07 July 2011, 09:58
Mykola Tomenko: Authorities discredit and reduce to an Absurdity Public Participation in the Adoption of Important Decisions
Mykola Tomenko, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, believes that authorities discredit and reduce to an absurdity public participation in the adoption of important decisions. M.Tomenko made the foregoing statement, commenting on the meeting against the pension reform which starts near the parliament.
"The fact that students of vocational schools and higher education establishments call for raising the retirement age looks as if the pensioners gathered near the parliament to demand liquidation of student scholarships," the Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine stressed.
The Deputy Chairman stated, "Democratic principles and participation of civil society in the decision-making presupposes that authorities should consider the opinion of the social groups concerned and pass respective decisions only by their consent." "As for the pension reform, it concerns the employed citizens who are going to retire in the nearest future. This is the most vulnerable category of population, whose opinion shall be taken into account," M.Tomenko stated. "The conclusions of experts on the pension reform should also be considered."
"To use the students of vocational schools as ‘food for the flames´ while lobbying unpopular resolutions means to turn the tools of democracy into misunderstanding," the Deputy Chairman summed up.