Ukrainian FM insists on Venice Commission expert involvement in constitution reform
KYIV. April 16 (Interfax) - Acting Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsia has called for interaction between the Venice Commission and the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada commission drawing up a bill on the adjustment of the Ukrainian constitution.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's information policy department said Deshchytsia met with a delegation of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) on Tuesday.
"Topical issues of the Venice Commission involvement in the Ukrainian reforms, including the constitution process, were discussed. Deshchytsia noted the importance of interaction between the Venice Commission and the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada ad hoc commission preparing a bill on the adjustment of the Ukrainian constitution," the report said.
The Venice Commission delegation stressed the importance of the division of powers between Ukrainian power branches and a higher degree of independence of the judiciary in the context of the Ukrainian constitutional reform.
It also noted the significance of the local and regional administrative reforms and the need for power decentralization.
"The sides agreed that the constitutional reform should be a central issue in the settlement of the ongoing political crisis in Ukraine and urged further close collaboration between Ukraine and the Venice Commission," the report said.