You're reading: Yuschenko defends his version of constitution draft

Kyiv, September 5 (Interfax) - Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko has insisted that a draft constitution that he has proposed will help put things in order and restore the rights and freedoms of all Ukrainians.

“I said in my constitutional draft what we have to
do to have a stable and democratic country with an honestly formed
government,” Yuschenko said in an interview, part of which was
broadcast on the Inter television channel on Friday evening.

“I have been oriented toward amendments working to the benefit of the Ukrainian people,” he said.

“What Ukraine needs today is a constitution that guarantees democracy, hence, independence,” he said.

Yuschenko also spoke about Ukraine’s cooperation
with the International Monetary Fund. He said he had repeatedly drawn
the government’s attention to the need to comply with obligations
Ukraine had undertaken as part of cooperation with the IMF. He believes
IMF experts analyzing the state of affairs in Ukraine see that they
receive promises instead of actions.

“I believe that the IMF mission that is present in
Ukraine now has absolutely correct grounds, including legal ones, to
conclude that five out of the six previous agreements have not been
implemented by the Ukrainian government,” Yuschenko said.

“I have urged the government to do all it can so
that all the obligations be honored. We need to make sure at any cost
that we are not excluded from the IMF program,” he said.