The Day of the Constitution of Ukraine, which is celebrated every year on June 28, is the only holiday enshrined in the Constitution itself. This is a significant day for all of us, because it was on this day in 1996 that we received a fundamental document of the highest legal force.
The Basic Law of the State of Ukraine was adopted at the 5th session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the 2nd convocation. The Constitution of Ukraine entered into force on the day of its adoption. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the Constitution at 9:20 in the morning, after a night of continuous work. Since then, the document has been amended several times. Among them is the consolidation of the state's strategic course towards full membership of Ukraine in the EU and NATO (2019).
The current Constitution of Ukraine consists of 15 chapters. 161 articles are collected in 14 chapters, and the XV chapter contains 16 transitional provisions. The text of the Constitution is preceded by the Preamble.
The Basic Law established the legal basis of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Its adoption was an important step in ensuring the rights of Ukrainian citizens and contributed to the further increase of Ukraine's authority in the world. All other laws of the country are based on the Constitution. It has the highest legal force and significance.
Our Constitution defines that Ukraine is a legal state, which is based on the principles of respect for the individual and the inviolability of his rights and freedoms, the rule of law, and compliance with the law. It prohibits discrimination. The Constitution enshrines the sovereignty of the Ukrainian state over its entire territory, which is inviolable. And the protection of this sovereignty and territorial integrity is the most important function of the state and the cause of the entire Ukrainian people. Ukrainians have demonstrated the effectiveness of this provision of the Constitution in practice for ten years, defending Ukraine from Russian aggression.
Today, in the conditions of a full-scale Russian invasion and numerous crimes of the occupiers, we all more carefully evaluate the value of the values laid down in the Constitution of Ukraine.
The Basic Law is the core of the consolidation of the Ukrainian people.
The Constitution of Ukraine is our legal and moral reference point.
Happy Constitution Day!