In place of isolated cases of individual people's deputies being included in the coalition of deputy factions, which occurred during the formation of the Anti-Crisis Coalition in July 2006, a practice of mass replenishment of its composition on the basis of individual or group membership has emerged.

Such a practice is a gross violation of Article 83 of the Constitution of Ukraine, which provides for the formation of a coalition of deputy factions in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine based on the results of elections and on the basis of agreement of political positions exclusively by deputy factions.

Violation of constitutional norms regarding the formation of a coalition of deputy factions in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine distorts the results of the people's will as expressed in accordance with Article 69 of the Constitution of Ukraine through the elections of people's deputies of Ukraine in March 2006, constitutes disregard for the constitutional electoral rights of citizens of Ukraine, and leads to ignoring the constitutional principle of popular sovereignty enshrined in parts two and three of Article 5 of the Fundamental Law of Ukraine.

Such a development of events is a real prerequisite for the usurpation of power in Ukraine, which is prohibited by part four of Article 5 of the Constitution of Ukraine. It also threatens national security, causes destabilization of the political situation in the state, and creates a potential danger to state sovereignty.

In accordance with part two of Article 102 of the Constitution of Ukraine, the President of Ukraine is the guarantor of state sovereignty, territorial integrity of Ukraine, observance of the Constitution of Ukraine, and the rights and freedoms of man and citizen.

Such a constitutional status of the President of Ukraine obliges him to take measures to stop violations of the Constitution of Ukraine and the rights of citizens, and to prevent threats to state sovereignty and the territorial integrity of the state.

From this, in particular, follows the obligation to prematurely terminate the powers of parliament in the event of its violation of the Fundamental Law of Ukraine, if there are no other safeguards against gross violations of the Constitution of Ukraine by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

Taking into account the foregoing and guided by parts two through four of Article 5, part two of Article 77, part six of Article 83, paragraphs 1 and 7 of part one, and part three of Article 106 of the Constitution of Ukraine, in fulfillment of part two of Article 102 of the Constitution of Ukraine, I decree:

1. To prematurely terminate the powers of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the fifth convocation.

2. To propose that the people's deputies of Ukraine continue to exercise their powers that are not directly related to the powers of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

3. To schedule early elections to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Sunday, May 27, 2007.

4. The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine shall ensure financing of the early elections to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

5. The Central Election Commission shall ensure the holding of early elections to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in accordance with the Constitution of Ukraine, the Law of Ukraine "On Elections of People's Deputies of Ukraine," and other laws of Ukraine.

6. This Decree shall enter into force on the day of its official publication.

President of Ukraine Viktor YUSHCHENKO April 2, 2007