President proposes to give people the right to submit proposals for the constitution
«Further striving to update the Constitution of Ukraine, we should consider clarifying provisions of Sections 3 «Elections. Referendum» and 4 «Parliament of Ukraine». In particular, make sure that people's legislative initiative is realized by submitting a draft law article by article for consideration by the Verkhovna Rada or through the national referendum, «- says the President in his letter to the Verkhovna Rada.
Such draft law should be submitted to the Parliament at the request of not less than 80 thousand voters. Laws adopted by national referendum can be changed no sooner than in five years or by a constitutional majority of the parliament (300 MPs) of the next convocation. The Verkhovna Rada considers a draft law after the publication of the presidential decree on declaration of the national referendum on adoption of the bill on popular initiative.
The President also proposes a «people's veto» - the possibility to cancel through a national referendum laws enacted by Parliament.
Another proposition concerns introducing the concept of a constitutional complaint as opportunity for citizens to defend their rights against violations by the state.
V. Yanukovych stressed that civil rights are currently narrowed, as the right to appeal to the Constitutional Court is given only to the president, more than 45 MPs, Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, the Cabinet of Ministers, public authorities and local governments.
