President Victor Yushchenko on Monday told reporters after a face-to-face meeting with Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych a package of anti-crisis bills could be adopted on Tuesday if a special group prepared them on Monday, according to the President`s press-office. He wished this group, which consists of political leaders, experts and lawyers, and “will be working late into the Monday evening,” success but added that their sleepless efforts “do not guarantee that the package will be ready by tomorrow’s morning,” accusing members of the Communist Party of Ukraine of disrupting today’s talks.
“I think we have lost that key chance of passing these decisions tomorrow. […]
However, the prime minister and I have agreed it would be expedient to consider these bills at a parliamentary session tomorrow if they were prepared during the night,” he said, adding that lawmakers could also hold a one-day session to consider a "small package" of documents.
Yushchenko and Yanukovych discussed WTO and budget issues, and spoke about a new election date. “We spoke about the date. I would say it still remains a difficult issue,” he said, insisting that the country “needs the early election as soon as possible.”
The two leaders also discussed ways to set up a commission to amend Ukraine’s supreme law. Yushchenko suggested holding a nationwide referendum to accept or reject new changes to the constitution.
“The nation should have no more surprises we all had in December 2004, when we passed changes with no debate which destructively affected the balance of powers,” he said. “I insist on having a wide public discussion.”
