CoE Venice Commission sources to EuroFora: Kiev postponed approval of Constitution Reform to October

 

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- The most Crucial move expected to help bring Peace and Unity to a bitterly divided Ukraine, (where Military Attacks against Dissident Eastern Regions continued Destructions and Killings, even of  Family Homes and Civilian People) : i.e. the presentation for approval by CoE's PanEuropean Constitutional Law watchdog, known as "Venice Commission", of some important Constitutional Reforms, including, if not a Federalisation, at least a substantial DeCentralisation of Power, able to bridge the current differences and broker a Compromise Agreement between a contested Kiev's central Authority and pro-Autonomy Regions, backed by a recent May 11, controversial but Popular Referendum massively voted by the local Population, were, in fact, postponed, possibly for as long as next October, even if it cannot be excluded that some First steps might, eventually, start before that, said in substance to 3EuroFora" well informed Official CoE's sources.

Even if often accused to be "Separatists", nevertheless, the South-Eastern Ukraine Dissidents seem to have carefully crafted their May 11 Popular Referenda by focusing them on the Legaly Flexible term of "Autonomy", which might, in Theory, go from a Re-Unification with Russia (that several Local People obviously wished), or a proclamation of Independence, (that the Donetsk and Luhansk Regions apparently did, as a first reaction to Kiev's Deadly Power Shift of February 21, 2014), up to a "Federalisation" inside Ukraine, (that Russia officially appears to prefer, as also an experienced Russian Diplomat confirmed recently to "EuroFora", and was moreover advised, recently in Strasbourg by experienced Austrian President Fischer, as well as by the Secretary General of the "International Peace Bureau" : See INTW to "EuroFora" : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/internationalpeacebureauforfederalsolutioninukraine.html), may be even until a more or less Substantial Regional DeCentralisation, (as, f.ex., CoE's Local/Regional Democracy watchdog, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe : CLRAE's Secretary General suggested recently  to "EuroFora").

Top EU Leaders, German Chancelor Angie Merkel and French President Francois Hollande, meeting recently in Straslund (Northern Germany), have clearly expressed their wish that the planned Constitutional Reform of Ukraine, in the wider framework of an inclusive Dialogue with the Autonomists, is checked and validated by CoE's Venice Commission, whose members are independent Legal Experts, mainly University Professors and/or Top Judges from National Constitutional Courts, appointed by each one among the 47 Member States of the PanEuropean Organisation for Democracy, Human Rights and Rule of Law.

But "EuroFora" observed that, Contrary to earlier Hopes by Top CoE's Officials, (See relevant previous "EuroFora"s NewsReport, with Statements that had given us the experiencd Director of COE's Venice Commission, Thomas Markert : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/venicecomissiontocheckukraineconstitutionreformonjune.html), the Agenda for the present Venice Commission's Plenary Session, which has just started and durates 2 Days (13  - 14 June 2014), has not included not even the slightest examination of any set of Draft Constitutional Reforms which had been reportedly planned by those currently in power at Kiev, including by President-elect Petro Poroshencko, unlike from what it was earlier expected :

 

 

It only mentions a simple information about a mere Meeting which would have taken place on such issues at Kiev, already back on "May 27", (I.e. shortly after Poroshenko's election, but before  his brief but topical meeting with  Russian President Vladimir Putin at Deauville, on the 6th of June, where he reportedly found that the Ukranian politician had then "a unique Chance" to urgently broker Peace as long as he hasn't yet "no Blood on his Hands" for Civilian victims), without giving any other indication ....

Questioned by "EuroFora", CoE Venice Commission's Press Spokeswoman, Tatiana Mychelova, confirmed Today that there is No Decision to be expected from the PanEuropean body's June plenary session on any Draft Constitutional Reforms in Ukraine, given the Facts that not only this wasn't even mentioned by CoE's Agenda, but, also, that there were Not any Ukranian State's Experts (except, naturaly, of the usual Member  for Ukraine who always has a seat in Venice Commission) invited to the present meeting.

=> In consequence, CoE's Official also confirmed that, as "EuroFora" had supposed, the only real opportunity for any eventual Draft Constitutional Reform plan to be officialy adopted by COE's Venice Commission cannot, now, arrive earlier than almost 5 Months later, during the PanEuropean body's Next Plenary Sezssion, scheduled for October.

