Victor Yushchenko spoke at a convention of his party, Our Ukraine, on Saturday, according to the President`s press-office.
In his speech, the President accused the parliamentary coalition and its government of failing to fulfill the National Unity Pact.
“Eight months have passed [since the National Unity Pact was signed]. What has been done to fulfill this document by those who signed it. Nothing!” he said. “If we are not sincere, why should we perform these political dances and waste our time on discussions?”
Yushchenko complained that the coalition had encroached on his constitutional powers and added that they did not care about national unity but about how to usurp power.
Thus he put seven demands to Ukraine’s parliament and government and hopes their fulfillment will help resolve the developing political crisis.
The President said the ruling coalition must, first of all, stop poaching lawmakers from opposition parties to expand the parliamentary majority. He demanded that parliament pass an imperative mandate law, which prevents legislators from switching parties once in office.
“I demand that the coalition and its government ensure that the Constitutional Court of Ukraine can study the most controversial bills without any pressure and influence,” he said, adding that the Constitutional Court “has not functioned properly in the past eight months.”
Yushchenko asked the coalition and its government to stop politicizing law enforcement agencies. “If its bosses are unable to perform their duties, they will resign,” he said.
He reiterated his intention to hold talks aimed at amending the country’s constitution.
“We must immediately initiate a constitutional process. The constitutional commission will convene next week and its proposals will be discussed in April and May. The second phase of political reform should be discussed along with these proposals and introduced this fall,” he said.
The President also demanded that the National Unity Pact be passed as a law and insisted that lawmakers heed his proposals to revise the cabinet law.
He told reporters after the convention he would dissolve parliament if Ukraine’s political leaders fail to compromise during talks on April 2.
