Constitutional Commission established

KYIV – President Petro Poroshenko on March 3 signed a decree establishing a Constitutional Commission that will submit proposals on constitutional reform. According to the decree, the chairman of Parliament will head the commission. The decree proposes that parliamentary factions, the Cabinet of Ministers, higher specialized courts, the Council of Judges of Ukraine, local-self government associations, the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Legal Studies, higher legal educational institutions, civil society law organizations and relevant international organizations submit proposals for candidates for membership in the commission by March 12. “I have no doubt that the decision to enhance the judicial power and its independence, the decision on anti-corruption steps must be accompanied by a very important component – local government reform and decentralization reform …We must preserve the unity and integrity of Ukraine. We should leave no chances to those who wanted …so-called federalization, which is in fact the split of Ukraine,” Mr. Poroshenko stated. (Ukrainian Canadian Congress)