Ukraine Today - An Independent Political Review

Next Tuesday is the start or end of the campaign In confirmation of Ukraine Today's earlier comments September 4 is shaping up to become the next real test of authority and justification for the holding of fresh parliamentary elections scheduled on September 30. Ukraine's Minister of justice, Oleksandr Lavrynovych, has confirmed what we have been saying for months in a statement published by Ukrayinska Pravda "... there will be no early parliamentary election in the event the Verkhovna Rada registers 300 MPs ." Olexandr Lavrynovych is convinced that the Verkhovna Rada will thereby demonstrate its competence. Under Article 83 of Ukraine's Constitution the parliament must convene its regular Autumn session on the first Tuesday in September. If the plenary session session can not be held then according to Article 90 section 3 of Ukraine's constitution the President must wait 30 days before he has the power to terminate the authority of the parliament. Kyiv post

The President’s advisor Stepan Havrysh does not rule out the possibility of holding simultaneous early parliamentary and presidential elections if the constitutional amendments preparation will not begin right after the September 30 elections. “If we fail to hold a nationwide debate, draw the President, Parliament, political forces, government and the judiciary into it, we will face government uncontrollably,” he said at a Tuesday press-conference, Interfax-Ukraine news agency reports. Mr. Havrysh claims that early parliamentary elections will not remove the confrontation between power branches that inevitably lead to a clash. It is necessary to form a national constitutional council aimed at elaborating the new Constitution. The council must consist of public representatives each representing 70,000 voters. A draft Constitution must be prepared by specialists before brining it up for discussion. In Mr. Havrysh’s opinion, a new draft Constitution may be approved at the end of 2008 or b

The speaker of the 5 convocation of Ukraine's parliament Olexandr Moroz has indicated that the Verkhovna Rada will be convened on September 4, 2007   Dr Moroz announced that the parliament will consider a number of issues including the proposal to remove immunity from public officials (including members of Parliament and the President). the parliament will also consider the proposed impeachment of Ukraine's President for breaches of oath and Ukraine's Constitution   Ukraine has been in "constitutional limbo" now for just under 6 months.   The president's earlier decrees dismissing the parliament are considered to be unconstitutional in that the president has no authority to dismiss the parliament except pursuant to the provisions of Article 90.  His previous decrees do not conform with the requirements of Article 90.  The situation has been exacerbated by the president's illegal interference in the operation of the Constitutional Court  

Three more polls were published this week Two of the polls notionally place the opposition within a slender winning position. One of the polls which has been incorrectly assessed by the reporting media who reported four parties woudl secure representaion when in fact the poll indicates that five political blocks will be represented in the VI convocation of Ukraine's Parliament. Former Ukrainian parliamentary speaker Lytvyn Peoples Party polled 2.8% with the participation rate of 89% Lytvyn which would receive 3.1% of the expected vote and secure 18 parliamentary seats the number of undecided is over 10% and could really decide the outcome of the election snap election. The Sofia poll also reported on the all important trust factor with more then 52% of Ukrainians distrusting Ukraine's President, Viktor Yushchenko. http://www.unian.net/ukr/news/news-207635.html Poll Statistics Publication Date 14-Aug-07 Poll Dates from 27-Jul-07 to 07-Aug-07 Party/Bloc % vote % poll # s