Ukrainian lustration law unconstitutional - prosecutor general

The lustration law passed by the Verkhovna Rada complies neither with the Ukrainian Constitution, nor international law, its enactment will entail negative consequences, said Vitaliy Yarema, the country's prosecutor general.

"As regards lustration, I have (expressed) my point of view, and not only mine but also that of the legal experts working at the Prosecutor General's office who sent the relevant letter to the presidential administration. We have expressed our position over this matter: the law passed by Verkhovna Rada today and signed by Rada chairman… many of its clauses do not comply with the Ukrainian Constitution, nor the requirements of international laws," he told a press conference in Kyiv on Tuesday.

It was reported that on September 16, the Verkhovna Rada made a third attempt and passed the lustration law. Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk said the law covers around one million people. The whole vertical of the Ukrainian government falls under this law, said the head of government.

On September 25, Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko said at a press conference in Kyiv that he had yet to see the final version of the lustration bill and urged public representatives to study the bill within ten days and make proposals over what the Ukrainian president should do. At the same time, he said he intended to sign it in the very near future.

At the same time, Yatseniuk and Rada Speaker Oleksandr Turchynov called for the bill to be signed and implemented.