Press Service of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine

First of all, I would like to express gratitude for this meeting and your concern about the situation in Ukraine. I invited you to inform about the efforts of Ukraine’s Parliament forwarded to settle a deep political crisis and to achieve stability in Ukrainian society. Today the Verkhovna Rada has become actually an anti-crisis centre the restoration of order and peace in the country depends on.     

To begin with, let me express my own assessment of how serious the situation is.

Firstly, after two and a half month of street protests, disorders and violent confrontations of protesters with law-enforcement bodies, threatening signs of a systemic political crisis in the country have emerged. Protests of the opposite political orientation have spread to almost every part of the country. Important regional governmental centres are blocked – this creates a threat to lose control in the country. Negative phenomena in the economic mechanism of Ukraine have been escalating, which can lead to additional social distress. Advocates of different orientation separatism are appearing, which is quite dangerous for such country as Ukraine having great national and ethnic, religious, cultural and economic diversity.            

Secondly, I want to stress those important steps the leadership of Ukraine has made towards the protestors for stopping violence in the streets of Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, for stabilization of the situation and peaceful regulation of the political crisis. On January 28, 2014 Prime Minister Mykola Ya. Azarov resigned, and President of Ukraine Viktor F. Yanukovych agreed to a general reforming of the government. The Head of State is conducting an active dialogue with all participants of the political process on the most topical and socially significant problems of Ukraine for reaching a broad anti-crisis political consensus as soon as possible. The President’s stand is stern and precise – not to give any chance for shedding blood in the process of regulating the situation!      

Thirdly, I have already claimed that the Verkhovna Rada, as one of the most important national institutions of the country, obviously could not fulfill its function of a political damper to minimize social disturbance in the country. I think that escalation of a present-day crisis is so significant because of de-organization and a shutdown of a parliamentary process provoked by overestimated and unjustifiable ultimatums on the part of the opposition forces. It is obvious that radical opposition politicians have put the crisis to a level of fierce electoral fight and uncompromising battle for power.      

The fourth stance. Under these conditions and on request of 150 deputies I had to call an extraordinary session of the Parliament on January 28. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has cancelled nine legislative acts adopted on January 16, 2014 which were largely politically motivated with consideration of a threatening scale of confrontation in the society. On January 29 the Parliament additionally adopted the Law on amnesty which would allow liberate hundreds of detained under conditions of street riots, restore atmosphere of strict observance of human rights and justice even in the situation of public concern in the country. Let me remind you that these steps were made for carrying out agreements between all Parties of negotiations aimed at terminating violent confrontation and overcoming crisis.       

The fifth message. Contrary to irresponsible rumours and untrue information in mass media regarding plans to introduce a state of emergency in Ukraine, possibility of implementing such scenario is not considered either in the Parliament or in other institutions of state power.      

The sixth and very important stance. Taking into account the systemic nature of reasons and sources of present-day political crisis, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has already adopted a decision regarding a systemic overcoming of the crisis situation for the future. I mean the decision of the Parliament’s   extraordinary session to start a process of improving the constitutional structure of the Ukrainian society. Let me remind you that during the extraordinary session, the draft Resolution on creating the Temporary Inquiry Commission (TIC) of the Parliament on elaboration of the bill on amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine (returning to a parliamentary-presidential form of government) was registered. We are moving forward to a consensus on this crucial issue. Head of State Viktor Yanukovych also shares this point of view. It is important that the Parliament adheres to a mutual point of view regarding strict observance of all requirements of chapter ХІІІ “Amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine” of the Fundamental Law of the country. This will guarantee legal integrity of the constitutional process, and will confirm our devotion to the rule of law.     

In the first days of the Parliament’s new fourth session we will start consideration of the TIC personnel.  

Now I would like to change our discussion to the form of a dialogue and listen to assessment of your governments regarding violent developments in Ukraine. 

Before we continue our interactive talk, I would like to make a statement. I would ask you to ensure your governments and parliaments that leadership of Ukraine is fully aware of the depth of the crisis and is determined to an exclusively peaceful way of regulating it with strict adherence to legislation and respect to the rights and freedoms of Ukrainian citizens.