In a Saturday radio address, Victor Yushchenko urged MPs to resume their work in accordance with the Constitution of Ukraine and the VR procedure rules, “otherwise, the Verkhovna Rada will have no prospects”, according to the President’s press-office.
The President said he had recently sent a letter to the Verkhovna Rada demanding that parliamentarians should adhere to the country’s laws when forming a coalition and a new government. He is worried some lawmakers “too freely interpret the Constitution, particularly its procedure to elect prime minister.”
Deputies should understand that the country needs a legitimate government, he added.
Mr. Yushchenko said the five parliamentary parties failed to work in the new conditions stipulated by the January 1/2006 constitutional changes. He added he “cannot stand to see scuffles, intrigues, intolerance, negligence and political bustles.”
“Our society is indignant at what is happening in the parliament now. All deputies and particularly political leaders are responsible for this social apathy,” he said.
The Head of State said he knew some parties were planning radical scenarios.
“They need confrontation to gain absolute power. But one must be conscious that such scenarios make social divisions and contradictions even deeper,” he said.
The President is outraged at deputies’ inability to compromise. He told them the citizens of Ukraine deserved respect and wanted to see their parliament function.
Thus the Head of State does not rule out a possibility to disband parliament as one of the means to stop confrontation.
“The President’s authority to dissolve parliament is his last argument, which he will surely use if parliament, political leaders and each deputy fail to take responsibility for Ukraine,” he said.
“Being conscious of the price of such a step, I hope politicians will be wise enough to compromise by July 25, the day when the President will be able to constitutionally dissolve inefficient parliament incapable of forming a new government,” he said.
