Dear compatriots!

On July, 19, our political force came forward with the initiative of conducting on September, 30, 2007 the All-Ukrainian referendum regarding new Constitution of Ukraine. We are convinced that only approval of the new Basic Act will make possible to do away with chaos and anarchy in the country, will make our state democratic, legal and strong.

We suggest to put 9 issues to referendum, including issue regarding form of the rule in Ukraine, national electing of judges, abolition of inviolability for management of the state, judges and deputies, strengthening of fight against corruption etc.

We consider that not politicians, but people must write Constitution of Ukraine; people as the unique source of power have all legal rights for this. Only people have the right to determine and change constitutional system in Ukraine, and this right can not be usurped by the state, its organs or public officials.

To halt existing legal chaos and actual diarchy in the country is possible only by changing Basic Law – Constitution of Ukraine.

In accordance with part 2,article 72 of the Constitutions of Ukraine, an all-Ukrainian referendum is proclaimed after the initiative of people on request of not less than three million citizens of Ukraine, who have the right to vote, on condition that signatures for conducting of the referendum are collected in not less than two thirds of areas and not less than one hundred thousand signatures in each area.

With the purpose of executing of the constitutional rights and operating on the appeal of our political force regarding the necessity of conducting of all-Ukrainian referendum as per people’s initiative, 771 meetings of citizens of Ukraine were conducted during the last month. Almost half a million of citizens took part in these meetings.

Meetings of citizens of Ukraine were held in all regions of Ukraine without an exception and almost in every administrative district of Ukraine.

It is an unprecedented case in the modern history of Ukraine, when so many people supported the appeal of political force.

After holding meetings of citizens of Ukraine, where initiative groups were formed, in accordance with the current legislation of Ukraine, documents were given to the chairmen of the proper counsels of deputies. Chairmen of counsel were obliged within 10 days to check up legality of holding meetings of citizens, correctness of documents processing, and, in case of accordance of these documents to the law, to submit application regarding initiative groups of all-Ukrainian referendum to the Central Election Committee.

As of August, 16, 2007, 526 applications of chairmen of the corresponding counsels were submitted to the Central Election Committee. More applications will be submitted.

In accordance with part 6 of clause 17 of the Law of Ukraine “About an all-Ukrainian and local referendum”, Central Election Committee within 15 days term shall register the initiative group of all-Ukrainian referendum, then within three-day term shall issue to the initiative group of all-Ukrainian referendum certificate about registration and certificates of members of initiative group according to the established form.

Today, on August, 17, 2007, 15-days term runs out, when CEC should start the procedure of registration of initiative groups regarding all-Ukrainian referendum.

Thus, the next stage of constitutional reform which was proclaimed by Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko begins from today.

In accordance with the article 74 of the Constitutions of Ukraine, referendum is not allowed in relation to bills on taxes issues, budget and amnesty, but pursuant to the article 157, Constitution of Ukraine can not be changed, if such changes foresee abolition or limitation of rights and freedoms of a man and citizen, or if they are directed at liquidation of independence or violate territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Formulations of questions which it are suggested to be put to all-Ukrainian referendum were discussed on meetings of citizens of Ukraine and ratified. Questions which citizens of Ukraine suggest to put to all-Ukrainian referendum, do not contradict Constitution of Ukraine and Law of Ukraine “About all-Ukrainian and local referendum”, with article 3 of which it is directly foreseen, that decision-making, which determine basic content of Constitution of Ukraine, laws of Ukraine and other legal acts may be subjects of all-Ukrainian referendum.

Taking that into account, we consider that Central Election Committee can not hinder conducting of all-Ukrainian referendum after people’s initiative or censor the questions which people would like to put to all-Ukrainian referendum.

In addition, it would be desirable to appeal to leaders of Party of Regions, Communist and Socialistic parties of Ukraine, which delegated their representatives to CEC. The moment of truth comes today for you. As just today it will become clear, whether you really take care of interests of people, overcoming chaos and getting things put in order in the state, or you take care of folk and state interests only by words - in your TV-ads and on big-boards.

I am calling upon you to support conducting of all-Ukrainian constitutional referendum. And at the same time I would like tom prevent you from making such decision, which will result in what you tomorrow will call “BYUT PR”, as it already was during registration of our bloc. We do not need such “PR”. We require only securing of inalienable right of people for conducting the referendum.

Yulia Tymoshenko
August, 17, 2007