Viktor Yanukovich

President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovich during first meeting of Scientific-Expert Group on establishing Constitutional Assembly in Kiev, on Monday, February 21, 2011. Opening the meeting, President of Ukraine thanked the first President of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk for initiating the Constitutional Assembly creation. He noted the broad experience of the Scientific-Expert Group members, who will be working on the establishment of the Constitutional Assembly. "Most of those present at this table have been at different times directly involved in the work on the Ukrainian Constitution as a whole, and the formation of its individual parts," President stressed, adding that this experience will be useful. The President noted that the question of constitutional reform has appeared almost immediately after the approval of the Basic Law in 1996. The Constitution has been criticized by different sides, even before it has started working, President of Ukraine said. According to President of Ukraine, now it is time to resume the process of improving the Basic Law: "Because of the transformations in the society, because of the changes that the Constitution has outlived, including the infamous alterations of December 2004, because of a critical point of view, which corresponds the requirements of the present, the work on a new Constitution should be resumed," Viktor Yanukovich said. Photo by Andrey Mosienko / POOL / UNIAN