The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on behalf of the Ukrainian people - Ukrainian citizens of all nationalities,
expressing sovereign will of the people,
standing on the century-old history of Ukrainian state building, on the ground of the right to self-determination realized by the Ukrainian nation, all the Ukrainian people,
providing for the guarantee of human rights and freedoms, and of the deserved conditions of human life,
providing strengthening of the civil consent on the Ukrainian land,
desiring to develop and strengthen a democratic, social, legal state,
recognizing the responsibility before God, own consciousness, previous, present and future generations,
governed by the Act of Declaration of Ukraine's Independence of August 24, 1991, approved by a nation-wide vote on December 1, 1991,
adopts this Constitution - the Fundamental law of Ukraine.
CHAPTER I. GENERAL PRINCIPLES
ARTICLE 1. |
Ukraine is a sovereign and independent, democratic, social, legal State.
ARTICLE 2. |
The sovereignty of Ukraine covers the entirety of its territory.
Ukraine is a unitarian state.
The territory of Ukraine within the limits of existing borders is indivisible, and inviolable.
ARTICLE 3. |
An individual, his/her life and health, honor and dignity, inviolability and security are recognized in Ukraine as the highest social value.
Human rights and freedoms and their guarantees determine the essence and the direction of the activity of the State. The state is responsible to the person for its activity. The establishment and maintaining of human rights and freedoms is the main duty of the State.
ARTICLE 4. |
Ukraine has single citizenship. The basis for acquiring and termination of Ukrainian citizenship is determined by law.
ARTICLE 5. |
Ukraine is a republic.
The people are the bearers of the sovereignty and the only source of power in Ukraine. The people exercise power directly and through the bodies of state power and local self-government.
The right to determine and change the constitutional order in Ukraine belongs only to the people and may not be usurped by the state, its bodies or its officials.
No one has the right to usurp state power.
ARTICLE 6. |
State power in Ukraine is executed on the basis of its separation into legislative, executive and judicial branches.
Bodies of the legislative, executive and judicial branches execute their authority within the limits determined by this Constitution and in accordance with the laws of Ukraine.
ARTICLE 7. |
Local self-government is recognized and guaranteed in Ukraine.
ARTICLE 8. |
The principle of rule of law is recognized and acts in Ukraine.
The Constitution of Ukraine is the highest legal authority. Laws and other legal acts shall be adopted based upon the Constitution of Ukraine and must correspond to it.
The standards of the Constitution of Ukraine are the highest standards of Law. Direct appeal based upon the Constitution to the court for defense of the constitutional rights and freedoms is guaranteed.
ARTICLE 9. |
The acting international treaties, which are binding upon the consent of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, are part of Ukraine's national law.
The conclusion of international treaties which contradict the Constitution of Ukraine, is possible only after introducing appropriate changes to the Constitution of Ukraine.
ARTICLE 10. |
The state language in Ukraine is the Ukrainian language.
The State ensures the development and functioning of the Ukrainian language in all areas of public life on the entire territory of Ukraine.
The free development, use and protection of Russian and other languages of national minorities is guaranteed in Ukraine.
The State promotes the study of languages of international communication.
The use of languages is guaranteed by the Constitution of Ukraine and determined by law.
ARTICLE 11. |
The state assists in the consolidation and development of the Ukrainian nation, its historical consciousness, traditions and culture, as well as in the development of the ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious features of all native nations and national minorities of Ukraine.
ARTICLE 12. |
Ukraine provides for the satisfaction of the national, cultural, and linguistic needs of Ukrainians who live outside the State.
ARTICLE 13. |
The land, its subsoil, air space, water and other natural resources which are situated within the territory of Ukraine, natural resources of its continental shelf, the exceptional (sea) economic zone are objects of the property rights of the Ukrainian people. The rights of the owners of this wealth on behalf of the Ukrainian people shall be conducted by the organs of the state authority and local self-government in the order determined by the Constitution of Ukraine.
Every citizen has the right to use the natural objects of the property of people according to the law.
The property sets responsibility. The property shall not be used against a person and society.
The State ensures the protection of the rights of all subjects of property rights and property management, as well as the social orientation of the economy. All subjects of property right are equal before the law.
ARTICLE 14. |
The land is the main national wealth, which is under the special protection of the State.
The property right on land is guaranteed. This right shall be acquired and executed by citizens, legal entities and the State only according to the law.
ARTICLE 15. |
Public life in Ukraine is based upon principles of political, economic and ideological diversity.
No ideology can be considered mandatory by the State.
Censorship is prohibited.
The State guarantees freedom of political activity not prohibited by the Constitution and laws of Ukraine.
ARTICLE 16. |
The State's responsibilities are: to ensure ecological security and maintenance of the ecological balance on the territory of Ukraine, overcoming the Chornobyl catastrophe - consequences of catastrophes in cooperation with the international community, and preservation of the genetic makeup of the Ukrainian people.
ARTICLE 17. |
Protection of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, ensuring economic and informational security are the most important functions of the state, concerns all Ukrainian people.
The defense of Ukraine, protection of its sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability is conducted by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Ensuring state security and protection of the state border of Ukraine is conducted by appropriate military units and security bodies of the State, the organization and activity of which is determined by law.
No one can use the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations in order to perform activities aimed at restricting civil rights and freedoms, or aimed at seizing the Constitutional order, the elimination of bodies of power or impeding their activity.
The state provides social protection to the citizens of Ukraine, who are members of Armed Forces and other military formations, as well as members of their families.
Creation and functioning of armed formations, which are not provided for by the law, are prohibited on the territory of Ukraine.
The location of foreign military bases on the territory of Ukraine is prohibited.
ARTICLE 18. |
The foreign political activity of Ukraine is oriented to ensure its national interests and security by means of maintaining peaceful and mutually beneficial cooperation with members of the international community based upon generally acknowledged principles and norms of international law.
ARTICLE 19. |
Legal order in Ukraine is based upon the principles according to which no one can be forced to do that which is not foreseen by law.
Bodies of state power and local self-government and their officials shall act only on the basis of, within the limits of, and by means foreseen by the Constitution of Ukraine and laws of Ukraine.
ARTICLE 20. |
The state symbols of Ukraine are the State Flag of Ukraine, the State Emblem of Ukraine and the State Anthem of Ukraine.
The State Flag of Ukraine is a banner made from two equal horizontal blue and yellow fields.
The Great State Emblem of Ukraine shall be determined in accordance with the Small State Emblem of Ukraine and the Emblem of the Zaporiz'ke Viys'ko (Zaporizhzhya Cossacks Army) by law, which shall be adopted by no less than two-thirds of the Constitutional membership of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
The main element of the Great Emblem of Ukraine is the Sign of the State of Prince Volodymyr the Great (the Small State Emblem of Ukraine).
The State Anthem of Ukraine is the national anthem with the music of M.Verbytskiy and words, confirmed by law, which shall be adopted by no less than two-thirds of the constitutional membership of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
The description of the state symbols of Ukraine and the order of their use is determined by law, adopted by no less than two-thirds of the constitutional membership of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
The capital of Ukraine is the City of Kyiv.