Poroshenko is changing the constitution, but so that nothing changes - experts

Moscow - Kyiv, June 26 (Navigator, Mikhail Stamm) - Kommersant found out the main provisions of the draft amendments to the constitution, which Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko will submit to parliament today. The project provides for the decentralization of power and some increase in the role of the Russian language locally. Experts point to the tricks with which Poroshenko, pretending to cede power to parliament, maintains control over the country.

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Governors will be elected locally, and not appointed from Kyiv. The powers of territorial communities and local councils will be expanded. Language issues will be the responsibility of communities. The status of the Russian language will not change. As Petro Poroshenko said yesterday, “the only state, constitutional language of Ukraine was, is and will be Ukrainian.” But in the regions, Russian and the languages ​​of national minorities can be “used on an equal basis with Ukrainian.” Local administrations will be liquidated, and in return they will create state representative offices that must monitor compliance with the constitution, as well as coordinate the activities of territorial executive authorities.

The president's powers are being curtailed. The reason for impeachment may be “the presence of elements of a crime in the president’s actions.” To begin the procedure, it will be necessary to enlist the support of 150 Rada deputies (previously 226 were required). To make a decision, the consent of two-thirds of parliament - 300 deputies - is required. Impeachment no longer requires a confirmatory decision from the Supreme Court. The president will lose the right to appoint judges and propose to parliament candidates for the positions of ministers of foreign affairs and defense. The composition of the government will be formed at the proposal of the prime minister and with the consent of parliament. The Cabinet of Ministers will be accountable to the president, but controlled only by the Verkhovna Rada.

The prime minister will be appointed in agreement with the president, but at the proposal of the coalition of the parliamentary majority. It is also envisaged to change the procedure for forming this coalition. It will consist not of factions, but of individual deputies - there should be 226 of them (out of 450).

The new project makes parliament practically “immortal”. The president will be able to dissolve it only in one case - if the Rada fails to form a government within 60 days. The life of individual deputies will also be made easier - they will not be required to join the factions of the parties from which they were elected. The Rada receives the right to declare a state of emergency and decide on the use of armed forces; create, liquidate and reorganize courts; introduce and liquidate administrative-territorial units. Deputies cannot be taken into custody until a court decision and without the consent of parliament. A criminal record will no longer be an obstacle to being elected to parliament. Only citizens who, on voting day, are serving a sentence “for committing a deliberate, especially serious crime” will lose the right to be elected as a deputy and president.

The new project also strengthens the position of the security forces. The head of the Foreign Intelligence Service will join the National Security Council. Another power structure is being created - the State Bureau of Investigation.

“The president, in any case, controls the security forces, since he heads the National Security Council. And only he approves the decisions of this council, which includes all the security forces,” explains Kiev analyst Alexey Poltorakov. In his opinion, “the candidacies of key ministers in any case must be agreed upon with the prime minister, president and parliament, otherwise they will not be able to work.”

The document will appear in parliament on the eve of Kiev signing the economic part of the agreement with the EU and on the same day it will be presented by Petro Poroshenko at PACE. And next week the project must be approved by parliament.