18 Apr 2019 18:37

Zelensky not ruling out Rada dissolution, promises to propose presidential impeachment bill

KYIV. April 18 (Interfax) - Volodymyr Zelensky said that he wins the second round of the Ukrainian presidential election on April 21 the parliament could be disbanded though he is aware that there might not be enough time before parliamentary elections this fall.

"There are certain statutory time limits ... I am afraid I might not make it. I won't break up the law and I won't break the law. If we manage within a six months' time before the next elections, when we have the right to disband parliament... We'll think ...we stand to gain from this [disbandment of the current Rada]," Zelensky said.

He also said that if he wins the presidential election he would propose a parliamentary bill on presidential impeachment.

The impeachment law is "one of the first and foremost laws that our society spent 28 years waiting for. And it is unclear to me why there is not any. The whole civilized world has an impeachment law," Zelensky said.

He stressed that he himself wanted that law. "It's not something that Verkhovna Rada deputies or some major officials have been peddling me. No, I want that myself. Why? Because there is a civilized way of removing someone who in the public's opinion has become not worthy enough of their choice."

"I want to remain who I am. I am not holding on to the job, I am not holding on to the office. I am meeting you halfway," Zelensky said.

As for the incumbent, Petro Poroshenko, he should quit politics, Zelensky said. "If I were in his place, after such a spectacular public response on the subject of confidence in the president, I would have quit politics. He is financially secure, a rich man, the things he did for Ukraine, he will take them with him in his memory. I think, some things the society will appreciate but others it will not forgive," Zelensky said in an interview with RBC Ukraine published on Thursday.