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MP denies media reports about premier’s dismissal

KIEV, January 27, 21:07 /ITAR-TASS/. Media reports about Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolai Azarov’s resignation are wrong, Mikhail Chechetov, first deputy head of the ruling Party of Regions faction in the parliament, said on Monday, January 27.

“According to the Ukrainian Constitution, the opposition may collect 150 signatures, that is, one-third of the parliament, once during a session and motion the question of government resignation or report,” Chechetov said. “If the government has presented a performance report and a half of deputies plus one voted for its resignation, then the government has to resign. But this can be done only once during a session, that is, once every six months. The opposition tried to do it before the New Year holidays, but collected only 183 of the required 226 votes. Now they are trying to do it again,” the MP said.

He said that this issue may not be discussed at an extraordinary session of parliament but only at the next regular session in February. “But the opposition has no votes. So it’s a voice in the wilderness,” he added.

At the same time, he stressed that the Constitution allows the president to rotate the prime minister.

Local mass media reported earlier that Azarov had resigned.

Chechetov said that consultations between the authorities and the opposition on how to resolve the political crisis were ongoing at different levels and in different formats.

“There is the need to use all settlement mechanisms as much as possible. We are increasing the number of discussion sites. At one of them, negotiations with the opposition leaders are conducted by the president, the head of his administration, the justice minister and other administration officials. Another discussion place is a roundtable chaired by first President Leonid Kravchuk, with the participation of public opinion leaders, church hierarchs and others.

“The roundtable is expected to be attended by representatives of the authorities, the opposition, the clergy and the general public,” Kravchuk’s aide Oksana Sibirtseva said.

“So, the dialogue with the opposition is a permanent process that continues 25 hours a day,” Chechetov said.