President Victor Yushchenko’s decree to hold early parliamentary elections on September 30 has paved the way for changes in Ukraine’s politics and government, his chief of staff, Viktor Baloha, said on Tuesday, according to the President`s press-office.
Baloha described his boss as a “responsible statesman” and commended Yushchenko for his commitment to fulfill the May 27 agreement, which had been reached despite “all the delays, excessive political emotions and permanent threats of being breached.”
“I would like to remind you that the deep crisis that hit our government was caused by the blatant attempts to revise the people’s choice during the 2006 parliamentary elections and usurp power. [The crisis was] very tense but the president never wanted to aggravate the situation. Eventually, the solution to these problems was found and early parliamentary elections became political reality.”
Baloha said Ukraine’s parliament had no authority. “Today the Verkhovna Rada is an assembly of lawmakers that cannot perform their legislative function. Over 150 opposition deputies have voluntarily given up their status, […] which is one of the legal reasons to call early parliamentary elections.”
Baloha characterized recent remarks by those who question the authenticity of the documents to relinquish seats in parliament as a “vain effort to delay the acceptance of the fact that this Verkhovna Rada belongs to the past.”
He said all the political forces must now work hard to ensure that they have their representatives in the country’s next parliament, adding that “the path to the elections is free and straight, the competition will be fair and the vote democratic.” Baloha expressed confidence the new Central Election Commission would make sure that the poll is conducted flawlessly. “Nothing will prevent our society from electing its new government on September 30.”
