THE EQUATOR: MIDTERM PARLIAMENT'S REPORT PRESS CONFERENCE
Andriy Parubiy, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, had his annual press conference on June 27, 2017. The event gathered over 100 people, representing both national and regional media of Ukraine. The Chairman Parubiy spoke of achievements of the Parliament for the last 2,5 years, which also served as a representation of the Parliament’s midterm report. Outlining the priorities of current relevance, Mr. Parubiy among other things mentioned the strengthening of national security and defense sector along with decentralization, protection of Ukrainian information environment, support to domestic producers, healthcare and judicial reforms.
THE VERKHOVNA RADA APPEALS TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
The Ukrainian MPs requested to grant extra trade preferences for the goods, produced in Ukraine. The unabridged list of goods that could benefit from quotas expansion is meant to be in concordance with the European Commission’s proposal. The quotas expansion could bring the comprehensive potential benefit to domestic producers as the export of some most in demand Ukrainian agrarian products (honey, apple and grape juice, sugar) reached the limit of quotas within the first 4 months of last year.
JUDICIAL REFORM ON THE MOVE
The draft law on the Constitutional Court has been adopted in the first reading. It’s set to determine organizational arrangements and conduct of everyday proceedings for the Constitutional Court of Ukraine as well as the status of the justices, grounds to take legal actions, the execution of the Court decisions, etc. The law, if adopted in the second reading, empowers the Court to interpret the Constitution of Ukraine, to decide on constitutionality of impeachment procedure over the President of Ukraine and on proportionality of Ukrainian laws upon the individual request.
The draft law establishes the court’s bench of 18 justices, every third of whom is to be appointed by the President of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, and the Congress of justices respectively. The Constitutional Court of Ukraine is entitled to conduct a constitutional proceeding once the bench makes 12 justices.
ANIMAL WELFARE
The law on humane treatment of animals was adopted in the second reading. The document introduces definition of ‘ill-treatment of animals’ and, consequently, a broad range of not only administrative penalties, administrative detention in particular, but criminal offence as well. In addition, the law is a step to implementation of corresponding provisions of Ukraine-EU Association Agreement.
MPs ARE “FOR” ENERGY-SAVING MEASURES
The law on energy efficiency of buildings was adopted in the second reading, laying out legal and organizational grounds to perform the audit of buildings for further renovations with final aim of increasing energy efficiency of constructions. The law introduces a range of monitoring instruments for household systems and construction features and methods of financial assistance for the major energy-saving renovations. In addition, the law, being a part of energy reform package, brings in the legal framework to issue the energy-efficiency reports, needed to be considered to the external finding via the Energy Efficiency Fund.
HOUSEHOLD SERVICES UNDER CHECK
The law on commercial accounting of heating and water supply was adopted after one hour of in-depth discussions. The new law regulates the commercial accounting of major household services along with providing consumers with proper expenditure data. The law requires the buildings to be properly equipped with the meters, which have to be mounted in accordance with the building codes and regulations. Furthermore, the law determines responsibility for both customers and service providers in case of violations of regulations, including financial penalties.
THE STATE SUPPORTS NATIONAL FILMMAKING
The changes to the Taxation and Customs codes that aims at creating favorable conditions for the film production and the development of cinematography in Ukraine have passed the first reading. The proposals that yet to be discussed on the second reading focus on the protection of the Ukrainian information environment, attracting foreign cinematography to film in Ukraine and increasing interest to the Ukrainian culture and national product.