The opposition is planning to demand the cancelation of the law on national referendums and, if the Verkhovna Rada does not take such a decision, it will appeal to the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, Deputy Parliament Speaker Mykola Tomenko has said.

"We will challenge this decision, and we will register a resolution to cancel the decision," he said at an evening plenary session of parliament on Tuesday.

Tomenko noted that the adoption of the law on the national referendums means that after the parliamentary elections the Constitutional Assembly will prepare a draft of amendments to the constitution and submit a new version of the constitution to a referendum.

He predicted that such a referendum could propose considering a provision under which presidential elections in Ukraine will be held in parliament.

According to Tomenko, under the law, the parliament cannot even discuss the results of a nationwide referendum.

"Do you want that right, which is envisaged by the constitution to be taken away from parliament?" he said.

As reported, on Tuesday, November 6, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the law on a nationwide referendum.

The law states that a nationwide referendum could be held regarding the approval of new wording of the Constitution of Ukraine, the introduction of amendments to it, as well as the cancellation or invalidation of laws introducing constitutional amendments.

A referendum could also be held on the issue of a change in Ukrainian territory.

The law defines the legal principles, organization and procedure of the holding of a national referendum. In particular, it specifies that the subject of the referendum could be any issues other than those with respect to which a referendum is not allowed under the constitution.

According to the law, several issues on the same subject could be put up for a national referendum.

The law stipulates that the Ukrainian president announces a nationwide referendum on a popular initiative if it is initiated in line with the requirements of the constitution and laws regarding the organization and mechanism for holding a Ukrainian referendum on a popular initiative.

A nationwide referendum is called and announced by the president and the Verkhovna Rada.

According to the law, the results of the people's will expressed at a national referendum are binding.

A nationwide referendum is initiated by the Ukrainian people and the parliament in the cases and manner prescribed by the constitution and laws.

It is proposed to establish that a nationwide referendum is announced on a popular initiative at the request of at least three million people in Ukraine who have the right to vote, provided that the signatures for such a referendum are collected in at least two-thirds of regions in Ukraine and that at least 100,000 signatures are collected in each region.