Top Russian judge: "catastrophe of law" befalls Ukraine
ST. PETERSBURG. March 12 (Interfax) - Russian Constitutional Court Chairman Valery Zorkin has warned that the crisis in Ukraine threatens the total global destruction of law.
"Through huge sacrifices, by the method of bloody trial and horrendous error," the 20th century produced a "civilization of law" that "is falling apart before our very eyes," Zorkin says in an article to appear in Thursday's issue of government daily Rossiyskaya Gazeta (Russian Gazette).
"Ukraine has experienced a catastrophe of law that is fraught with the collapse of the entire civilization of law, which mankind has evolved through bloody wars and revolutions in the 20th century. We all realize that there is only one camp that has violated the law, trampled it, and continues to build up lawlessness," Zorkin says.
He likened Ukraine's "catastrophe of law" to the collapse of the Roman Empire.
"I am firmly convinced that if law ceases to exist the world will find itself at the edge of an abyss," he says.
"But law is falling apart, and rapidly as well. I spoke about this when international law was falling apart and was being replaced by brutal force in Iraq, Yugoslavia, Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, and Syria. And it was clear that at some moment this would take completely disastrous proportions. This moment has arrived," Zorkin says.
He reiterates the Kremlin's point that Viktor Yanukovych remains Ukraine's legitimate president.
"One may say whatever one likes about President Yanukovych. But I ask all those who are being dominated by passions concerning him to look, not even at the president himself, but at the Yanukovych phenomenon through the eyes of a lawyer. Yanukovych was elected legitimately. Nobody disputed the legality of his election. Civilization law requires that an elected head of state should either perform the functions entrusted to him or legally be removed from office. Has Yanukovych been legally removed from office? Has his removal from office complied with Ukrainian law?" Zorkin says.
"How can one pretend that he [Yanukovych] doesn't exist at all and simultaneously speak about the civilization of law!" he says.
"How can one, being firmly aware that Rada [parliament] deputies have fallen victim to extremely flagrant coercion and simultaneously say that the Rada is making legitimate decisions! How can one shut one's eyes to endless acts of violence that have been put on video and shown close-up! However, those who can see these acts are pretending not to notice them, and speak about revolutionary violence as beneficial. But if revolutionary violence is beneficial, those whom it targets have a right to retaliatory violence. Which de facto means annulment of law and the start of a civil war," Zorkin says.