Ukraine Today - An Independent Political Review

Viktor Yushchenko in a desperate attempt to be seen relevant has called for a public debate on his proposed constitutional reforms in the lead-up to the January 17 Presidential election. Yushchenko spouses the words "Democracy", "European Integration" and "strong leadership". Yet close analysis of Yushchenko's proposed constitutional changes reveal a hidden agenda, proposals that are far from being "democratic" or helping bring Ukraine closer to Europe. It's a recipe for disaster. If adopted, Yushchenko's proposals,would see Ukraine revert back to a Presidential "rule by decree" autocracy and reject European values and European models of Parliamentary democracy. It would seriously divide Ukraine and entrench absolute power in Ukraine's head of state. This issue should have been debated two years ago not on the eve of the next Presidential election. Yushchenko has gone about it all wrong. The first step and question tha

The Research and Branding opinion poll indicates that had fresh parliamentary elections been held last week Viktor Yushchenko's party " Our Ukraine-Peoples Self-Defense bloc " would receive less then 3% support and lose representation with the overall reduction in the number of seats flowing on to Arseniy Yatseniuk's " Front for Change " party and an increase in the number of seats allocated to Party of Regions and Bloc Lytvyn with a further loss of seats allocated to Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko and one seat reduction to the Communist Party of Ukraine. The poll reflects much the same overall voting pattern as the presidential poll. Joint parliamentary and presidential elections are unlikely to occur. As of July 23 Yushchenko has lost authority to dismiss Ukraine's parliament and looks set to lose all power at the next election. Candidate Party Parliament Election 2006 Parliament Election 2007 Research & Branding Group Date

Ukraine's president, Viktor Yushchenko has slumped to a low 2.0% according to the Research and Branding Group's most recent opinion poll. The poll taken between August 4 and August 14 spanning the period where Russian President Dmitry Medvedev delivered a scathing criticism of Ukraine's embattled president showed a further marginal decline in Yushchenko's support and influence (Not that it can get much lower then 2%). Research and Branding Group's polls show a high voter participation rate. The percentage of those polled that say they will either vote against all or not at all during the second round of voting is very high and raises a troublesome question, "What happens if the winning second round candidate does not receive an absolute majority of votes (50% or more)?" At a cost of over 1.5 billion hrivina Ukraine may very well wish it had adopted a parliamentary collegiate system of electing its head of state. Candidate Party 2004 Pres

Ukraine's parliament has overruled President Viktor Yushchenko's veto on the Law of the presidential election . The legislation was supported by 325 out of 371 MPs registered in the session. Under Ukraine's Constitution the parliament can override the President's right of veto with the support of 2/3rd majority of the 450 member Parliament. Yushchenko has indicated that he would appeal to Ukraine's Constitutional Court but failed to outline on what grounds the appeal would be based. ( His past success rate in appeals to the courts has not been high ) Earlier Yushchenko had objected to the proposed reduction in the official campaign period from 120 days to 90 days, even though Ukraine's Constitution provides for a 90 day election period for early Presidential elections. The other point of contention is the deposit that is required to be paid by would be Presidential candidates. Under the new law the deposit is only refunded to those candidates that progress to

“The main goal of the new Constitution of Yushchenko is to implement an oligarchic mode in Ukraine”,- stated MP from BYuT faction VALERIY PYSARENKO making a comment on the draft law amending the Constitution presented by Viktor Yushchenko for the estimation Venice commission of Council of Euorope. According to MP, Yushchenko’s team is telling a kind and beautiful fairytale for the whole country that the Commission has positively estimated the President’s draft law. In truth the commission is severe on the main proposals of the Constitution of Yushchenko which are related to the state system of Ukraine and people will expression. “The President’s team cancels all democratic grounds which were defended and protected by Viktor Yushchenko in 2004. A retinue doesn’t want to disappoint their king so the opinion of  the Venice Commission was specially expounded in Ukraine for the President”, - noted MP. “According to the draft law amending the Constitution of Ukraine presented by the

