03 September 2010, 14:00
Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, believes that the Coalition does not need 300 Votes to amend the Constitution
"Stability of the coalition and the authorities depends on the level of coordination between three factions of the parliamentary majority," Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, stated in the interview to "Kyivskyi Telehraf" periodical. He was asked about the future of the ruling coalition. V.Lytvyn doubted the possibility of extending the coalition to diminish the influence of its members. He deems it unreasonable to form a constitutional majority in the Parliament. "What is the reason? To satisfy one´s ambition? I think that serious people do not have such problems," the Head of the Ukrainian Parliament stated.
"As to the prospective amending of the Constitution, it would be much better if not 300 coalition deputies, but the members of the majority factions of the Parliament upheld them," Volodymyr Lytvyn stated. He deems necessary to adopt systematic amendments to the Fundamental Law by spring, 2011. "There is no need to form a coalition from 300 People´s Deputies," the Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine stated. "Local authorities should be reformed, civil constitutional rights being observed." For the constitutional amendments to be legitimate, "correlation of voices between the opposition and the coalition should not make 150 to 300 in favour of the latter." "In this case, it will be a significant achievement," V.Lytvyn stressed.
He recommends that a working group including members of the parliamentary factions, the Cabinet of Ministers and the President should be set up to work upon the amendments to the Constitution. "The core of the working group should involve the experts unbiased for any institute of authority," the Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine stated. "It is a reasonable approach, as it will not allow everyone to give up their work and take up adjustment of a new constitutional draft."
Asked whether The Verkhovna Rada is doomed to amend the Constitution, Volodymyr Lytvyn responded: "The Parliament is doomed to fulfill its obligations. Otherwise, somebody else will overtake this duty."