Leonid KRAVCHUK, “The president’s initiatives were like a bolt from the blue for me”

On Friday The Day was visited by Leonid Kravchuk. As usual, the former president has quite an independent viewpoint on the political situation in this country, including the political reform proposed by the incumbent. According to the first president, the current parliament has no right to form a coalition government; yet, it would be possible to establish constructive cooperation between the parliamentary majority and the government if some majority members were offered specific cabinet and the government and Verkhovna Rada concluded a political agreement. The expansion of Verkhovna Rada’s powers in a parliamentary-presidential republic should be counterbalanced by the president’s right to dissolve parliament. This right should only be applicable, however, when parliament is unable to form a government, Mr. Kravchuk believes. The man who guided Ukraine to independence is convinced that slogans about Euro-Atlantic goals in foreign policy will remain empty demagogy until Ukraine formally applies for NATO membership by filing a document of intent. The newspaper’s guest is convinced it is time to forget about the referendum results because “implementation is becoming part of the political reform.” Is the presidentially initiated political reform timely and what are its prospects? Why does the opposition rejecting the president’s proposals? What should the political reform begin with? What is parliamentary corruption? What amounts does it involve? Why does Ukraine have so few influential mass media outlets? Does the former head of state need a special status? See Ukraine’s political patriarch’s answers in a coming issue.