ON THURSDAY 6 DECEMBER, THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE OF THE 6TH CONVOCATION CONTINUED ITS PLENARY PROCEEDING
Opening the Morning Meeting, the Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Arseniy Yatseniuk advised those present that he had forwarded a Submission to The President of Ukraine, Viktor Yushchenko, on the appointing of the People's Deputy Yulia Tymoshenko as Prime-Minister.
On the eve of Local Government Day, the Chair went on to stress several vital matters related to the workings of Local Governments. A. Yatseniuk reported on a Meeting held by The President of Ukraine yesterday with Senior Officials and Leaders of Local Governments. The Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine said: 'We are too deeply indebted to Local Government, despite many of declarations and promises. We have given many promises and issued many declarations, starting from decentralization of State power and finishing with the provision of financial resources to allow Local Governments to fulfil their functions'.
'The Agenda of our common work must include the actual provision of objectives set by the five preceding convocations of The Verkhovna Rada', Yatseniuk said. Therefore he considers it necessary to convene a Round Table, now that The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has commenced its proceedings, to become familiarized with and support the initiatives laid down by Local Governments, and submit the agreed visions for discussion here in the Assembly Room, to embrace those matters beginning with the regulation of the Law on the activities of Local Governments and finishing with the key financial documents and allocation of financial resources via the State Budget'.
After this, the Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine reported on the Meeting held by the Conciliative Council to consider the matter of election of the First Vice-Chairman and Vice-Chairman, Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of the Committees in The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, and the formation of Committees.
A. Yatseniuk recalled that the Opposition is entitled to be represented in all governing bodies of The Verkhovna Rada, and emphasised the importance of a cohesive vision of these matters by all Factions. He suggested a recess to allow the Factions to develop this said cohesive vision.
Following this, members of the various Factions spoke of their reaction to the above motion. Olexander Turchynov of the BYuT Faction moved to set up a Temporary Ad Hoc Panel for drafting the most important Bills requiring urgent passing, and to take the appropriate decision together with that on the Inter-Faction consultations.
Petro Symonenko, Chairman of the CPU Faction, seconded the motion by the Chair to hold a recess for Inter-Faction consultations. P. Symonenko also reiterated the major moves of the workings of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, as seen by the CPU Faction. He said that his Faction had prepared more than 20 Bills ready for submission. P. Symonenko suggested a move on reaching an agreement on the Agenda, and to hold a recess until Tuesday.
Mykhailo Syrota of The Lytvyn Bloc seconded the motion concerning the setting up of a Temporary Ad Hoc Panel. He suggested the creation of a Temporary Ad Hoc Panel to deal with the adoption of the State Budget, and an Ad Hoc Inquiry Panel to enquire into the circumstances of the tragedies in The Zasiadko Mine.
Ruslan Kniazevych of the 'Our Ukraine People's Self-Defence' Faction, seconded the creation of a Temporary Ad Hoc Panel to draft significant Bills. The Faction considers it necessary to maximize the speeding up of this process to allow for immediate consideration of the amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine on revoking the Deputies' immunity, amendments to the Law 'On the Status of the People's Deputy of Ukraine' with regard to revoking the Deputy's benefits and privileges, and the Law of Ukraine 'On the Cabinet of Ministers' which contradicts the Constitution of Ukraine in force. In the Faction's opinion, the latter should be by all means considered prior to the formation of the new Government, so that the new Government is aware of which Authorities it can use to fulfil its work.
Mykola Azarov of The Party of Regions said his Faction is set for constructive involvement in the proceedings of The Verkhovna Rada, subject to making the necessary compromises and providing a balanced attitude to its work
M. Azarov stressed the necessity to first and foremost elect the leaders of The Verkhovna Rada and create its working bodies. He seconded the motion by the Chair to hold a recess for Inter-Faction consultations and the achievement of one cohesive vision.
Other Deputies, members of the BYuT and 'Our Ukraine' Factions, insisted however on continuing proceedings without any recess, and setting up a Temporary Ad Hoc Panel to prepare the Bills.
Members of the Party of Regions, CPU and The Lytvyn Bloc seconded the motion concerning a recess for consultations.
To the request from the Party of Regions and CPU Factions, the Chair announced a recess in the meeting. After this interval he reported that The President of Ukraine had forwarded to The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine his nomination for Yulia Tymoshenko to the position of Prime-Minister of Ukraine.
A. Yatseniuk considered the yet undecided matters, i.e. the Election of Chairman Deputies and Committee Chairmen; the holding of consultations with The President of Ukraine and familiarizing him with the position of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine as to the creation of the governing bodies, and the universal position of The Verkhovna Rada concerning the evasion of conflicts and the allocation of Committees. With these, the Chair closed the morning sitting of The Verkhovna Rada
The Conciliatory Council will convene at 3 pm.
The Evening Plenary Meeting will commence at 4 pm.