+ However, replying also to another "EuroFora"s relevant Question, Venice Commission's Press Spokeswoman agreed that, indeed, "we (CoE) have also another procedure" which practically allows for "Urgent" matters, to accept an eventual Demand by any Member State to Start examining its Draft Constitutional Amendments even at any moment "between" two Plenary Sessions, so that, in a Shorter period of Time, f.ex. in 2 Months, Commission's Legal Experts may give a "Draft" Reply with their observations and/or suggestions.

- But this would be only a "Draft" Report, which, according to CoE's Rules, couldn't become officially  "Adopted" before it is discussed and Voted in the Next Plenary Session, scheduled for October, she clearly underlined.

+ Moreover, for this "Urgent" procedure to have a real Chance to work properly up to final conclusions, it would be better for the requesting Ukranian Authorities to present "More Comprehensive Amendments" to the Constitution, CoE's Official added, in cohesion with what the experienced Venice Commission's Director, Thomas Markert, had already highlighted in his earlier encounter at the CoE with "EuroFora", already back on May 19, (Comp.: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/venicecomissiontocheckukraineconstitutionreformonjune.html).

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In this regard, speaking earlier at an OSCE's meeting about Ukraine, at its HeadQuarters in Vienna, Austria, the Permanent Representative of Russia, Ambassador Andrei Kelin, had reportedly denounced, already the fact that some Draft Amendments to the Ukranian Constitution had been reportedly withdrawn from CoE's Venice Commission's examination, asking to know which were the real Reasons behind this unexpected, last minute, Delay, which, (in his view), risked to give the impression that this kind of Constitutional Reform, in the form in which it is planned until today, "does not have enough Support", as he said, pointing a notoriously Crucial Key for an eventual Compromise and Peace.

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On the contrary, Kiev's Military has just "launched" some Days earlier an Armed Attack aiming too Cut off Dissident Luhansk area's road-links to neighbouring Russia, and tightly "Close" Ukranian External Borders not only with Guards but also with the Army, stopping the usual situation which existed for years, as well as Dissidents' alleged attempts to keep a road for Supplies, (while even Fuel, Electricity, Food and Water, etc. have notoriously been  more or less Damaged recently by Kiev's Military Bombardments and Air-Strikes, provoking everyday hardships to the Local Population), in addition to an elementary and apparently Urgently needed Humanitarian Corridor from which more than 100.000 Refugee People were already obliged to cross over to Russia, seeking for Protection from Kiev Military's persisting Violent Attacks against Inhabited Areas, destroying even Family Homes, Factories, Civilian Administrations, etc., and Killing many defenseless and unarmed Civilians, including several Women, Aged People, Children, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7UQgNMyhCc
 

 

For that purpose, several Kiev's Media heavily pin-pointed at an alleged presence near the border-line area of a few armoured vehicles of the Lugansk/Luhansk autonomists, that only Anglo-Canadian Media "Reuters" reported to have simply seen parked at a nearby Village. To which Russian Media reacted by denouncing also the allegedly "illegal" presence of a Kiev Military's Tank more than 100 m. inside the Russian Territory, that Kiev's Army vainly attempted to recuperate by sending even more Soldiers later-on, in what notoriously is a traditionaly porous borderline area which used less to separate than rather to link together two long-time Friendly Neighbouring Countries, which, moreover, in an over-Millenary Past, were united together, (before February 21, 2014 unidentified yet Deadly "Snipers" at Kiev stirr a Violent Conflict by curiously killing both Policemen and Demonstrators, resulting in a provoked and tragically deepening Division among various ethnic and geo-political segments of the populations living inside now-a-days Ukraine, who are tragically trapped in an opposition unfortunately deepening during the latest Kiev's Destructive and Deadly Military Attacks even against unarmed Civilian Homes and People: Comp. Supra).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These unclear Border incidents were suddenly reported by Kiev's Military, and Diverted Attention only Hours after Poroshenko took sides in favor of a Public outcry in strongly Denouncing a Kiev Court's controversial ruling to Free a convicted Murderer, former MP of the Julia Timoshenko blok, V. Lozinksyi, who had been initially sentenced to 15 Years of Prison on 2011-2012, after being found responsible of the Brutal Manhunt and Killing by Gun-Shots of a Poor Citizen  from Kirovograd, (a South-Easten region in the middle of the mainly Russian-speaking regions of Odessa, at its Southern side, and of Dipnopetrovsk, adjacent to Donetsk, at its Eastern side), during a luxurius "Hunting-Party", together with former local Prosecutor and Police Chiefs, (also dismissed and convicted as accomplices to that Manhunt and Murder).

