Dissolution of the Parliament: proceedings in the Constitutional Court

Video from April 17, 2007, the first session of the Constitutional Court regarding the President's decree on the dissolution of the Verkhovna Rada: courtroom, judges, journalists on the balcony, judge on the legality of MPs' participation in the session, documents, speech by Volodymyr Shapoval, representative of the President, speeches by other participants in the process, voting, judges raising their hands, judges asking questions, parties answering.


On April 2, 2007, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko signed a decree to dissolve the Verkhovna Rada and hold early elections. The Parliament refused to comply with this decision, and 53 MPs appealed to the Constitutional Court to clarify its legitimacy.

The first hearing of the Constitutional Court in this case took place on April 17. It was attended by all 18 judges, as well as representatives of the Parliament, the Cabinet of Ministers, the President and the CEC.