PLENARY MEETINGS OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE OF THE SEVENTH CONVOCATION WERE HELD ON THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2014. 

Having opened morning plenary session, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov informed that factions of the Party of Regions and the Communist Party of Ukraine demand either to announce a break or to provide them with a possibility to make a statement. 

Factions’ statements were announced by the people’s deputies V.Bandurov and P.Symonenko.

V.Bandurov, representative of the Party of Regions, claimed that the faction will not vote on any bill until the bill on amnesty is included into the agenda.

He stressed the demand to hold a constitutional reform at the earliest possible date, which would stipulate maximum decentralization of authority and maximum possible budgetary autonomy for local councils.

Chairman of the faction of the Communist Party of Ukraine P.Symonenko informed that the building of the CPU Central Committee was destroyed at night. He claimed that political parties pertaining to executive authority and majority coalition of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine are implicated in the crime.

P.Symonenko addressed law-enforcement bodies with a demand to carry out investigation of this crime.

Commenting on the speeches of the people’s deputies, Oleksandr Turchynov informed that he had a telephone conversation with people who seized the building of the Security Service of Ukraine in Luhansk. According to him, he suggested them several compromise ways to solve this problem without a blood-shed. “We discussed the issue of setting up an international commission jointly with the Prosecutor Generals Office in order to investigate all the developments pertaining to the death of the citizens of Ukraine during peaceful protest actions,” he noted. 

Oleksandr Turchynov noted that the authority is ready to immediately consider the issue of reforming local self-government in the direction of extending rights of local councils so that regions would also bear responsibility for the state of affairs in the country.

Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada noted: “if these people lay down their arms and free administrative buildings, we guarantee that there will be no criminal prosecutions. I am ready to finalize the respective Presidential Decree. I believe that peace and harmony are more important than political ambitions and political confrontation. The main problem is that people that seize buildings in Donetsk and Luhansk are being used by enemies of Ukraine who are elaborating provocations and aggression against our country.”

Parliamentarians got down to consideration of the agenda items.

The draft law on amendments to the Law “On Trade Unions, Their Rights and Guarantees of Activity” (re specifying property of the federation of trade unions) was reported by the people’s deputy Oleksandr Stoian.

Chairman of the subcommittee of the Committee on Social Policy and Labour Ruslan Zelyk reported the decision of the Committee to recommend the Parliament adopt the bill as a basis.

Following the results of voting, the bill did not win enough votes to be adopted (180 votes in favor).

The draft law on amendments to the Law “On Humanitarian Aid” re activity of the Commission on Humanitarian Aid at the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine was reported by the people’s deputy Yaroslav Sukhyi. He stressed that the bill aims to remedy the situation that arose after enactment of the Law of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of September 16, 2016 “On amendments to several legislative acts of Ukraine re activity of the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine, the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine and other central bodies of executive power whose activity is directed and coordinated by the respective ministers” (Reg. No. 5463-VI).

Chairman of the Committee on Matters of Pensioners, Veterans and Persons with Disabilities Valerii Sushkevych informed the decision of the Committee to recommend the Verkhovna Rada adopt the bill as a basis.

In the course of discussion, the people’s deputies noted importance of adopting the bill. The majority of parliamentarians upheld the bill.

The people’s deputy Yaroslav Sukhyi informed that authors of the bill suggest withdraw it in order to provide the two specializing committees jointly with the new composition of the Ministry of Social Policy and the Ministry of Finance with the possibility to elaborate an efficient mechanism, so that humanitarian aid was received in Ukraine the way it should be. 

Summing up, the Chairman suggested withdraw this issue from consideration and entrusted authors of the bill and the specializing committee to hold consultations with the Government.

At the demand of “UDAR” faction and the “Sovereign European Ukraine” group, a break was announced.

After the break, Oleksandr Turchynov informed that lots of important issues were discussed during the Conciliatory Council meeting. There were also held discussions with the Cabinet of Ministers regarding the content of anti-crisis laws.  

According to the Chairman, they have also held consultations with the opposition. In particular, they reached an agreement to take the decision on the law on parliamentary opposition without discussion. 

Oleksandr Turchynov apologized for inappropriate comments to the people’s deputies from the factions of “Sovereign European Ukraine” and “Economic Development”.   

The draft law on parliamentary opposition was reported by the people’s deputy Valerii Pysarenko. He reminded that this bill was already considered in the session hall.

The bill determines rights and obligations of the parliamentary opposition.

Following the results of voting, the bill was not upheld (218 votes in favor).

After a short discussion, following the results of a repeated voting, the bill was adopted as a basis (233 votes in favor). 

The people’s deputies included into the agenda the draft laws on amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine and several other legislative acts of Ukraine re eliminating separate inconsistencies in legislation (Reg. No. 4645) and on amendments to the Customs Code of Ukraine (Reg. No. 4646).

