Parliament – the microphone is free

On February, 4 the fourth session of the Verkhovna Rada of the seventh convocation was opened. Chairman of the Parliament Volodymyr RYBAK offered the deputies to discuss the situation in the country and the ways the crisis and opposition can be overcome.

Oleksandr YEFREMOV (head of Party of Regions faction):

– Now Ukraine experiences, probably, the most dramatic period of the newest history. Subsequent escalation of the conflict can result in civil opposition and give catastrophic consequences. Thus we do not have an answer to the question: who controls the street and carries responsibility for the extremist actions – capture of state buildings and various provocations?

Vitaliy KLYCHKO (head of “UDAR” faction):

I am sure that the power which allowed the present situation happen is fully responsible for the political crisis. And now the power can settle this problem. But we still have another small “maidan” which is the Verkhovna Rada. And I appeal to you all: we are obliged to fulfill the will of people. One of the ways to settle the problem is redistribution of plenary powers in the state. As far as monopoly [power, - Editor] led to the situation which we have now. One of the suggestions: we have to get back to the constitutional reform which was illegally cancelled in 2010. It is one of the ways due to which we can step by step lead the country out of the political crisis.

Oleg TYAGNYBOK (head of UU “Svoboda” faction):

We must understand that pre-condition of maintenance of territorial integrity of Ukraine, maintenance of Ukrainian national sovereignty must be not only cosmetic changes which need to be all the same done in this hall and done immediately, to go back to Constitution of 2004 in order to balance the plenary powers of the President, the government and the parliament. It is necessary simply to make decision about the so-called decriminalization, we need to make steps which will help to overcome the political crisis in the state and avoid the civil war.

The parliament still has a chance to be rehabilitated before the society and say its word because the inactivity of the Ukrainian parliament as a higher legislative body of our state will generate further blood in the streets. Regain consciousness, power, do not create further genocide against its own people in the XXI century.

Sergiy SOBOLYEV (deputy head of UU “Batkivshchyna” faction):

Faction “Batkivshchyna” together with the allies offers the unique option of exit from this crisis. First one, and the main one, is returning to the constitutional field of Ukraine, namely: proclamation by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (and only we can do it, neither President nor the corrupted government can do it, and only those deputies who are present in this hall, who have a drop of conscience and responsibility for the future of the country) of the constitutional act which would guarantee returning to the constitutional river-bed of the country which for already four years has been living according to neither the Constitution nor the human or God laws.

Petro SYMONENKO (head of Communist Party of Ukraine):

We have to protect the state from the external influence. Exactly you are responsible for that Ukraine is being mocked now. And already in Munich [at Munich Security Conference which took place at the beginning of February. - Editor] it was declared that the government in Ukraine can be only the one which will be loved by the International monetary fund and the one which will sign the Agreement on association with the European Union. We have not seen such impudence for a long time.

Faction of the Communist Party insists that [new.  - Editor] the government must not be engaged in bringing new President to the power, it must be the government of professionals who are removed from oligarchs, of those who are ready to put their professionalism for the sake of the future people of Ukraine!

Folk deputy of Ukraine Volodymyr LYTVYN (non-affiliated):

Everything will depend presently on us, on our reasonable, well-weighted and correct actions. Obviously, for this purpose we have to understand the main thing that the “winter of dissatisfaction”, anger and indignation of people is not appearances of small groups of extremists, nationalists and radicals, it is a general mood of the Ukrainian society! It is a general mood of people! And there should not be any illusions that we made decisions which are needed for Ukraine, but not to this or that political force. And we should not mistake the wish for the reality, or try to act in a way “who will stay longer”. We will not stay longer, Ukraine will not stay longer.

We should not let this winter of dissatisfaction grew into the spring of revolt. We have also to take into account that the students will be back from holidays on February, 17.

There is a threat that the expedience from political principle will turn over to legal decisions. I mean the question [bringing amendments to. - Editor] regarding the Constitution. The fact is obvious: we need to disperse power, we should have the system of inhibition and counterbalances, the mechanism of public inspection after the activity of the power. A serious conversation is needed with participation of specialists not involved in politics. Otherwise we will again set on fire and there will be deep opposition.