Problems of Implementation of the Constitution of Ukraine: Analysis and Solutions

The article analyses the main problems of the implementation of the Constitution of Ukraine and identifies the constitutional and legal means of their solution. As a methodological tool for studying this issue the author reveals: the content of the implementation of the Constitution as the introduction of the principles and values of the Fundamental Law into the existing practice and the embodiment of the constitutional provisions in the lawful actions of all subjects of constitutional and legal relations; the purpose of its implementation - ensuring constitutional law and order; the forms of its implementation - observance, execution, use and application of the Constitution; the implementation mechanism, which shall operate through the adoption and implementation of legal acts detailing the Constitution (constitutional legislation) and through the activities of the subjects of constitutional and legal relations in order to observe, implement, use and directly apply the provisions of the Constitution of Ukraine. The author concludes that the implementation of the Constitution of Ukraine should meet the criterion of efficiency, which is determined by the effectiveness of its implementation in terms of achieving a socially determined goal — ensuring the constitutional legal order. The main problems affecting the efficiency of the implementation of the Constitution of Ukraine are defects in constitutional and legal regulation, among which the author highlights such issues as conflicts, gaps and shortcomings in the substantive and legal structuring of the text of the Fundamental Law of Ukraine and legal constructions of constitutional and legal norms. Overcoming and eliminating these defects is a prerequisite for the effective implementation of the Constitution of Ukraine. At the same time, the author argues that an important element of the mechanism of effective implementation of the Constitution is the improvement and continuous development of constitutional legislation. The Constitution will only be consistent and modern (i.e., consistent with constantly evolving social relations) when not just one ‘perfect’ document — a perfect Constitution — is created, which is theoretically and practically impossible, but when a coherent, scientifically sound, hierarchical system of regulations enabling the Constitution to function, i.e., the system of constitutional legislation, is created. The effectiveness of the implementation of the Constitution of Ukraine is influenced by the timeliness of updating its text in accordance with constitutional and legal realities. This leads to the conclusion that, first of all, in the postwar period it will be important to modernise the Constitution of Ukraine. Therefore, for the effective implementation of the Constitution of Ukraine it is necessary to eliminate its defects (conflicts, gaps, shortcomings in the substantive and legal structure of the text and legal structure of constitutional and legal provisions) and to constantly develop constitutional legislation. Another prerequisite for the qualitative implementation of the Constitution of Ukraine is its timely updating, since social relations are changing and the Fundamental Law of Ukraine should not only correspond to these changes, but also be one step ahead of them, anticipate their development, which requires the modernisation of the Constitution of Ukraine — the regulatory framework for the establishment and development of Ukraine as a democratic state governed by the rule of law, a full member of the European community. Key words: Constitution of Ukraine, implementation of the Constitution of Ukraine, defects in constitutional and legal regulation, conflicts, gaps, shortcomings of substantive and legal structuring of the text of the Fundamental Law, constitutional legislation, modernisation of the Constitution of Ukraine.