 169). Pursuant to clauses 168 and 169 of the Standing Orders, annual and extraordinary messages of the President shall be delivered at the plenary meeting of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine under the presence of the Prime Minister, members of the Government, the Ombudsperson, the Head of the Central Election Commission, the heads of the regional councils and regional State administrations, other officials.
M.Tomenko stated that the annual message of the President shall be delivered at The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine under any circumstances. "If the President delivers an address to the public in "Ukraina" Palace today and submits its statements to the Parliament as an alternative of the annual message to The Verkhovna Rada, it will mean a direct violation of the Law "On the Standing Orders of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine", he summed up.