Volodymyr Lytvyn: Youth Parliament is a Respected Platform with a Proper Status
On Thursday, Volodymyr Lytvyn,
Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
met the representatives of the All-Ukrainian Youth Non-Governmental
Organization "Student
Republic."
The Head of the Parliament talked with the participants of the meeting about establishment of the Youth Parliament, its mission and mode of work. He stressed that the Youth Parliament "is not an organization under the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, but an independent body including 400-450 people supported by The Verkhovna Rada."
"My mission is completed after the constituent assembly. Then the Chairperson and the Deputy Chairpersons of the Youth Parliament should be elected. The standing committee including 30 persons should be set up. Each of its members should choose one committee of The Verkhovna Rada, attend its sessions, study and analyze the bills, and introduce remarks," he stated. "We can provide the office for the standing committee. There is also a session hall in Bankova Street to hold the constituent assembly."
The Youth Parliament that will
include the representatives of the youth non-governmental organizations will
partake in the drafting of bills, work of the specialized committees, parliamentary
and committee hearings.
V.Lytvyn believes that the main problem on the initial organization stage is "to develop a scheme of the Youth Parliament formation, and to work out the criteria for selecting the parliament members." "You should decide whether these will be representatives of the student parliaments or centers of the higher education establishments. Other options might be considered," he stated.
The Head of the Parliament is willing to provide assistance ‘without formality and excessive organization.´ "The more discussions and proposals are there, the better it is for the country," V.Lytvyn stressed.
The Head of the Parliament attaches great importance to the Youth Parliament, since young people should be assisted in their accession to the public and political life. He mentioned Yurii Myroshnychenko, Yevhen Suslov and Andrii Shevchenko as young people ‘who entered big politics.´ "It is a drop in the ocean. It is not easy to support real youth politics under the current political situation and election system," he admitted. The Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine deems necessary to replace the effective election system with the one ‘to elect the person, the individuality.´ He believes that the times ‘when people are forced to sell their votes´ will pass, and more young people will join the governing bodies.
The Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine answered the questions of the representatives of the non-governmental organization concerning effectiveness of the Bologna process, setting up of the bicameral parliament, etc.
Adjourning the meeting, the Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine underscored that "the Youth Parliament will become a respected platform with a proper status."