MPs considered two bills on amendments to the Law “On elections of deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, local councils and village, township and city mayors” (re election of city mayors under the majoritarian system of absolute majority) under Reg. No. 1098, 1098-1.

Mykola Katerynchuk reported on the first bill. He claimed this bill is aimed at implementation of the main principle of democracy – the right of the majority. He suggested elect city mayors in cities with population over 500 000 under the majoritarian system of absolute majority.   

Secretary of the Committee on State Building and Local Self-Government Ruslan Kniazevych reported on the Committee’s decision to recommend that the Verkhovna Rada adopt as a basis the bill under Reg. No. 1098, and reject the bill under Reg. No. 1098-1.     

The bill was adopted as a basis with 245 votes.

People’s deputies considered the draft law on state procurements.

Prime-Minister of Ukraine Arsenii Yatseniuk informed about the bill. He said that this bill was being elaborated for the last month, and it involved all political powers and experts both from the European Union and the World Bank.

According to the speaker, the bill discloses all information about how state procurement is made, who are its participants, and on what grounds this or that subject wants to win a tender for state procurements. The bill also provides public with an opportunity to be present at conducting state procurements.   

People’s deputy Oleksandr Myrnyi reported on the alternative bill registered under No. 4587-1. He claimed this bill supplements the governmental bill.

Oleksandr Myrnyi upheld the governmental bill.

The Chair of the Committee on Economic Policy Andrii Ivanchuk reported on the Committee’s decision to recommend that the Parliament adopt as a basis and in entirety the governmental bill (Reg. No. 4587) with consideration of the Committee’s proposals.

A. Ivanchuk informed about the Committee’s proposals.

The Verkhovna Rada adopted the bill as a basis and in entirety at the second attempt with 226 votes.

Prime-Minister of Ukraine Arsenii Yatseniuk addressed people’s deputies asking to consider the bill on amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine and several other legislative acts of Ukraine re eliminating separate inconsistencies of the legislation’s norms (Reg. No. 4645).

Chair of the Committee on Taxation and Customs Policy V.Khomutynnik claimed that in order to adopt the bill, the Committee has to write out some technical things, including the issue on dividends and interests.

V.Khomutynnik suggested consider the bill, and adopt the decision at the evening plenary meeting.

Following the voting results, the bill did not receive enough votes (204 votes in favour).

The Chairman adjourned the morning meeting.

At the beginning of the evening meeting, people’s deputies did not uphold the proposal regarding consideration in the second reading of the bill on amendments to the Law “On elections of deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, local councils and village, township and city mayors” (re election of city mayors under the majoritarian system of absolute majority).

Chair of the Committee on Taxation and Customs Policy V.Khomutynnik reported on the proposals to the bill on amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine and several other legislative acts of Ukraine re eliminating separate inconsistencies of the legislation’s norms (Reg. No. 4645).

The Verkhovna Rada adopted the bill as a basis and in entirety with 239 votes.

People’s deputies voted for adoption of the bill on amendments to the Customs Code of Ukraine (re improvement of some provisions) as a basis and in entirety.

MPs did not include into the agenda two draft laws on amendments to several laws of Ukraine (re improvement of calculations for energy carriers) under Reg. No. 4644, 4644-д.

Prime-Minister of Ukraine Arsenii Yatseniuk commented on this, stating that if the draft laws are not adopted, the IMF may not provide Ukraine with credits. He put political responsibility for this on the representatives from the Party of Regions faction.  

MPs included the bills to the agenda with 234 votes.

The bill under Reg. No. 4644-д was adopted as a basis and in entirety (230 votes in favour).

Prime-Minister of Ukraine Arsenii Yatseniuk thanked people’s deputies for adopting complicated but right decisions. He also informed that next week he will be talking in the Parliament about the bills on introducing visa-free regime with the EU. 

People’s deputies considered the draft law on amendments to several legislative acts of Ukraine in the sphere of state anti-corruption policy in connection with carrying out the Action Plan for liberalization of EU visa regime for Ukraine (Reg. No. 4556).

First Deputy Minister of Justice Inna Yemelianova reported on the bill. She stated that the bill was elaborated aiming to carry out recommendations of the European Commission’s experts regarding improvement of anti-corruption legislature provisions. She added that the bill suggests amend the Criminal Code.

The Speaker addressed people’s deputies asking to uphold the bill, adoption of which “will bring our citizens closer to obtaining visa-free regime with the EU.” 

Chair of the Organized Crime Control and Anti-Corruption Committee Viktor Chumak reported on the Committee’s decision to recommend that the Verkhovna Rada adopt the bill as a basis.

People’s deputies discussed the bill.

Decision on this bill will be adopted at the next plenary meeting.

The Chairman adjourned the evening meeting.