- "It is impossible to imagine the brighter example in the Negative meaning that would demonstrate the Critical condition of the Judicial system : Lozinskyi is its eloquent diagnosis". Indeed, "Judicial reform Today is one of the Priorities", Poroshenko had just declared on this incident, urging the Government to "Accelerate" a long-awaited Change, only a few Hours before the Attention of the Public is Diverted far away the above-mentioned, confusing Lozynskyi scandal and the need to Reform Ukraine's Courts, (See Above), but towards an Ukranian - Russian Border controversy (Comp. Supra).

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Several International a.o. observers noted the Strange Fact that, since the May 25 Vote, organized by Kiev's current rulers throughout all Ukraine except mainly of the Dissident Lugansk and Luhansk regions, which resulted in a fast-track Presidential Election of Poroshenko from the 1st round, where he clearly distanced by far 2 other Candidates, after an initially 3rd one had been reportedly obliged to give up even beforehand, curiously, some have "Intensified" Military Attacks against Dissidents' Eastern areas, at least up to his Official Inauguration, on June 7, after which, various Controversial signs apparently emerged, making most analysts Hesitate, until now, between an hypothesis that some others might have attempted to slyly Undermine with various Provocations the New President-elect's "Chance" to broker a much needed Peace Agreement through Democratic and Inclusive Dialogue among all Ukranian People, (as both President Putin and Chancelor Merkel had earlier wished him, together with other EU Leaders, OSCE's Chairman, Swiss President Burkhalter etc), or, that things might be, at least until Today, rather more "Grey" than certain People had hoped...

Indeed, among many other Concrete Examples, it's, precisely after May 25, that apparently started to appear such an Unprecedented Worsening of Kiev's Military Attacks against even Civilian People at the Dissident Eastern areas, as, f.ex., a long series of FACTS reportedly reveals :
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- Immediately after the May 25 Election at the rest of Ukraine, after the seizure of Donetsk's Civil Airport by Kiev's Military, using Army Airplanes, Helicopters, Heavy Weapons, etc., and local inhabitants' vain attempt to take it back, on May 26, in addition to more than 50 persons Killed among the Dissidents' milicia, even a Woman was Killed at a Bus Stop by an Artillery's Shell, an unarmed Man was killed near a Hospital for Children after an Explosion, and 6 more Civilian People were reportedly Wounded, (including a Child aged only 7, who was at its Family Home)... 

- On June 2, during Kiev's Military AirPlanes' Attacks, a Deadly Explosion was provoked, (either from a direct hostile Bombing, or from a defensive shell allegedly fallen back), which Killed atrociously at least seven (7) Civilians, of whom 4 defenseless Women, one with her Hand Cut off, (including the so-called "Minister" of Health of "Donetsk Republic", Nataliya Arkhipova), and Seriously Wounded Many more, (including at least 2 more Women, one of them having her Leg Cut off), and Destroyed a large part of the Regional Civil Administration's Headquarter Offices.

- On June 3, Artillery Shelling by Kiev's Military infliged Mortal Wounds to the Chief Surgeon at the Hospital of a Village (Krasnyi Liman) near SLovyansk, who Died later-on, while the Local Hospital was almost Destroyed, and all its Patients obliged to be immediately evacuated to the streets, while at least 2 more Civilians were Killed.

- On June 10, two Children were reportedly Killed after Kiev's Military Shelling against inhabited areas of Slovyansk, (a Boy aged 12, and a Girl aged only 6, according to Donetsk's Regional Administratio Spokesman, Ilya Suzdalev.

