Doc. 8637
27 January 2000

Ukraine

Motion for a recommendation

presented by Mr Holovaty and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

1.       The Assembly recalls that Ukraine is currently under the monitoring procedure of the Parliamentary Assembly, and that it must consider whether Ukraine has fulfilled the obligations it agreed to comply with on the day of its accession.

2.       It is deeply concerned with the recent decision of the President of the Ukraine to arrange a six-point national referendum on the reform of institutions for 16 April 2000. This decision is contrary to the Constitution of Ukraine of 1996, and disregards the law voted for two weeks ago by more than two-thirds of the members of the Verkhovna Rada calling for a moratorium on the referendum until the law is passed.

3.       In general it is worried about the tendency of the regime towards authoritarianism. There are reports of infringements of the rights of parliament and the independence of the judiciary. Members of Parliament have also denounced the existence of a system of falsification of elections.

4.       It fears that the political evolution of the Ukraine is now very similar to what Belarus experienced during the constitutional crisis of 1996 and which finally led to the submission of the country to autocratic presidential rule.

5.       It considers that the organs of the Council of Europe, alongside the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission), must work urgently on a solution of the crisis, in order to keep Ukraine from developing into an autocratic regime.

6.       It requests the President of Ukraine to reconsider the decision to arrange a national referendum before a law on a national referendum is passed.

7.       It also requests the President of Ukraine to make all efforts to restore confidence, dialogue, respect and a sound political climate, in a country which should not divert itself from the rule of law, separation of and independence between powers, and the effective guaranteeing of fundamental liberties and human rights.

Signed : ¹

Holovaty, Ukraine LDR

Cilevics, Latvia, SOC

Eorsi, Hungary, LDR

Frunda, Romania, EPP/CD

Jurgens, Netherlands, SOC

Kurykin, Ukraine, NR

Magnusson, Sweden, SOC

Manchulenko, Ukraine, EDG

Nedelcuic, Moldova, LDR

Oliynyk, Ukraine, UEL

Rakhansky, Ukraine, UEL

Solonari, Moldova, SOC

Wohlwend, Liechtenstein, EPP/DC

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group