Ukraine Parliament Approves New Constitution
Ukraine's president and three opposition leaders signed a deal Friday to end the political crisis that erupted in violence this week, leaving scores dead.
The agreement's provisions include returning to the 2004 constitution, which would decrease the powers of the presidency and increase those of the parliament, setting up a national unity government within 10 days and holding an early presidential election later this year.
Shortly after the deal was signed, the Ukrainian parliament voted to restore the country's 2004 constitution, which removes some powers from the presidential office, and enhances the powers of parliament. It also voted to remove Interior Minister Vitali Zakharchenko, whom the opposition holds responsible for the killing of dozens of anti-government protesters, and amended the country's criminal code in a way that could lead to the release of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko from prison.
Changing back to the 2004 constitution had been a key demand of the anti-government movement.
Earlier, President Viktor Yanukovych said Ukraine would hold early elections and promised to form a coalition government. He also vowed to make constitutional changes to reduce the powers of his office.
The Ukrainian president's announcement came after all-night talks between representatives of his government and the opposition, brokered by the foreign ministers of Germany, France, and Poland.
Deal details
The specifics of the deal have not been made public, but the Reuters news agency quoted one of the three European Union mediators, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, as saying that it included a return to the 2004 constitution, the creation of a national unity government, and an early presidential election, set for this year.
Just before the deal was inked Friday, another EU mediator, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, posted on Twitter: "We are about to sign. Good compromise for Ukraine. Gives peace a chance. Opens the way to reform and to Europe. Poland and the EU support it."
However VOA's Ukranian service reporter Ruslan Deynychenko who is in Kyiv said some protesters are not completely satisfied with the deal.
"The problem is that people on Maidan [Independence Square], the protesters, they don't think it is enough because they demand the immediate resignation of the president because they believe he is responsible for orders to kill peaceful protesters and so they demand this election to be immediate, and not in December as it is in [the] agreement," he said.
Deynychenko added that there is a level of mistrust between the opposition and the president. He said the leaders who signed the agreement are aware of lingering concerns.
"They understand the concerns [about] this agreement and they understand that it is not very popular among their supporters, first of all," he said. "But they say this is the only way to protect people on Maidan from violence, to stop the violence."
Before the deal was signed, at least one opposition leader said he would insist on certain conditions. The Interfax-Ukraine news agency quoted Oleh Tyahnybok, leader of the nationalist Freedom party, as saying that a new government must not include Interior Minister Vitali Zakharchenko or Prosecutor General Viktor Pshonka.
Russia reacts
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed the Ukraine peace deal with European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and urged the EU to condemn "radicals'' responsible for violence, his ministry said on Friday.
A ministry statement said Lavrov and Ashton had discussed the deal "and the prospects for its implementation in the conditions of continuing activity by extremist forces'', suggesting Moscow had doubts it could succeed.
fuente: La Voz de América, http://www.voanews.com/content/ukraine-opposition-activists-to-sign-preliminary-deal/1856149.html
The agreement's provisions include returning to the 2004 constitution, which would decrease the powers of the presidency and increase those of the parliament, setting up a national unity government within 10 days and holding an early presidential election later this year.
Shortly after the deal was signed, the Ukrainian parliament voted to restore the country's 2004 constitution, which removes some powers from the presidential office, and enhances the powers of parliament. It also voted to remove Interior Minister Vitali Zakharchenko, whom the opposition holds responsible for the killing of dozens of anti-government protesters, and amended the country's criminal code in a way that could lead to the release of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko from prison.
Changing back to the 2004 constitution had been a key demand of the anti-government movement.
Earlier, President Viktor Yanukovych said Ukraine would hold early elections and promised to form a coalition government. He also vowed to make constitutional changes to reduce the powers of his office.
The Ukrainian president's announcement came after all-night talks between representatives of his government and the opposition, brokered by the foreign ministers of Germany, France, and Poland.
Deal details
The specifics of the deal have not been made public, but the Reuters news agency quoted one of the three European Union mediators, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, as saying that it included a return to the 2004 constitution, the creation of a national unity government, and an early presidential election, set for this year.
Just before the deal was inked Friday, another EU mediator, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, posted on Twitter: "We are about to sign. Good compromise for Ukraine. Gives peace a chance. Opens the way to reform and to Europe. Poland and the EU support it."
However VOA's Ukranian service reporter Ruslan Deynychenko who is in Kyiv said some protesters are not completely satisfied with the deal.
"The problem is that people on Maidan [Independence Square], the protesters, they don't think it is enough because they demand the immediate resignation of the president because they believe he is responsible for orders to kill peaceful protesters and so they demand this election to be immediate, and not in December as it is in [the] agreement," he said.
Deynychenko added that there is a level of mistrust between the opposition and the president. He said the leaders who signed the agreement are aware of lingering concerns.
"They understand the concerns [about] this agreement and they understand that it is not very popular among their supporters, first of all," he said. "But they say this is the only way to protect people on Maidan from violence, to stop the violence."
Before the deal was signed, at least one opposition leader said he would insist on certain conditions. The Interfax-Ukraine news agency quoted Oleh Tyahnybok, leader of the nationalist Freedom party, as saying that a new government must not include Interior Minister Vitali Zakharchenko or Prosecutor General Viktor Pshonka.
Russia reacts
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed the Ukraine peace deal with European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and urged the EU to condemn "radicals'' responsible for violence, his ministry said on Friday.
A ministry statement said Lavrov and Ashton had discussed the deal "and the prospects for its implementation in the conditions of continuing activity by extremist forces'', suggesting Moscow had doubts it could succeed.
fuente: La Voz de América, http://www.voanews.com/content/ukraine-opposition-activists-to-sign-preliminary-deal/1856149.html
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