Ukraine will be expelled from the Council of Europe if it holds a referendum counter to admonitions expressed by this organization, Hanne Severinsen, PACE rapporteur, told Radio Liberty on March 8, shortly after presenting her report, together with Renata Wohlwend, to the Membership Monitoring Committee in Paris, summing up their visit to Ukraine three weeks ago. While in Kyiv, both Parliamentary Assembly representatives voiced concern over the course democracy was taking in Ukraine, particularly in view of the Presidential edict calling a referendum to be held April 16 with six questions, some relating to changes in the Constitution of Ukraine. Ms. Severinsen also said Ukraine will be expelled from CE even without any changes being made in the Constitution but just because a referendum is staged.
CE Press Secretary Denise Slavik told The Day that the March 8 CE sitting in Paris adopted preliminary recommendations to warn Ukraine against the referendum. The key resolution stating the Council’s attitude to the referendum campaign is expected to be passed during a PACE session early this April. CE is awaiting the Venice Commission’s findings to see whether Leonid Kuchma’s referendum edict conforms to the Constitution of Ukraine. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian President made it perfectly clear that he will not heed the Venice Commission’s recommendations. The Constitutional Court’s ruling on the referendum’s legality is expected in late March.
