Discussion on text of new Ukrainian Constitution is ill-timed - Klitschko

The discussion on the text of the new Ukrainian Constitution is ill-timed and talks on disagreements in this regard between the UDAR and Batkivschyna opposition parties are an attempt to draw away the public's attention, UDAR leader Vitali Klitschko said.
"Today the issue is going into another dimension - the dimension of a new Constitution. But today we need to resolve the issue of people standing in the street for a third month," Klitschko said on the Freedom of Speech program on the ICTV channel.
Due to the fact that a number of issues have not been resolved the degree of tension is growing in society - despite the amnesty law passed Maidan activists are in prison, activists are being subject to searches and police are covering titushki (hooligans suspected of being sponsored by the government), Klitschko said. "These are the key issues, which should be resolved first of all, and we start debates [on the Constitution]," he said.
"Today everything is done is order to draw the discussion away, and this is directed on finding disagreements in the opposition," Klitschko said.
First of all, it is necessary to return to the 2004 Constitution because this can be done quickly, and then to form technical interim government, which will reform the country, Klitschko said.
"And then there will be time to agree upon a new Constitution with all political forces, to find balance and to stipulate so that the Constitution is perfect," Klitschko said.
It has been reported that the parliamentary faction Batkivschyna had issues with presidential powers stipulated in the draft amendments to the Constitution composed by the UDAR faction.
"Batkivschyna's partners from the UDAR faction have a number of issues regarding the presidential powers, insisting on expanding them, with which we categorically disagree taking into account the stance of Maidan and the negative experience of Ukraine's contemporary history," Batkivschyna Party press office said in a statement released on February 10.