21 Jan 2019 16:33

Ukrainian presidential candidate Liashko calls for reinstating death penalty

KYIV. Jan 21 (Interfax) - Ukrainian Radical Party leader Oleh Liashko has spoken in favor of reintroducing the death penalty for corruption, high treason, and terrorism.

"During this emergency period we're living in [...] we have the right to introduce the death penalty for corruption, high treason, and terrorism as an exception. I will submit the reinstatement of the death penalty for corruption to a referendum," Liashko said at the Radical Party's 22nd congress, where he was nominated as a presidential candidate, in Kyiv on Monday.

He also said he would put forward an initiative to reduce the number of members of the Verkhovna Rada from 400 to 250.

"I will suggest that the position of Ukrainian prime minister be abolished. The president, the government, and the parliament today are like Krylov's swan, pike, and crawfish. [...] I suggest that the president, commonly elected by the people's vote, head the executive branch of the government," Liashko said.

He also said he has a plan to restore the economy, which "will allow us to increase the country's population." His program is aimed at overcoming poverty, he said.

In 2014, 8.32% of voters cast their ballots for Liashko in the early presidential election. He came in third, after Petro Poroshenko and Yulia Tymoshenko.