[23.12.02]

A seminar for regional mass media was held at the beginning of the last week (15-16.12). Director of KCPSC M.Pogrebinsky was among the reporters.

He started his address with proving the necessity of implementing a political reform in Ukraine.

He went on to remind that for the time being the parliamentary majority did have 300 votes necessary to introduce changes to the Constitution.

But it might muster those 300 votes in 3-4 months (if the opposition continues losing its members at the same pace). But probably it would not happen. In that case, according to Mr. Pogrebinsky, "political reforms can be implemented as a compromise of some kind between the President and the opposition" and he stressed that "it should be a compromise acceptable for all the influential forces in the society".

The reporter expressed his opinion that the parliamentary majority could reach a compromise either with the left opposition or with V.Yuschenko's bloc. In the first case the compromise is likely to result in the parliamentary system of government, and in the second one, in the presidential-parliamentary one. "Now it is hard to say with whom it will be easer to reach a compromise - with the left or right opposition", - he noted.

Then he was asked the question: "Isn't there a threat that the political reform in Ukraine will be implemented to substantially limit the next President's authorities- in comparison with the authorities President Kuchma has" Mr. Pogrebinsky replied "I repeat that the political reform should be implemented in spring when candidates for presidency are not known yet".

When asked if there would be changes in the PA's apparatus Mr. Pogrebinsky said that everything was possible because Ukraine's management system was becoming of party type, which was quite a positive factor. "It would be desirable that the next President belong to some party," - noted M.Pogrebinsky and at that time somebody in the hall sneezed loudly and said "true". The hall filled with joy. Only the reporter remained calm.