In line with democracy support activities the European Parliament will welcome next week Ukrainian MPs for a joint three-day high-level conference (29 February – 2 March) on capacity-building of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman along with the parliamentary factions leaders, parliamentary committees chairpersons, people's deputies and employees of the Verkhovna Rada Secretariat starts visit to the Kingdom of Belgium and the Kingdom of Netherlands.
In compliance with the visit program, Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman will meet with Head of Needs Assessment Mission of the European Parliament Pat Cox, Deputy Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Alexander Vershbow, President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz, and European Commissioner for the Euro and Social Dialogue Valdis Dombrovskis.
Before the start of the Conference, an extended discussion of conclusions and recommendations of within the Report of the Needs Assessment Mission of the European Parliament headed by Pat Cox is expected.
The conference will take place headed by Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament Elmar Brok, and Lead member on the EP parliamentary support and capacity-building Andrej Plenkovic.
Keynote speeches are expected from President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz, Head of Needs Assessment Mission of the European Parliament Pat Cox, and European Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn.
Later the program envisions a press point by President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz and Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman.
The heads of the political factions of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Lead member on the EP parliamentary support and capacity-building Andrej Plenkovic will hold a joint press conference.
On March 2-3, Groysman plans to meet with Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Khadija Arib and First Vice-President of the Senate of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Anne Flierman, Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte, as well as members of the committees on foreign affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Online broadcasting and additional information available on official website of the European Parliament:
- http://www.europarl.europa.eu/ep-live/en/schedule
- http://europarltv.europa.eu/en/parliament-news/the-news.aspx
- http://audiovisual.europarl.europa.eu/
- http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/news-room/20160222IPR15363/European-Parliament-will-host-a-Ukraine-week
Reference information:
As earlier reported, in July 2015, President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz and Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at strengthening the Ukrainian parliament's constitutional role of law-making, oversight and representation.
In line with the Memorandum former EP President Pat Cox prepared a report and a roadmap on capacity-building. It will be presented during “Ukraine week” and will form the basis of a first round of high-level discussions in identified areas.