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Verkhovna Rada members to consider proposals on changes to Ukraine's Constitution

A source at the Verkhovna Rada Secretariat that amendments to the Constitution are being prepared by two teams of lawyers in the factions of Batkivshchina (Fatherland) and UDAR

© ITAR-TASS/ Maksim Nikitin

KIEV, February 10, 1:29 /ITAR-TASS/. Representatives of the depuies' faction of Ukraine's parliament on Monday are to consider proposals on introducing amendments to the current Constitution. So far, proposals have ben submitted by MPs from the opposition who became the initiators of amendments to the Fundamental Law.

A source at the Verkhovna Rada Secretariat told Itar-Tass that amendments to the Constitution are being prepared by two teams of lawyers in the factions of Batkivshchina (Fatherland) and UDAR (Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reforms). The former suggests practically reverting to the wording of the 2004 Fundamental Law. According to faction leader Arseny Yatsenyuk, in Ukraine, "there must be established a system under which the president would carry out the people's will and it would be possible to impeach the president".

The all-Ukraine association Batkivshchina suggests depriving the head of state of the right to appoint Prosecutor-General, Chairman of the Security Service, and Chairman of the Antimonopoly Committee.

The Batkivshchina also suggests excludint from the Constitution the clause that banned persons with past convictions from being elected to parliament. It is obvious that this norm is spelled out for Yulia Timoshenko in the event of her release. The disappearance of the clause would enable her to run for parliament, without waiting for rehabilitation in law-court and the clearing of her of criminal record.

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