- On June 11, Kiev's Heathcare Minister Oleh Musiy, reportedly admitted that at least "14 Children" had been Killed in the Dissident areas, since the Ukranian Military Attacks had started and intensified against Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

+ On June 5, it was anounced that another Russian Journalist, of TV Kuibishev, previously Detained by Kiev's Military between Slovyansk and Kramatorsk, and afterwards gone "MISSING", seems to have been "Murdered", and, therefore, a Criminal Investigation was opened on thet particular incident, in order to find and punish the Murderers.

+ This closely follows also the notorious Killing, under Mortar Fire by Kiev's Military, of Italian Journalist Andrea Rochelli, and his aide, Russian Interpreter Anrey Mironov, right at the Eve of the May 25 Presidential Election of Poroshenko, near Slovyansk. Another, French Photo-Journalist, was seriously Wounded, and obliged to flee out of Ukraine, back to France.

 - On June 6, two more Russian Journalists, of TV Zvezda, were reportedly Arrested overNight and Detained by Kiev's Military, near Slovyansk, after which, they were allegedly Ill-Treated, before being Expulsed out of Ukraine 3 Days later, on June 9.
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- It's mainly since May 30 that many Civilian Buildings have started to be Destroyed, mainly by Kiev's Military Airplane Strikes and/or Missiles, (including many Family Homes, Hospitals, Schools and Kindergartens, Factories, Civilian Administration Offices, etc), including, particularly, many several Family Homes near Sloyansk, and at the Center of the City, even on June 7, June 10, etc..

- From June 3, People living at Slavyansk, Kramatorsk and other 2 Cities at Donetsk's region, are being Deprived of Access to running Water, because the supplying Network was Broken by Kiev's Military Attacks, while even at the Northern part of Donetsk, Water supply has been too Often Interrupted and under increasing Threats. - Thus, f.ex. on June 6, it was anounced that Airplane Strikes and Massive Artillery Shelling by Kiev's Military on June 3 and 4 had Damaged SLovyansk's and Kramatorsk's central Water Supply systems, as well as in several Neighbouring Villages. Street Distribution of Plastic Bottles of Drinking Water to a growing number of People in need, is often seen until these days (f.ex. on June 11, etc).

+ This was added recently to Cuts even of Electricity, since earlier May, also at the Front-line of Kiev's Military Attacks at Sloyansk, where Dozens of Electrical Stations Stopped working, while Donetsk Region's Electricity Company's Repair Teams, are still Hindered Today (until May 13, included) to Access and Restore the Destroyed parts of the supply Network, because of the on-going Kiev Military's aggressions all around that area. + Moreover, on the 6th of June there was "No Electrcity in the Majority of Districts" at Slovyansk, after Heavy Fire from Kiev Army's armored vehicles, the City's Spokeswoman reportedly denounced.

- Since May 26, at least 2 more Hospitals (including one for Children) had to Close, because of various Negative Consequences of Kiev Army's Military Occupation of Donetsk Airport.

- This same Military Occupation by Kiev's Army of Donetsk's Civilian Airport since the End of May, also, reportedly Blocked most Supplies of much needed Medical Drugs for Health care in the Dissident areas. Lack particularly of Pain-killers, Anti-Biotics, Vaccines, etc, and other Medicines, is added even to ... Food supplies' Shortage in Hospitals, where they are Lowering dangerously.

+ Since Kiev's Military Attacks, particularly around Slovyansk City, are more and more Intensifying recently, Access to Medical Care has been seriously affected, with Most Difficulties affecting Slovyansk, where Hospitals are Overloaded, at least one Hospital was Evacuated elsewhere, and all Urgent, Emergency Health care services were Transfered to Other 2 Villages, away from the embattled City.

+ On June 3, Artillery Shelling of a Village near Slovyansk almost Destroyed the Local Hospital, obliged all Patients to be thrown out in the Streets, and Fataly Wounded its Chief Surgeon, who Died shortly afterwards.-

 On June 11, Kiev's Healthcare Minister, Oleh Musiy, acknowledged the fact that, due mainly to the still on-going Ukranian Military Attacks against the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, at least "10 Hospitals" were "completely Out of order or Unable to operate normaly", in addition to "Problems with Ambulances", which "lack Car Fuel".
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- Since May 30, it was anounced that in Kramatorsk, after Ukranian State's Treasury stoped working, Thousands of Aged Pensioners and Local Administrations' Workers (including in Education and/or Health care), were suddenly Deprived of all their Means of Subsistance, and the Ukranian State's Debt to those People of that Dissident area, already grew Higher than + 60 Millions UAH.

