Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, locked in a legal
conflict with parliament, yesterday proposed setting up a
commission to draft a new version of the constitution to be
submitted to a referendum.
Yushchenko has criticized constitutional changes in force since
the New Year that have cut his powers and expanded those of
parliament.
He has been at odds with the assembly for weeks since ignoring
its vote to dismiss his government ahead of a March 26 election to
an assembly keen to use its expanded powers.
"I propose a plan to carry out real mass political reform create
a constitutional commission...with the aim of drafting a new
version of the Ukrainian constitution," Yushchenko told parliament
in his State of the Union Address.
"The completed draft would be submitted to country-wide
discussion...and would then be put to a country-wide
referendum."
Under the current constitution, the president is entitled to
call a referendum on constitutional issues.
Yushchenko said his proposal was "optimal in terms of uniting
the tasks of mass participation and the legitimacy of the entire
constitutional process. I am certain we can achieve a full
consensus on this matter."
Yushchenko came to power just over a year ago on the back of
mass protests against alleged electoral fraud.
But his first year in office has been jolted by the division of
his team into two camps, each accusing the other of corruption.
The split culminated in the dismissal of his popular, prime
minister, Yulia Tymoshenko, last September, generating disillusion
among supporters of the "orange revolution."
(China Daily February 10, 2006)
