Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has addressed the nation on the occasion of the 19th anniversary of the Ukrainian constitution and stressed the need for reforming it.
“For 19 years already the fundamental law has been the legal foundation of the Ukrainian state, the development of society and establishment of democracy. While retaining its key principles and provisions the constitution in the present dynamic historical conditions should adequately respond to global changes and the challenges of time,” Poroshenko message posted on the presidential website on June 28 morning says.
He reminded the nation that during the Revolution of Dignity people took to the streets of Ukrainian cities precisely to defend their constitutional rights and against the usurpation of power. “Today Ukrainians are also defending the indestructible values defined in the Fundamental Law – the independence and territorial integrity of their state,” the message says.
“Guided by the determination to bring the living standards of Ukrainians to the standards of European countries we are working to advance the provisions of the Fundamental Law. The main idea of the coming constitutional changes is to build a strong state through prosperity and the steady development of communities,” Poroshenko stressed.
He stressed that the task of the authorities is to bring the system of government as close to the people as possible through decentralization. Local communities will be given the entire volume of powers that they are capable of guaranteeing, however, “other duties should be retained by the state taking care primarily of guaranteeing the sovereignty and indivisibility of Ukraine, its influence and weight in the world,” he said.
“I believe that our parliament, state, political and public forces and all citizens of Ukraine should act in concert for the sake of advancing the Fundamental Law,” the message says.
“[They] should realize that the constitutional reform is an objective necessity meant to guarantee the further development of our country, its full-scale integration in the European community, in the circle of successful countries of the world,” the Ukrainian president noted.
