29 June 2010, 11:24
"The main lesson of the constitutional process in Ukraine: the Fundamental Law shall be observed by everybody", Mykola Tomenko, Deputy Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, stated in the program at Channel 5.
M.Tomenko drew attention to the constitutional illusion imposed on all the presidents of Ukraine, which sounds as follows: if the Constitution is amended during their presidency, it will be the best Constitution of Ukraine. However, the Deputy Chairman stated that observance of the applicable Constitution was more important, while introduction of amendments to the Fundamental Law shall attract the public, experts and politicians, following the constitutional procedure. "I call it a way of three legitimacies: social, political and legal", he stressed.
"Nevertheless, the people who organized the referendum for L.Kuchma and convinced V.Yushchenko to hold one, are tackling the constitutional referendum for V.Yanukovych", M.Tomenko stated. "It will be of no use for the society", he admitted. M.Tomenko also stressed that under the applicable law, a new Constitution shall not be adopted at the referendum, but only ratified after the voting at the Parliament involving 226 and 300 votes.
The Deputy Chairman stated that the approach employed at the referendum in the period of L.Kuchma´s presidency could be used now, when the questions to be supported could be accompanied with the question regarding extension of the President´s authorities. "Then the deputy corps shall be curtailed not to 300 as during L.Kuchma´s presidency, but to 150 to ensure a definite support", M.Tomenko joked. He admitted, however, that extension of authorities would not settle the issue.
Summing up, the Deputy Chairman stated that provisions on the local self-government and justice remained key ones, provided the Constitution was amended in conformity to the Fundamental Law.