Hanne SEVERINSEN: “Your political problems should be resolved in the Verkhovna Rada, not in the courts”
Former rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Hanne Severinsen now works as an adviser to Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. In April of this year she agreed to work as a freelancer, offering recommendations on such questions as the approval of amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine and the creation of new election legislation.
Severinsen recently visited Ukraine as the head of the delegation of the Liberal Party from the Danish parliament. How can the political crisis in Ukraine be resolved, and can it be resolved without holding another round of early elections? These and other questions are raised in The Day’s interview with Hanne SEVERINSEN, who monitored Ukraine on behalf of PACE.
“After familiarizing myself with the situation, I understood that it is very bad that the coalition cannot be restored. Taking into account the situation in the world, the economic crisis, this is not the best time to hold early elections again. I must draw your attention to the way the events connected with the court’s decisions have been developing. I think it is terrible that the president is trying to destroy the court. This is a kind of deja vu because it seems to me that every time political problems arise, they are resolved in the courts. I think that one judge cannot be pitted against another.”
In your opinion, is the president’s edict on holding early elections legitimate?
“I think that one can discuss whether to hold these elections now or somewhat later. But once there is no coalition, there is a possibility for the president to dissolve the parliament. But this cannot be done by bypassing legislation and the Constitution. In my opinion, the question of legitimacy is one thing. But this game with legitimacy is going on and going on. You must resolve the political problem. And this should be done in the Verkhovna Rada, not the courts.”
You have made frequent visits to Ukraine and stated that there is a need for amendments to the Constitution, which would put a stop to the political crises in Ukraine.
“Yes, in March of this year I prepared a report for PACE which said that not only should Ukraine amend the Constitution, it should also spell out in the Main Law what the president, the prime minister, and the Verkhovna Rada should do, so that finally there is a clear division of powers among these branches. In the past four years it has not been clear who is ruling. Playing against each other makes political life very complicated. I am disappointed that the draft of constitutional amendments has not been approved. I was assured in the spring that such a draft had been prepared, and all that was left to do was to vote for it in the Verkhovna Rada. But this has not been done yet.”
If Ukraine does not need early elections, what should be done to resolve the political crisis without holding them?
“I don’t know whether it is too late to prevent the elections. It is bad that the coalition cannot be restored. But I know that most MPs in both parties are eager to restore it. So I think it is bad that the president has not made any attempt to resolve this problem and restore the coalition.”
But will the political crisis be resolved by the new elections?
“It seems to me that after the early elections it will be as complicated to form a new coalition as it is now. Ukraine may lose the opportunity to approve legislation for the next six months, because forming a coalition may take that long. Then the next presidential elections will start, and this means that Ukraine will remain in a continuous election campaign for the next 18 months. I am very afraid that many things that should be done before Ukraine becomes a member of the Council of Europe won’t be completed. In particular, this concerns the judiciary reform and the division of powers between the president and the prime minister.”
So you don’t see any way out of this crisis?
“There is a way out. And I think that the forces that support the current government should get together, put their private problems and preferences aside, and think about finding a political solution. And I am convinced that the current government should come up with the solution. It may already be too late because both sides have put the other in a corner. I also think that both sides should stop abusing the judiciary system.
“But if the elections take place, they should be conducted honestly. And as a result, political leaders should come to power who are able to make compromises, regardless of whether they like their potential partner or not.”