+ In addition, since May 29, it was revealed that some 60% of Industrial Businesses had been Forced to Suspend their functioning throughout the Dissident areas of Donetsk and Luhansk, abandoning several Thousands of Workers without any Salary, until now.

- More than 2 Schools were more or less Destroyed after May 28 at Sloviansk, where Children's Attendance has fell down to only 25%, (and that frontal, notoriously embattled City, surrounded by Kiev's Military and other attacking Armed Groups, is included among 4 Dissident Cities where more than 60 Schools and 45 Kindergardens have already Stopped functioning, affecting more than 5.500 Children and almost 22.000 Students).

=> Since an reported Intensification of Kiev's Military Attacks from May 30, Families rushed to search how to Evacuate their Children in Safer areas, as, f.ex., at Crimea, where a Group of Children was allegedly send, to which were shortly afterwards added another 150 Children from embattled Slovyansk to a Crimean Summer Holiday Camp, while other reports mention also more than 20 Children crossing to Russia by foot accross the Border, on May 31.

+ According to Russian Authorities, a Refugees' Flow from the Dissident Eastern Ukranian regions, sharply increased during June, often reaching more than 1 Thousand Displaced Persons per Day, (in Total more than 12 Thousands on June 5 to 6, and almost "30 Thousands" on June 10 !), and including several Hundreds of Children, (needs to be confirmed more precisely). Slovyansk City's Spokeswoman, Stella Khorosheva, reportedly denounced, moreover, that on June 8, when another Group of Refugees, including a Bus full of Children, was going to leave, suddenly, Broken Tree Branches hit by Kiev Army's Shelling, started to fall over the Heads of the Kids, who had to lie dow=n in order to be saved from dangers to be wounded. American "AP" Media also speak about more than 10.000 Refugees on June 10, while, in fact, President Poroshenko's positive promise for Humanitarian Corridors still remains to be concretely hammered out in real practice, in order to become acceptable from both sides of this protracted and more and more deadly conflict.

(etc+)...

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3 Days ago (on 10 June 2014) Poroshenko had anounced that he had "instructed" the relevant Kiev's Authorities (still controlled by those who seized Power thanks to the 21 February 2014 non-elucidated yet Deadly Clashes at Kiev, which topled the formerly elected President Yanukovich and Nullified a Peace Plan which had just been Agreed and Signed with all 3 Heads of the former Opposition, under the auspices of 3 EU Foreign Ministers from Germany, France and Poland), "to establish an (i.e. only "1" ?) Escape Corridor for Civilians willing to move" out of the Dissident Regions still under Attack with Heavy Weapons and surrounded by Road-Blocks of Kiev's Military since April. But this unique "Escape Corridor" didn't really seem to start providing yet any real and safe Humanitarian freedom of movement for Unarmed People, as most Donetsk/Luhansk Dissident areas' population complained. While, observers also noted that it included only "Mobile (sic) units" for "Drinking Water" to the Dissident areas' "Civilian Population", under heavy Kiev's Military monitoring, without any mention of the slightest promise at all to at least help urgently Repair the Damaged permanent Water Distribution Network which serves all Family Homes, Industry and Food Production/Distribution, Civil Administration, Health Care/Hospitals, etc. for all the InHabitants of the Regions under Kiev's Military Attacks, whose Deadly Air-Strikes had reportedly Destroyed the fixed Drinking Water pipelines...

 

 

 

Last Sunday, on June 8, Poroshenko had optimistically declared that - "We must Cease Fire This Week". But, while the Next Week-end arrives Tomorow, Day and Night Air-Strikes, Bombs, and/or Mortar explosive hits by Kiev's Military even against Civilians, reportedly persist, without any clear view out of a Dangerous Vicious Circle of Destructions and Violence, apparently serving other interests, neither those of all Ukranian or Russian People, nor of all Europe....