The deputies refuse to adopt a novella Valadimer Selensky to the electoral law. The President of Parliament also accuses him of a constitutional violation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj has suffered the first setbacks shortly after taking office. In a special session of the parliament, which was actually dissolved, the president wanted to reach an amendment to the electoral law for the early election on 21 July. However, the MEPs rejected a vote on the legislative initiative. In addition, parliamentary leader Andrej Parubij accused the president of having violated the Constitution with the dissolution of the Verkhovna Rada.
Selenskyj had announced immediately after his swearing-in as president on Monday the dissolution of the Verkhovna Rada and then decreed the following day. In the parliament, the camp of his predecessor Petro Poroshenko so far had a majority. Selenskyj hopes after his clear victory in the presidential election even with a quick parliamentary election on a success.
In Moscow, after Selensky’s meeting with US officials, there were allegations that Washington was dictating politics in Kiev. Selenskyj had asked the guests from Washington for help against the „Russian aggression“. He also demanded even harsher sanctions of the West against Russia.
Controversial personnel decision
According to the Interfax agency, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there were no signs of a possible normalization of relations between Moscow and Kiev. „We are waiting for these steps,“ Peskov said. Russia is particularly bothered by a new language law in Ukraine, which discriminates against the Russian-speaking population in the former Soviet republic.
In Ukraine, a personal decision of the new president triggered protests. Selenskyj had announced on Tuesday evening that he wants to make his campaign advisor Andri Bogdan his chief of staff. He is the lawyer of the controversial oligarch Igor Kolomoiski – and had already worked for the ousted President Viktor Yanukovych. Deputy Yegor Soboliev, otherwise a supporter of Selensky, accused the new president of violating existing law.
After all, people like Bogdan who once worked under ex-President Yanukovich, who is loyal to the Kremlin, are now excluded from a number of top political posts in Ukraine.
