There are //// bodies in focus of our committee scan today:
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Top executives of the committee headed by Hanna Hopko met with a joint delegation of the German Bundestag (SPD faction) and the Austrian Federal Council (Bundesrat).
At the beginning of the meeting, the committee head H.Hopko expressed gratitude to the German and Austrian parties for their support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity against the continuing Russian aggression, the assistance in implementation of reforms, and stressed the need for further maintaining the EU sanctions policy towards the Russian Federation.
Talking over the economic issues, the Ukrainian side stressed the need to stop the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline as its implementation might threaten the EU's energy independence and cause significant economic losses to all the countries that are engaged in transiting Russian natural gas, including Ukraine.
H.Hopko emphasized the importance of the concept of the European investment plan for Ukraine (so called “Reform Contract for Investment”), which would enable at least 4% growth of the country’s economy. The plan’s main objective is to effectively overcome poverty, support small and medium-size businesses.
The parties had debates on the threats from Russian interference in electoral processes, issues concerning counteraction to the Russian aggression in the Donbas and in the waters of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait, as well as the situation in the territory of the occupied Crimea, including protection of the human rights there.
During the meeting, it was announced that parliamentary delegations from Germany and Austria would soon visit Ukraine’s east to see the situation with their own eyes.
Committee on Corruption Prevention and Counteraction
The body held a roundtable discussion on corruption risks and further improvement of the draft law of Ukraine (No.9055) on the bar and practice of law. The event was attended by members of parliament, drafters of alternative bills, representatives of the Ukrainian National Bar Association (UNBA), law enforcement agencies, lawyers, representatives of civil society institutes, the independent public and legal adepts. It was announced the final conclusion on the said draft law risks is scheduled to be made in a couple of days.
In support of the draft bill there were UBA (All-Ukrainian Public Organization “Ukrainian Bar Association”), whose representatives were among the bill drafters, and UAA (Ukrainian Advocates’ Association).
They both were opposed by a non-governmental organization “Democratic protection”, that moved their counter-arguments against the bill, and the Ukrainian National Bar Association (UNBA), whose experts had found a range of graft-risky gaps in the above law.
Afterwards, there was a heated debate, which in the end resulted in a final shared statement that there is still an acute need in further improving the bill in issue.
Committee on National Security and Defence
Creation of a new parliamentary committee in charge of exerting control over special and intelligence agencies was the main topic of the task group meeting on October 31. The meeting was attended by the committeemen, experts from the NATO Representation to Ukraine, the United States Embassy in Ukraine, representatives of the European Union Advisory Mission (EUAM) Ukraine, as well as independent adepts.
During the meeting, there was discussed the creation concept of a special committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to be enjoined to exercise parliamentary control and oversight over intelligence and law enforcement agencies.
The debaters also talked over quicker legislative changes within the reform of the SBU (bill No.9122) which would enable direct purchases (importing of produce, works and services) from abroad for government’s defence order (business) owners.
Committee on National Security and Defence
The committeemen held a meeting with representatives of the Parliament of Estonia’s (Riigikogu) national defence committee.
The participants of the meeting discussed issues related to Ukraine’s introducing sanctions against the Russian Federation, counteraction to the Russian aggression in the sphere of information, cyber security, restoration of the military courts system, reducing Russia dependency in various fields, rearmament of the Ukrainian army, and the like. The Estonian colleagues shared their experience in ensuring cyber security, creation and protection of e-governance.
The Ukrainian side gave a brief report about the committee’s work on legislative support of the reforms going on in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the country's defence industry on the whole, and also thanked the Estonian colleagues for their significant contribution to medical rehabilitation of ATO (JFO) participants and for the support Estonia renders Ukraine, and at the international level, in particular.
The chief of the Estonian delegation stressed the importance of the processes that take place in Ukraine, and emphasized the support of Ukraine's movement towards NATO and the efforts of Ukraine in the fight against the Russian aggression.
He also invited Ukrainian colleagues to visit Estonia, meet the members of the National Defenсe Committee and discuss issues of interest to Ukraine in more detail.
Committee on Environmental Policy, Nature Resources Utilization and Elimination of the Consequences of Chornobyl Catastrophe
The committee moved its proposals and remarks to the draft bill No.9085 designed to amend the Tax Code of Ukraine to the extent of certain tax rates. According to the bill drafters, its purpose is ensuring formation of the 2019 state budget revenue and bringing tax rates in line with inflation level of the economy. After being heavily opposed and criticized by the Leading scientific and expert department of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada Secretariat, there was decided to send the bill to the Committee on Taxation and Customs Policy for its proper reframing.