Viktor Yanukovych: I believe that common sense should prevail
Exclusive interview of the Party of Regions Leader to "Podrobytsi tyzhnya" ("Details of the Week") (TV channel "Inter")
01.07.2008, 11:19
- Viktor Fedorovych, good evening.
- Good evening.
- Your political force claims to listen to the government's report at the parliamentary extraordinary meeting. Will you initiate Yulia Tymoshenko's resignation?
- There is more than enough ground for the government's resignation. But it is very important that the government's report process becomes, as they say, not a fright for Prime Minister or Government but their habit, an ordinary situation that one should answer for their actions.
An issue of responsibility of the authorities, politicians, decision makers for the society should come first.
As for whether to resign the government or not, I consider that nowadays there are already no legal grounds for the government's existence because there is no coalition which would support it in the parliament. And according to the Constitution, 226 deputies form a coalition or majority in the parliament. Now there is no instrument for implementing their programs.
And last week we became sure that actually the coalition is not able to vote impartially for any law. We only made a step, stepped aside. Vote, please, for any law, we do not hinder you. There is no coalition and it is a key problem.
- For the last half a year we have met several times with you, recorded interviews and constantly asked you about the probability of pre-term parliamentary elections. And each time such a question was too topical. Is it the same again today?
- I do not welcome any pre-term elections as I did not welcome the recent ones. I think that we should not manipulate the Ukrainian people and our voters' opinion as it is done by some politicians who try to do this constantly. All of us already know by sight and name the initiators of last pre-term elections, initiators of elections in Kyiv. I am not among them.
- Let us cast aside the myths, tell whether it is truth or lies. Is it true that on the eve of last year's pre-term elections You and the President arranged about a broad coalition in parliament of sixth convocation, as it was said by Mr. Gritsenko from NU-NS faction?
- Have you ever heard it from me personally or from the Party of Regions members? I am sure that you have not. Tell me please, have I escaped or hid from someone when any question arouse? I have always answered them frankly and now I reply that Gritsenko was never among the people, whom I consulted with whether I should speak or negotiate with President about anything.
Therefore, he should comment his actions at the post of Minister of Defense, when he worked, or actions of his political force. This is my advice to him. And as for my agreements with any political forces or with public officials, including President, I am able to speak about it personally. Or we have the Press Service for these purposes.
- Several months ago You together with Yulia Tymoshenko block launched an organization of a common committee on making alterations to the Constitution. But this project, as it is well-known, was not realized. Does it mean that you have found other political forces with which you can agree about making alterations to the Constitution?
- I wrote a letter to all faction leaders just a few days ago. I appealed to them to examine a draft Constitution elaborated by the Party of Regions.
Now this Constitution is agreed. We will promulgate this Constitution next week. Practice will show whether we will succeed to collect 300 votes so that make amendments to the Section 1 of the Constitution (it requires 300 votes).
If we fail to do it, we have the right to introduce a draft Constitution without changing Section 1 signed by 150 deputies. Section 1 envisages making Russian the second official language and providing non-block status for our country.
- What political forces did you confer with and to which extent a draft concerning alterations to the Constitution which you offer is of compromise nature?
- We consider that this process should be launched in Parliament according to laws and the Constitution. A temporary constitutional committee should be formed. Lawyers and other experts should be involved in this process. And we will see how and in which issues we could unite the deputies. That is, chatters should be stopped.
Definitely, this matter can consolidate a certain group of deputies in parliament. And on this basis, certainly, a new format of coalition could be created. I think that this process could and is capable of uniting deputies. It is the first point. The second one is to find compromises and combine several proposals concerning alterations to the Constitution and make a consensus decision. | |
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