The latest poll to be published shows a detailed breakdown of the various contenders support for Ukraine's Presidential elections which are less then five months away. This poll also shows a likely 2nd round two candidate race outcome with Yanukovych (Party of Regions) winning with 52.2% of the registered vote. The results of the poll are consistent with other polls published of late. Most polls show incumbent President, Viktor Yushchenko, in an unwinnable position with less then 4% support. What's interesting in this poll is the number of voters who indicated they would vote in the second round is close to the required 50% turn out threshold. If the number of voters falls below 50% then Yushchenko may retain office even though his support rating is one of the lowest for a head of state in the world. Source: UkrNews - Socis center for social and political studies Publication Date 17 August 2009 Poll Date July 24 to August 4, 2009 2,000 respondents in all regions of Ukraine

Ukraine's embattled president, Viktor Yushchenko, has less then five months remaining of his five-year term of office. With the passing of August is also the passing of last opportunity in which any proposed amendments to Ukraine's constitution can be initiated before the Presidential elections scheduled for January 17, 2010. Under the terms of Ukraine's Constitution any amendments must be proposed before and later confirmed by the Parliament during the following Parliamentary session. The next regular session of the Parliament commences on September 1 If Ukraine was to adopt changes to its Constitution before the Presidential election it would have to do so next week. Yulia Tymoshenko's government surprisingly has proposed holding an extra-ordinary Parliamentary session on August 21, ten days before the next regular September session is due to start. There are at present two items on the agenda both seeking to overturn the President's obstructionist right of veto

12 August, 2009, 13:25 Source: Russia Today Dmitry Medvedev’s decision to refrain from sending the Russian ambassador to Kiev has been interpreted by the media and analysts as Moscow’s rupture with the Ukrainian president. Medvedev cited as the main reason behind his decision as “the openly anti-Russian stand” of the leadership in Kiev. In addition to this, new Russian ambassador Mihail Zurabov had been waiting for Ukrainian approval for some weeks. Yushchenko recently signed an agreement for Zurabov to visit Kiev, but the new Russian ambassador still had to deliver his credentials before taking the position. Kommersant daily even wrote about a joke among Ukrainian diplomats who said that Zurabov “would be passed on to the next president.” Now it seems that the joke has come true, and Moscow will try to mend ties with Kiev only after Ukrainians elect a new leader. “Dmitry Medvedev, in a videoblog, has reset the relations with Viktor Yushchenko,” Vremya Novostey daily wrote. “The Russia

Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev: See also " Medvedev fires warning shot across Kiev’s bow, but will Yushchenko pay heed? " - Russia today report Relations between Russia and Ukraine: a New Era Must Begin August 11, 2009 Relations between Russia and Ukraine: a New Era Must Begin PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA DMITRY MEDVEDEV: A few days ago, I sent a letter to the President of Ukraine. It was not an ordinary document, I should say, as it contains a number of complex and unflattering characteristics of the actions by the top political leadership of Ukraine. In my today’s address I would like to explain the reasons behind my step. There has been public concern in both Ukraine and Russia of late over the state of our bilateral relations. Ukrainian politicians themselves have admitted that relations are at an extremely low point today, and it is hard not to agree. The strain in relations between our countries has indeed hit unprecedented levels. I have on many occasions stated that Russi

Ukraine in Crisis a US perspective Ukraine is of strategic importance for the United States (Exactly in what way it is not stated. The US does not rely on Ukraine for any trade, resources or energy nor does it share any borders) First Speaker David Kramer - Topic: Internal politics and economic situation in Ukraine Allegations of Ukraine being a failed state in perpetual crisis, a country that is in dire situation. Closer analysis reveals that while Ukraine is going though great difficulty it is not a failed a state or a state that is at risk of losing its independence or sovereignty but the economic situation is a serious threat to Ukraine. Ukraine's leaders need to focus on this and if need be put their political differences aside. GDP has declined since last fall (Autumn) 14% to 15%. First quarter this year GDP declined 20.3% with estimates of the first half of the year averaging out at 18% In contrast this follows on from an average growth over the past seven years of nearly