KYIV. Feb 17 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada lacks the authority to recognize a Constitutional Court ruling incorrect, leader of the Party of regions Oleksandr Yefremov said.
"It is impossible to change the Constitution today by acknowledging that the ruling of the Constitutional Court is wrong, because, according to the Constitution, the Verkhovna Rada does not have the authority to recognize a Constitutional Court ruling to be wrong, it does not have such authority. The Verkhovna Rada does not have the right to pass laws, which are outside the realm of management work. This is stipulated in a relevant article of the Constitution," Yefremov said at a briefing on Monday.
The Constitutional Court has the task to acknowledge the legitimacy of the 2004 Constitution, Yefremov said.
"The Constitutional Court has made a clear ruling that the 2004 Constitution was passed by violating procedures," Yefremov said.
"Our colleagues in the opposition think for some reason that they can return the Constitution and can form the authorities of the state by getting relevant authorities from voters. I am asking a question - why…? Were you elected to the parliament under the 1996 Constitution? If you want to form the government under the 2004 Constitution, which you are trying to restore in an unlawful way, then what legal grounds could you have for this?" Yefremov said.