Three parliamentary committees are today in our focus:
Committee on Human Rights, National Minorities and Interethnic Relations
The committee head called on Ukraine’s international partners to dispute liberation of the Ukrainians in the occupied Crimea and Donbas
The Head of the Committee on Human Rights, National Minorities and Interethnic Relations Hryhorii Nemyria appealed to the international partners of Ukraine and the Ukrainian authorities for immediate and comprehensive actions towards the release of the Ukrainians in the occupied Crimea and Donbas. He stated that in the course of the action in support to Ahtem Chiigoz, the deputy head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, who was sentenced by the Russian occupants. The action was held in Kyiv at Maidan Nezalezhnosti Square, triggered by the Mejlis leader Refat Chubarov. “I express my thanks to all who came here to demonstrate solidarity with the political prisoners, to show unity with the Crimean Tatar people, to support independent and sovereign Ukraine,” underlined Hryhorii Nemyria. He also informed that Brussels would host a joint meeting of the Ukrainian Parliament Committee on Human Rights, National Minorities and Interethnic Relations and the European Parliament Subcommittee on Human Rights on October the 12th. The sitting will concentrate at considering human rights violations in the occupied Crimea and Donbas.
Committee on Legislative Support of Law Enforcement
The committee recommends the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to take a draft bill refining legal grounds of the National Guard of Ukraine (NGU) activities in the first reading. The bill No.6556 amending NGU’s activities offers alterations to the Code of Administrative Procedure of Ukraine and some other laws in order to harmonize them inter se, and to refine some of the activities to enhance its capabilities of maintaining public order, protecting state authorities and dignitaries, fighting against terrorism, participating in international peacekeeping operations, etc. The bill also amends the law of Ukraine “On participation of Ukraine in international peacekeeping operations” by empowering other military units to take part in international peacekeeping operations. The new draft bill extends the force of the law of Ukraine on sending the Ukrainian Armed Forces units to other states over the National Guard of Ukraine, not only the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The bill alters the law “On countering terrorism” by setting the National Guard of Ukraine to be another one entity of those in charge of countering terrorism. The bill widens the list of military units which remain beyond the scope of the Ministry of Defence under military emergency conditions and area defense tasks. In order to formulate a unified approach to the use of physical force, armaments, equipment, military weaponry, etc., the bill offers to refine legal grounds, conditions and order of use of physical force, armaments, equipment, military weapons by the national guardsmen by analogy with the national police law.
Committee on Industrial Policy and Entrepreneurship
Committee head: ‘Ukraine ought to merge its energy system with Europe’
Ukraine’s energy section must be rapidly integrated in the European whenever possible. It should lead to getting finally rid of the crucial Russian energy dependence and artificial monopolization of the home market, as well as diversifying of production energy sources. One of the most ambitious Ukraine’s initiatives is integration with ENTSO-E – the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity. The processes of integration of the Ukrainian energy system must be launched immediately, with no delay and no chance to block them up. One more strategic goal is to be attained soon – it is renovation of Ukraine’s export-oriented cluster of power machine building. “It is ambitious, yet real goal”.
Nota Bene.
What is ENTSO-E?
ENTSO-E, the European Network of Transmission System Operators, represents 41 electricity transmission system operators (TSOs) from 34 countries across Europe, thus extending beyond EU borders. ENTSO-E was established and given legal mandates by the EU’s Third Package for the Internal Energy Market in 2009, which aims at further liberalizing the gas and electricity markets in the EU. The role of Transmission System Operators has considerably evolved with the Third Energy Package. Due to unbundling and the liberalization of the energy market, the transmission system has become the meeting place in which the various players interact. The importance of TSOs and of ENTSO-E’s work products for a well-functioning market, a reliable system and the success of energy policy keeps on growing.
ENTSO-E objectives
ENTSO-E members share the objective of completing and ensuring the optimal functioning of the internal energy market. They also support the ambitious European energy and climate agenda. Important issues are the integration of a high degree of renewables in Europe’s energy system, the development of the correspondingly needed system flexibility, and a much more customer-centric approach than in the past. ENTSO-E is committed to developing the most suitable responses to the challenge of a changing power system while maintaining security of supply. Innovation, a market-based approach, customer focus, stakeholder focus, security of supply, flexibility, and regional cooperation are key to ENTSO-E’s agenda.
ENTSO-E contributes to the achievement of these objectives through:
• policy proposals based on the European system viewpoint;
• drafting of network codes and contributing to their implementation;
• strengthened and focused regional cooperation through the Regional Security Coordination Initiatives (RSCIs);
• technical cooperation between TSOs;
• assessment of short- and long-term regional and pan-European system adequacy;
• the development of long-term pan-European network development plans
(TYNDPs);
• coordination of research, development and innovation plans and activities and participation in European research programmes and Horizon 2020.