President to propose new Constitution

President Viktor Yushchenko will soon present his vision of how to improve Ukraine’s Constitution, his deputy chief of staff, Ihor Pukshyn, told at a press conference on Wednesday.

Pukshyn said the Constitution should better guarantee human rights and freedoms. “We should think about how to introduce such things as public legislative initiatives, public vetoes or constitutional complaints so that one could appeal to the Constitutional Court.”

He said Ukraine needs a bicameral parliament: “I think Ukraine is mature enough to appreciate the need of creating a bicameral parliament.”

Pukshyn said its lower chamber would make laws, including the country’s budget, whereas its upper chamber would approve the decisions by the lower chamber and appoint officials. He expressed confidence this would help to improve the quality of laws, prevent political corruption and have equal regional representation. He also insisted it was important to reform the judicial branch of Government.

Pukshyn said 2004 constitutional reform had triggered today’s political crisis and added that the Venice Commission called it a “step back.” President’s press office informed.