Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has congratulated Ukrainian nation on Constitution Day.
"I congratulate you on the national holiday – Ukrainian Constitution Day! Fourteen years ago our country received an important and fundamental state-forming document," reads a greeting posted on the official Web site of the head of state on Monday.
Yanukovych said that the Ukrainian Constitution is based on national historic experience.
"Ukraine has a centuries-old constitution tradition. Its roots spring from Yaroslav Mudry’s "Ruskaya Pravda" and Pylyp Orlyk’s Constitution, which is a first European constitution in the modern understanding. The Pylyp Orlyk’s Constitution celebrates the 300th anniversary. These documents had been a historic ground for approving a declaration on Ukraine’s sovereignty (this year we’ll celebrate its 20th anniversary) and the main document of the new Ukrainian epoch – an Act of Ukraine’s Independence declared on August 24, 1991," reads the greeting.
"The Ukrainian Constitution endorsed in 1996 has withstood the test of time. It’s considered one of the progressive in the world in part of human rights and freedoms, while experience of state formation over the years passed from the time of the Constitution’s adoption showed that the Constitution needs some changes in the modern, dynamic and historic conditions," reads the document.
The president pointed out that some requirements of the Constitution, in particular, those endorsed in a hurry at the end of 2004, were the reason for misbalance and the serious power crisis.
"I want to say that the correction of existing drawbacks and the improvement of the Constitution should not be a political action. This is a serious change of social relations, which should be based on the will of the nation, be in line with modern situation and define progress of the state as a whole," the president said.
Yanukovych called on Ukrainians to unite for the sake of observation of requirements of the Ukrainian Constitution and guaranteeing human and citizens’ rights and freedoms in our state.
