Speaker proposes launching series of round-table meetings

Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) Chairman Volodymyr Lytvyn addressed all Ukrainian leaders with the proposal that they start a series of round-table meetings for the settlement of vital problems. He made this proposal in his address to President Viktor Yushchenko, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, parliamentary faction leaders and all of this country's politicians, the parliamentary press service reported.

Issue No.1, in Lytvyn's opinion, is a change of election laws.

"The current system has fully discredited the very idea of parliamentarism and people's self-government. The leaders and party administration must be surely deprived of the right to decide who should be a people's deputy, and who not. The right should be returned to people. Each MP must be personally elected by people," the address says.

Issue No.2, according to the Speaker, is determination of authorities of the President and the Prime Minister.

"The Constitution described the head of state's powers so that it seems we have a presidential form of government. And the Cabinet of Ministers Law outlines the Prime Minister's authorities as if we had a parliamentary model.

At least each of them thinks and acts so. As a result, the country got sick and tired of shameful mutual accusations and fight for mutual destruction on the President - Prime Minister line. I am dead sure it is necessary to radically settle the problem of two centers before the presidential elections," Lytvyn says.

Issue No.3, in the Parliament Speaker's opinion, is organization of local authority.

"The practice of overall central management is inadmissible. It is necessary to dismantle state administrations, to make clear, responsible and controlled by the population the system of authority via reinstatement of council executive committees," he emphasized.

Lytvyn proposes starting with consultations, setting of the agenda for the required series of a nation-wide round-table meeting, which must obtain a permanent character.

UKRINFORM