The next parliamentary elections, according to the current Constitution of Ukraine, should be held in March 2011, Deputy Chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) Zhanna Usenko-Chorna has said.
"The constitution absolutely clearly indicates when the next [parliamentary] elections should be held – this is the last Sunday of March 2011," she said on Channel 5 on Tuesday evening.
Usenko-Chorna also noted that the CEC should announce the start of the electoral process for the next parliamentary elections 125 days before the elections, i.e. in November 2010.
"Article 16 of the Ukrainian law on the election of people’s deputies clearly says that the Central Election Commission announces the start of the electoral process for the next election of people’s deputies 125 days [before the elections]," she said.
Usenko-Chorna also recalled that the CEC should take measures regarding proper funding for the elections.
"It’s clear that amendments could be introduced to the constitution, but the Central Election Commission should currently plan its activities so as to ensure proper preparations for and the holding of the elections in March 2011," she said.
As reported, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on October 8, 2010 requested the Constitutional Court to make its conclusion on a bill of amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine concerning the regular elections of the president, members of the Verkhovna Rada, the Supreme Council of Crimea, regional, district, city, village and town councils and heads of village, town and city administrations.
The bill proposes indicating in Article 77 of the constitution that regular elections to the Verkhovna Rada should be held on the last Sunday of October of the fifth year of the parliament’s term and to determine in part 1, Article 76 of the constitution the five-year term of powers of the parliament.
Besides, it is proposed that part 5, Article 103 of the constitution should determine the last Sunday of March of the fifth year of the presidential tenure as the date of the regular presidential elections.
