International Reaction On Ukraine's Constitutional Reform Cancellation Comes Quiet

KYIV, October 5, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- After Ukraine's Constitutional Court had cancelled the Constitutional amendments of 2004, several senior officials, judicial and constitutional experts from the European Union and the United States expressed their reaction to the changes. Some have also given their forecast of Ukraine's relations with the EU.

Stefan Fuele, EU Enlargement Commissioner: "I underlined that despite the ruling of the constitutional court, a broader constitutional reform is still a matter of priority. And thus we made a point that such a reform should be brought through an inclusive process to bring about effective and lasting system of the checks and balances in accordance with the European values. And I was very pleased to hear that President Yanukovych indeed intends to start such a process of constitutional reform on the basis of the 1996 Constitution taking into account also the expertise and advice of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe."

Javier Solana, Secretary General of the Council of the European Union (1999-2009): "The decision of the court is for Ukrainians to guide themselves according to the law, and I don't think that any particular model or structure of the country has better relationship to Europe or not. Both models exist, the important thing is to do it properly".

Professor Sergio Bartole, Member of the Venice Commission: "The decision of the Constitutional Court does not regard the content of the reform of 2004, but only the procedure. But in any case, even if the judgment of the Constitutional Court is restricted to the procedural aspect of the reform of 2004, we have to appreciate the fact that the constitution of 1996 will take place without the provisions of 2004. And Venice Commission criticized seriously many provisions of the reform of 2004".

Bohdan Futei, Judge of the US Federal Claims Court: "I believe that if there are any Constitutional amendments to be introduced, they have to be adopted in compliance with the Constitution. In my opinion, which I expressed from the very beginning, the amendments of 2004 were adopted incorrectly. The main breach of the procedure was that the amendments changing the political system in the country had to be voted on a referendum, which did not take place in 2004"

SOURCE Worldwide News Ukraine