Moscow, Feb 26 (IANS/ITAR -TASS): Speaker of the Federation Council, the upper house of Russia’s parliament, Valentina Matviyenko Wednesday said Viktor Yanukovich was Ukraine’s legitimate president because no procedure had been carried out to remove him from office.

“President Yanukovich is a legitimate president. If Ukrainian citizens and the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's parliament) decide to remove him from office, certain legal procedures should be followed with,” the Federation Council speaker told the media.

“First impeachment proceedings should be carried out. Then this issue should be submitted to the Supreme Court and the Xonstitutional Court. When all proceedings are over, he will cease to be Ukraine’s legitimate president,” she said.

The fact that Ukraine would return to the 2004 Constitution “arouses indignation in the regions”, she stated.

“In any democratic state, a new version of the constitution is a document of nationwide accord. All political forces, civil institutions and regional authorities take part in working out the document,” Matviyenko said.

“Of course, such a document should be through a referendum. A narrow group of people cannot approve such far-reaching decisions,” the Federation Council speaker added.