Last Tuesday Verkhovna Rada deputies gathered in the session hall after a six-week break. Incidentally, during this period the hall underwent some changes, in part, the wall behind the presidium was decorated with a big schematic map of Ukraine (half of it is yellow, half blue, and the outline golden). The official part of the Verkhovna Rada Fourth Session opening ceremony lasted for about an hour and consisted primarily of Speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn’s address. The ceremony was accompanied by live music: first a choir sporting national costumes sang the state anthem from the balcony and in the end Mykola Lysenko’s “Prayer for Ukraine.” The government was present virtually with its full complement, headed by Premier Viktor Yanukovych, Prosecutor General Sviatoslav Piskun, National Bank Governor Serhiy Tihipko, and Central Electoral Committee Chairman Mykhailo Riabets.
Mr. Lytvyn’s speech was of a program character, which seems to become a tradition for him. “Today we are facing a choice between continuing to develop the same way, with the same guidelines, rates, differences, and contradictions, international image and, consequently, with the same results, or to make a breakthrough, a leap forward to more civilized way of life, state, and society,” he stated. In his words, we need “an integral view of the position and prospects of our country” and a development strategy “based on concentrating the state ambitions.” Such a national program, in Mr. Lytvyn’s words, should become “an all-Ukrainian civic compact.”
Speaking about the situation in the parliament, “the existence of two almost balanced powers in parliament has great significance for its stabilization,” believes Speaker Lytvyn. “This is the basis for the country’s stability, balanced compromises instead of imposed decisions, and ruling out any distortions,” he stressed. He also called upon his colleagues to “give up antagonism in their relations.” He believes that to do so the parliamentary majority “should completely understand its goal and not try to satisfy everybody and be convenient for everybody.” “I’m convinced that the majority factions and groups’ leaders cannot, should not, and will not work by anyone’s request,” Mr. Lytvyn stated. The speaker was less harsh toward the parliamentary opposition, only slightly reproaching them for eternal “suspicions” and “permanent fight exhausting both the country and politicians themselves.”
Recall that it is proposed to put about 900 bills on the agenda of the Fourth Session. The parliament is also to make a number of cadre decisions, in part, regarding rotation of the Central Executive Committee members. One can judge how inflated these obligations are if only from the fact that the 2002 parliament passed 252 laws during its session. Passions centering around the political reform and future presidential elections are far from best background for the budget process either. Meanwhile, the main topic the Monday before last at the meeting of President Kuchma with the majority factions leaders and Prime Minister Yanukovych was precisely the government and parliament’s joint efforts to prepare the 2004 state budget.
However, it is already obvious that the present session’s leitmotif will be the future elections: rules of the game, players, and the main chair’s weight.
COMMENTARY
Anatoly TOLSTOUKHOV, Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers:
“The main thing is to define the future steps in the political reform and secure the conditions for their implementation. Then, of course, is to adopt next year’s budget. We also need to work out our next steps toward the international community, in particular, the WTO. In general, we have to work seriously on orienting our legislation and standards toward Europe not only as a vector but also in practice. I think our deputies are experienced enough to debate the political reform and simultaneously solve other needed tactical tasks.”
Volodymyr FILENKO, Our Ukraine faction:
“A key moment of the present session will be the regime’s attempt to prolong its mandate through a pseudo-political reform. The budget, tax issues, and a number of codes will also attract a considerable part of the parliament’s attention. Though the political reform will substantially distract deputies from urgent questions, in the final account they will carry out their functions.”
Leonid KRAVCHUK, Head of the SDPU(O) faction:
“If this session doesn’t make a concrete decision on making changes to the Constitution, one could say that the time is over. In such case the reform won’t take place in the near or even far future. Electing a new president with the powers he has at present will give him, whoever he might be, an opportunity to hinder the reform aimed on reducing these powers.
“Another important task is passing the 2004 budget on time. This process has always been hard for Verkhovna Rada. Now, considering all the problems in the agrarian sector and food market, I have every reason to believe that the budget will be passed only with great difficulty. Besides, the budget will require passing a number of laws to fill it with substance and resources and without doubt coordinating our legislation with European criteria, standards, and models. Thus I named the three groups of questions we are to solve at this session.
“The budget must be adopted in any case. Speaking of our European choice, such tasks cannot be solved in one session, though we have to work on this continually. As regards the political reform, considering the alignment of subjects of the political reform and political forces in general, I hope we will be able to solve this issue.
“At this session we are going to witness active political games. Political games and playing politics is the deputies’ major occupation. Some of these games are played by amateurs who don’t quite understand what they are doing, while others are the professional games of experienced politicians. Whoever has enough experience, wisdom, and political will is going to dictate the rules.”
Stepan HAVRYSH, Democratic Initiatives faction:
“The main thing will be the political reform process, approving a bill worked out by both the majority and opposition after the Constitutional Court makes its findings. In addition to this, the parliament will pass the 2004 budget, completing the pension reform, privileges and targeted aid issues, adopting the Criminal Procedural Code, a law on intellectual property, and a complex of legislative acts on strengthening the government’s reform position, and conducting the agrarian reforms. Solving these questions requires serious organization of Verkhovna Rada work. I think we have every precondition for this: a strong presidium, effective committees, strong leaders of deputies’ groups and factions able to secure making serious political decisions.”
Oleksandr MOROZ, head of the Socialist Party of Ukraine:
“I see two major tasks. First, there is political reform, discussion, and making a preliminary decision. Today the president has to meet our proposals, and I think we should use this. Second will come the food crisis and supporting the government if it suggests any effective steps. All the rest are working issues: preparing next year’s budget, considering tax legislation, settling the social protection issues, etc.”
Yuly IOFFE, Labor Ukraine and Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Ukraine faction:
“In my view, there will be three top priority issues at this session. First come next year’s budget and the laws to support it. Second is the political reform. In addition, passing a new law On the Elections will be the third important task. I’m convinced that there will be great problems on this issue, since it touches the interests of half of the deputies.
“The process of the political reform will be accompanied by those who believe that their political popularity is high enough to occupy the presidency on the basis of the outdated legislation and old Constitution, thus obtaining regal prerogatives. The environment presses on such leaders because they are already aiming at executive positions. This is how the main game will be played. Other leaders who understand that opponents of the reform could become guests instead of hosts at this banquet will definitely support the reform.”
