President proposes granting citizens right of legislative initiative

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has proposed that citizens be granted the right of legislative initiative.

"In the further work on updating the Constitution of Ukraine it's necessary to consider specifying the provisions of Section 3 'Elections. Referendums' and Section 4 'The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.' In particular, it's necessary to ensure that the people's legislative initiative is realized by submitting a clause-by-clause developed bill for consideration by the Verkhovna Rada, or putting it to a national referendum," the president wrote in his address to the Verkhovna Rada, which was published on Thursday.

It is proposed that such a bill be tabled in parliament at the request of not less than 80,000 voters. Laws passed at a nationwide referendum can be changed no earlier than in five years, or by a constitutional majority of parliament (300 MPs) of the next convocation. The Verkhovna Rada considers the bill after a presidential decree declaring a nationwide referendum on the adoption of the bill on people's initiative.

The president also proposes introducing a "people's veto" - the possibility of canceling at a national referendum any laws passed by parliament.

The law passed at the referendum takes effect like all other laws - from the date of publication.