The Constitution outlines the structure of the national government and specifies its powers and duties. Under the Constitution the powers of the government are divided into three branches — the legislative which consists of the Verkhovna Rada, the executive, headed by the President, and the judicial, which is led by the Supreme Court.

The Parliament — the Verkhovna Rada is the only body of the legislative power in Ukraine. There are 450 people’s deputies who are elected for a term of four years on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot. The Verkhovna Rada’s main funсtion is making laws. Law drafting work is performed by its Committees. The Verkhovna Rada adopts the State Budget for the period from January 1 to December 31 and controls the execution of it. The monetary unit of Ukraine is the Hryvnia.

The President of Ukraine is the head of the state and speaks on behalf of it. He is elected directly by the voters for a term of five years with no more than two full terms.

The highest body of the executive power is the Cabinet of Ministers. It is responsible to the President and is accountable to the Verkhovna Rada. It carries out domestic and foreign policy of the State, the fulfilment of the Constitution, as well as the acts of the President, develops and fulfils national program on the economic, scientific and technological, social and cultural development of Ukraine.

Justice in Ukraine is exercised entirely by courts. It is administered by the Constitutional Court and by courts of general jurisdiction. The Supreme Court of Ukraine is the highest juridical body of general jurisdiction.

The Constitution defines the territorial structure of Ukraine. It is composed of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, 24 regions, districts, cities, districts in cities, settlements and villages. Cities of Kyiv and Sevastopol possess a special status determined by law.

The Constitution of Ukraine consists of 15 chapters, 161 articles. The day of its adoption is a state holiday — the Day of the Constitution of Ukraine.

III. Agree or disagree with the statements:

1. The Constitution outlines the structure of the national government and doesn’t specify its powers and duties.

2. Under the Constitution the powers of the goverment are divided into four branches.

3. The Verkhovna Rada is not the only body of the legislative power in Ukraine.

4. There are 450 people’s deputies who are elected for a term of five years on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot.

5. The Verkhovna Rada’s main funсtion is working out legislation.

6. The President of Ukraine is the head of the state and speaks on behalf of the Government.

7. The President is elected directly by the voters for a term of four years with no more than two full terms.

8. The Cabinet of Ministers is the executive power in Ukraine.

9. Justice in Ukraine is administered by the Constitutional Court and by courts of general jurisdiction.

10. The Goverment defines the territorial structure of Ukraine.

IV. Answer the questions:

1. How many branches are powers of the government divided into?

2. What is the monetary unit in Ukraine?

3. What is the only body of the legislative power in Ukraine?

4. What is the Verkhovna Rada’s main funсtion?

5. What is justice in Ukraine exercised by?

V. Match the first part of the sentence (1-5) with the second one (a-e).

Justice in Ukraine is exercised	a	is performed by the Committees.
The President of Ukraine is the head of the state	b	by courts by the courts of general jurisdiction.
Law drafting work	c	and speaks on behalf of it.
The Verkhovna Rada’s main funсtion	d	the structure of the national government.
The Constitution outlines	e	is making laws.

VI. Make up a plan of the text.

VII. Retell the text in a written form (in English or Ukrainian).

BASIC LAWS OF UKRAINE

I. Read and memorize the following words and word combinations:

To proclaim – проголосити, Orthodox faith – православна віра, a boundary – кордон, alliance – союз, overwhelming majority – переважна більшість, precondition – передумова.

II. Listen to the text:

BASIC LAWS OF UKRAINE

The first constitutional document in Ukrainian history was the Constitution of Bendery, adopted in 1710. The constitution of Bendery is a covenant signed on 16 April, 1710 in Bendery by the newly elected Hetman P.Orlyk with his officers and the Zaporozhian Cossacks. The document consisted of 16 articles, which can be divided into four thematic groups.

Some articles dealt with general Ukrainian affairs. They proclaimed the Orthodox faith to be faith of Ukraine and independent of the patriarch of Moscow, designed the Sluch River as the boundary between Ukraine and Poland, and recognized the need for an anti-Russian alliance between Ukraine and the Crimean Khanate.

Another articles reflected the interests of the Zaporozhian Cossacks, who constituted the overwhelming majority of the Bendery emigration. They obligated the hetman to expel the Russians from Zaporozhian territories. Articles 6-10 limited the powers of the hetman and established a unique Cossack parliament, which met three times a year.

Some other articles protected the rights of towns, limited the taxation of peasants and poor Cossacks. In the introduction to the constitution, Ukraine's independence of Russia and Poland was stipulatedas a precondition.

The Ukrainian state that arose in 1917-20 had several constitutions. The structure of the Ukrainian National Republic was defined by several legislative acts of the Ukrainian Central Rada before the Central Rada adopted the Constitution of the Ukrainian National Republic on 29 April, 1918. In the Ukrainian SSR four constitutions were adopted (1919, 1929, 1937, 1978). They were closely modeled on the Constitution of the Russian SFSR and then of the USSR.

