Andrey Strizhak

Chairman of the Constitutional Court Andriy Stryzhak during the session of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, in Kyiv, on Wednesday, on May 13, 2009. The Constitutional Court declared invalid a resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on appointing of regular election of President of Ukraine for October 25. It is said in the decision of the CC on the case of constitutional submission of the President of Ukraine about constitutionality of the resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine “On Appointing of the Regular Election of the President of Ukraine” and the first part of the article 17 of the Law of Ukraine “On Election of President of Ukraine”. The decision was publicized this day. Chairman of the CC underlined that making a decision the CC came from that the fact that the Main Law provides that the term of the Presidential authorities dates from the moment when he takes an oath to people at the solemn session of the Verkhovna Rada (article 104 of Constitution). At the same time, article 103 of Constitution provides that election of the President is fixed for the last Sunday of the last month of the fifth year of the authorities of the President. In this case, the part 1 of the article 17 of the Law “On Election of President” does not correspond to present Constitution. At the same time representatives of the CC reminded that lawmakers made a decision on appointing election for October 25 on the basis of this article. At the same time there is any word in the decision of the CC about possible date of the presidential election. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine appointed regular election of the President of Ukraine for October 25, 2009 by its resolution from April 1. Photo by Sergiy Svetlitsky/UNIAN