Lord of War: Hrytsenko proposes absolute presidential authority on deployment of armed forces

By Online Editor -
Presidential hopeful and Chairman the parliament's committee for national security and minister for defense Anatoliy Hrytsenko has proposed that the President of Ukraine be granted absolute authority over the deployment of Ukraine's Armed forces side stepping the requirement for parliamentary consent.

Currently Ukraine's constitution requires any decision to deploy Ukrainian troops abroad to be determined by law and the consent of Ukraine's parliament.  The changes proposed by  Hrytsenko are alarming to say the least.   What would have happened in 2008 if Yushchenko has such all encompassing authority?

According to recent polls Anatoliy Hrytsenko, a member of Our Ukraine who is running against incumbent President Viktor Yushchenko, has less then 1% support.


Comments

Constitution o Ukraine said…
Article 85
The authority of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine comprises:
...
(9) declaring war upon the submission by the President of Ukraine and concluding peace; approving a decision by the President of Ukraine on the use of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations in the event of armed aggression against Ukraine;
...
(22) approving the general structure and numerical strength of the Security Service of Ukraine, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, other military formations created in accordance with laws of Ukraine, and of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, as well as defining their functions;
(23) approving decisions on providing military assistance to other states, on sending units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to a foreign state, or on admitting units of armed forces of foreign states onto the territory of Ukraine;

Article 92
The following are determined exclusively by the laws of Ukraine:
(17) the fundamentals of national security, the organisation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and ensuring public order;
...
(22) the principles of civil legal liability; acts that are crimes, administrative or disciplinary offences, and liability for them.

The following are established exclusively by the laws of Ukraine:
...
2) the procedure for deploying units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to other states; the procedure for admitting and the terms for stationing units of armed forces of other states on the territory of Ukraine;

Article 106
The President of Ukraine:
...
(19) puts forward to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine the submission on the declaration of a state of war, and, in case of armed aggression against Ukraine, adopts a decision on the use of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations established in accordance with laws of Ukraine;
Mon Dec 28, 08:02:00 pm EET
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