III. Agree or disagree with the statements:

1. The first constitutional document in Ukrainian history was the Constitution of P.Orlyk.

2. The document can be divided into four thematic groups.

3. The document proclaimed the Muslim faith to be faith of Ukraine.

4. The need for an anti-Russian alliance between Ukraine and the Crimean Khanate was recognized.

5. Zaporozhian Cossacks constituted the minority of the Bendery emigration.

6. A unique Cossack parliament met three times a year.

7. Some articles protected the rights of towns and limited the taxation of peasants.

8. Ukraine's independence of Russia and Poland wasn’t stipulatedas a precondition.

9. The Ukrainian state had three constitutions in the 20-th century.

10. The Ukrainian constitutions were closely modeled on the Constitution of the USSR.

IV. Answer the questions:

1. What was the first constitutional document in Ukrainian history?

2. When was it adopted?

3. Who constituted the overwhelming majority of the Bendery emigration?

4. What was said about the Ukraine's independence of Russia and Poland in the introduction to the constitution?

5. How many constitutions were adopted in the UkSSR?

V. Match the first part of the sentence (1-5) with the second one (a-e).

The constitution of Bendery is	a	had several constitutions.
The Ukrainian state that arose in 1917-20	b	a covenant signed in 1710 by P.Orlyk.
Ukraine's independence of Russia and Poland	c	was the Constitution of Bendery.
Some other articles protected the rights of towns	d	was stipulatedas a precondition.
The first constitutional document in Ukrainian history	e	and limited the taxation of poor Cossacks.

VI. Make up a plan of the text.

VII. Retell the text in a written form (in English or Ukrainian).

THE CONSTITUTION OF UKRAINE

I. Read and memorize the following words and word combinations:

On behalf of – від імені, to assure – запевняти, to assert – стверджувати, unitarian – унітарний, the State Anthem – державний гімн, a stripe – смуга, inviolability – недоторканність.

II. Listen to the text:

THE CONSTITUTION OF UKRAINE

Governed by the Act of Ukraine’s Independence of August 24, 1991, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on behalf of the Ukrainian people adopted the Constitution — the Fundamental Law on June 28, 1996.

The Constitution established the country’s political system, assures rights, freedoms and duties of citizens, and the basis of its laws. It asserts that Ukraine is a sovereign and independent, democratic, social, legal state. It is a unitarian state with single citizenship.

Ukraine is a republic. The people are the only source of power which is exercised directly and through the bodies of state power and local self-government. The land, mineral raw materials, air space, water and other natural resources which are on the territory of Ukraine are objects of the property right of Ukrainian people.

The state language in Ukraine is Ukrainian. The state symbols of Ukraine are the State Flag, the State Emblem and the State Anthem of Ukraine. The State Flag is a blue and a yellow banner made from two equal horizontal stripes. The main element of the Great State Emblem of Ukraine is the Sign of the State of Prince, Volodymyr the Great. The State Anthem of Ukraine is the national anthem with the music of M. Verbytsky.

The Constitution states that every person has the right to the free development of his / her personality, and has obligations before society where free and full development of the personality is assured. Citizens have equal Constitutional rights and freedoms, and are equal before the law. There are no privileges or restrictions based upon face, colour of skin, political and other beliefs, gender, ethnic and social origin, properly, ownership, position, place of residence, language, religion.

The articles of the Constitution guarantee the rights of life, personal inviolability and the inviolability of dwelling, noninteference in private and family life, free choice of residence, work, rest, education, social security, housing, health protection, medical care and medical insurance, legal assistance, a safe and healthy environment.

Defence of the Motherland, of the independence and teritorial integrity of Ukraine and respect for the state’s symbols are the duty of citizens. Citizens of Ukraine perform military services in compliance with the law. No person may damage the environment, cultural heritage. Every person shall pay taxes and duties in the order and amount determined by law.

The Constitution of Ukraine consists of 15 chapters, 161 articles. The day of its adoption is a state holiday — the Day of the Constitution of Ukraine.

III. Agree or disagree with the statements:

1. The Constitution is the Fundamental Law of Ukraine.

2. The land, mineral raw materials, air space, water and other natural resources belong to Ukrainian people.

3. The State Flag is a blue and a yellow banner made from two equal vertical stripes.

4. The main element of the Great State Emblem of Ukraine is the Sign of Yaroslav the Wise.

5. The Constitution states that every person has the right to the free development of his / her personality, and has obligations before society.

6. Sometimes citizens are not equal before the law according to the Constitution.

7. The articles of the Constitution assure that your personal life is untouchable.

8. Citizens of Ukraine must perform military services according to the Constitution of Ukraine.

9. The Constitution of Ukraine consists of 161chapters.

10. Ukraine doesn’t have the Day of the Constitution of Ukraine.

IV. Answer the questions:

1. What are the main functions of the Constitution of Ukraine?

2. What is the only source of power in Ukraine?

3. What are the state symbols of Ukraine?

4. What do the articles of the Constitution guarantee to Ukrainian people?

5. How many chapters does the Constitution of Ukraine have?

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