Feb. 21, 2006 , the PORA-PRP civic bloc has approved the text of an agreement to create a coalition of democratic forces including PORA-PRP , NS -NU, BYT, SPU and Kostenko-Pliushch bloc (KPB).

PORA-PRP has stressed the importance of a public signing of the coalition by all its members tomorrow and has urged Pres. Yushchenko to be present at the signing ceremony.

PORA-PRP believes in the dedication of all members of the coalition and is confident that private interests of certain politicians will not stand in the way of forming the coalition.

Supplement:

DRAFT AGREEMENT

on creating a coalition of democratic forces

 Being concerned with the future of Ukraine, protection of the country’s sovereignty, human rights and liberties, strengthening of democracy, implementation of a transparent policy, and maintenance of equitable dialog between society and the authorities;

being loyal to the ideals of Maidan;

being aware of our common responsibility to ensure the implementation of Pres. Yushchenko’s agenda around which we had rallied during the presidential election campaign;

we, the representatives of political parties and blocs and signatories to this agreement, declare the creation of the coalition of democratic forces.  

Members of the coalition have agreed on its basic principles and goals.

1. Goals of the coalition of democratic forces

-          based on this coalition, to form a coalition of democratic factions in Verkhovna Rada to create a parliamentary majority,

-          to form the cabinet and central executive bodies in consultations with the president of Ukraine ,

-          to coordinate the appointment and dismissal of officials subject to appointment or dismissal by VR, the cabinet and local administrations,

-          to undertake joint efforts in defining domestic and foreign policy,

-          to ensure preparation, endorsement and implementation of coordinated action plan for the cabinet,  

-          to coordinate activities of blocs and parties in oblast, rayon and city councils,  

-          coordination of proposals on basic state budget indicators,

-          to ensure the unity, coordination and cooperation of activities involving the president, VR and the cabinet,

      -  to coordinate the new cabinet’s action plan by the    parliamentary majority, government and the president of Ukraine .  

II. Basic principles and aims of the coalition

2.1.  To continue work aimed at fostering and further improvement of political reform. To implement new changes in the Constitution aimed at strengthening local self-government, prevention of the federalization of Ukraine, judicial reform, approval of such new laws to ensure legal support for the Constitution as the laws on the cabinet, on the president, on central executive, on by-laws, on VR procedures.

2.2.  To implement administrative and territorial reform in Ukraine which, among other things, will vest local governments with additional executive powers. 

2.3. Real enforcement of the rights envisaged in Chapter 1 (Basic Principles) and Chapter II (Rights, Freedoms and Duties of the Citizens of Ukraine) of the Constitution of Ukraine.

2.4. To abrogate prosecution’s general oversight and reform  law-enforcement bodies. 

2.5.  To define and enforce appropriate social standards and implement socially-targeted domestic policy.

2.6.  To support Ukrainian producers, free market economy development and large-scale participation of Ukraine in international trade.  

2.7.  To ensure Ukraine ’s strategic course toward integration with Europe and stable good-neighborly relations with Russia and other neighbors of Ukraine .

III. Commitments of members of the coalition

3.1. Members of the coalition are aware of the extreme importance of the problem of corruption in Ukraine and voice their common commitment to curb graft. They stand for the separation of business and politics based on a clear and legal framework, and demand that all candidates for high-ranking official positions declare their incomes and expenses as well as incomes and expenses of their families.

3.2. Members of the coalition undertake a commitment to implement, after the formation of a new government, pension reform, specifically, to do away with the leveling of pensions, to raise pensions to guaranty appropriate living standards, and to raise student scholarships to the subsistence level. 

 3.3. Members of the coalition pledge to realize a priority program to restore the effective and affordable health care system as well as to raise wages of health-care personnel and increase funding for this sector.

3.4.Members of the coalition are determined to enforce an effective and accessible school education, raise wages to teachers and scientists to adequate levels.  

3.5. Members of the coalition voice their readiness to bring to account, in line with the existing legislation, those who falsified the 2004 election results, harassed opposition politicians, persecuted and repressed journalists, and were implicated in actions fuelling separatism.   

3.6.Members of the coalition demand that the crimes of the former regime be investigated by the prosecution and law-enforcement, and an open trial to establish and punish the killers and contractors of journalist Gongadze’s murder be held.  

3.7.  Members of the coalition voice their concerns with the grave crisis on Ukraine ’s gas market and insist on its fast-track solution by the new government.

3.8. Members of the coalition believe that efforts must be stepped up to fight the contraband of goods, modernize and simplify the regulatory policy, carry out a tax reform, implement a reform of the housing and utilities sector as well as ensure an investment-friendly environment in Ukraine.  

3.9.Members of the coalition undertake the responsibility to approve a balanced and socially-targeted state budget and to ensure stable trends in increasing payments to new mothers and infants, Chornobyl relief workers, war veterans and war invalids.  

3.10. Members of the coalition pledge to cancel immunity from prosecution for local council deputies and propose changes in the Constitution bringing Verkhovna Rada lawmakers immunity issue in line with EU standards.

 3.11. Members of the coalition pledge to renationalize those strategic Ukrainian enterprises which have been illegally privatized, and auction them off via transparent tenders, simultaneously, bringing to justice those officials guilty of embezzling state property. 

3.12. Members of the coalition undertake not to enter in negotiations with any other political party.

3.13.Our major concern in the ongoing parliamentary elections campaign is to ensure that voting is transparent and honest. Members of the coalition must coordinate actions of their representatives on electoral commissions to eradicate vote-rigging. Members of the coalition should have no grounds to question the integrity of their partners. They pledge not to use the administrative resource or resort to foul play in any form.

IV.  Creation and functioning of the coalition 

 4.1. The coalition is created in line with the decisions of its members having the appropriate authority. In the run-up to the elections the coalition is made up of parties and blocs taking part in parliamentary elections. After the elections, the coalition will be made up of respective parliamentary factions to be created by coalition parties and blocs. 

 4.2. Coalition’s ruling bodies: 

4.2.1. Political Board of the coalition is its supreme ruling body and includes two representatives from every member of the coalition. The board’s decisions are subject to a consensus. Every board session shall be presided by a representative of another member.  

.2.2. Pursuant to a decision by the Political Board, other ruling bodies and structure of the coalition may be created, parliamentary, governmental, regional, etc.

4.2.3. Cabinet decrees and decisions must be approved by the majority of ministers in compliance with the decisions of the Political Board and the spirit of this agreement.   

4.4 Members of the coalition declare their refusal from any backroom deals on the distribution of portfolios. The right of member parties to claim certain positions in the government will depend on every party’s election tally. The distribution of portfolios will be done in turn by members of the coalition. Before the elections, the distribution of positions is not subject to discussion.

4.5. A member party or bloc with the highest tally will nominate its candidate for premier. Other members of the coalition do not have the right to veto the nomination for premier as well as other nominations.  

4.6. The coalition is open to other political parties sharing the coalition’s principles and goals and having factions in the future Ukrainian legislature.

The principles and goals proclaimed by this agreement are guaranteed by the President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko who will sign this agreement with leaders of other member  parties and blocs.  

Signatories to the agreement:

Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc

Our Ukraine Bloc

Socialist Party of Ukraine

PORA-PRP Bloc

Kostenko-Pliushch Bloc