26 Apr 2019 21:30

Ukrainian parliament may be dissolved by May 27 - Zelensky's HQ

KYIV. April 26 (Interfax) - The dissolution of the Verkhovna Rada is still likely due to the lack of a coalition, according to Dmytro Razumkov, a political expert of Ukrainian President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky, who has won the presidential election.

"The dissolution [of the Verkhovna Rada] is possible, because there is no coalition as of now. The coalition consists of two factions. These factions are lacking deputies, so, their number of lower than 226," Razumkov said on the 112 Ukraine TV channel on Friday evening.

Parliamentary Speaker Andriy Parubiy has been receiving letters, including those from various organizations, which contained requests to present the list with the names of deputies in the coalition, but he did not answer them, Razumkov said.

"There is some probability that the Rada may be dissolved," the member of Zelensky's headquarters said.

There are certain deadlines, as the Verkhovna Rada cannot be disbanded, according to lawyers, later than May 27, he said.

The Central Election Commission is dragging on the announcement of election returns, and then, the Verkhovna Rada will delay the process of setting the date of inauguration, so that "it will take place beyond the deadline, when Rada can be dissolved," Razumkov said.

"There is nothing awful about that. Even if this Rada remains, we will suggest them those laws, which are absolutely not for profit of the president [...].

We will propose clear and simple laws: stripping deputies of immunity that has been promised you for many, many years and throughout many and many elections, scrapping the immunity of courts, abolishing the immunity of the president, the impeachment law, the law on recalling a people's deputy, and the law on the power of people, as this is expanding the rules of direct democracy," he said in comments on the outlooks of cooperation with the current parliament.

The bill on power of people implies holding various referenda, he said later.

"If they do not vote for that, if they say that they will not consider that, then, you will have the only opportunity to give a political evaluation of these political forces and deputies in fall," Razumkov added.

The next parliamentary election is due to be held in Ukraine this fall.