Moscow calls Ukrainian bill on de-centralization 'exercises in political demagogy'
MOSCOW. July 17 (Interfax) - Draft amendments to the Ukrainian Constitution on de-centralization do not meet Minsk agreements and disorient the international community, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
"The draft changes to the Ukrainian Constitution on de-centralization, which have just been submitted to Verkhovna Rada, were not just prepared without the participation of real representatives of Donetsk and Luhansk but without the slightest account of the interests of southeastern Ukraine. This document in no way meets the Minsk agreements, where the task is stipulated clearly - to ensure permanent special status for Donbas and de-centralize power in accordance with the list which is included literally and in detail in paragraph 11 of the Minsk set of measures," the document said.
"At the same time, the named exercises in political demagogy disorient the Ukrainian and international community," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
"Such Kyiv-style de-centralization is to a large extent dictated by immediate considerations of the political environment and at any moment could become a bargaining chip in the continuing fight for power in the country," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
The relevance of real constitutional reform in Ukraine is quite high, the statement said.
"But its goal and result should be the appearance of a deeply re-worked, renewed and widely discussed public agreement, which would be perceived by Ukrainian society as a stable, reliable, long-term [agreement] guaranteeing equal rights of regions and ethnicities," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.