EXTRAORDINARY SESSION OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF THE SEVENTH CONVOCATION HAS ENDED ON JANUARY 29, 2014.

402 people’s deputies have registered to participate in the plenary meeting.

Having opened the second plenary meeting, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Rybak informed that the Presidents of Ukraine L.M.Kravchuk and L.D.Kuchma participate in the extraordinary session.

Volodymyr Rybak gave the floor to the First President of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk.

L.Kravchuk noted that this is his most responsible speech in the most responsible time. He addressed the people’s deputies with the following words: “Please, listen to one my sentence: “Listen not to the one who is speaking, but to what he/she is talking about.”

L.Kravchuk named the situation in Ukraine to be a dramatic one. “The state is on the brink of civil war. There is the duality of power in the state. There is actually a rebellion taking place in the country…When the power is being seized; the state authority, determined by the Constitution, is being broken down and dispensed from their duties – this is the overthrow of power. This is simply a revolution. We should call the things by their proper names. We should treat Ukraine with great responsibility!” he stressed.

L.Kravchuk said that he speaks on behalf of all the presidents present in the session hall. “I think that the first thing we should do is to bring apart the opposing parties by saying people that there is a plan agreed by the President of Ukraine and the Verkhovna Rada concerning the way out of a political crisis,” he noted.

The First President of Ukraine deems we should move in the direction of reducing opposition. According to him, the Verkhovna Rada has started fulfilling this plan by abolishing the laws adopted on January 16. Today it is necessary to adopt the law on amnesty. It has been adjusted. It is said there are several laws. He believes that voting on this law should be consolidated. “When the important political and crisis issues are being settled, voting should be consolidated,” he stressed.      

L.Kravchuk said that he upholds the process of reforming the Constitution. He reminded that he is the Head of the Constitutional Assembly and informed of the two possible concepts – the presidential-parliamentary and parliamentary-presidential ones. He addressed the people’s deputies with a request to establish Temporary Inquiry Commission that shall consider these two possible variants. Then, the Verkhovna Rada will be able to amend the Constitution.

L.Kravchuk noted that the Constitutional Court has exceeded its authority by adopting the decision on amendments to the Constitution in 2010. According to him, the Verkhovna Rada should rectify the mistake of the Constitutional Court.  

L.Kravchuk said also that the opposition shouldn’t now act the way the Constitutional Court has acted then. According to him, the “opposition did not draw a lesson from the stupid decisions of the Constitutional Court.” He suggested set up a commission and begin the process of reforming the state and state government on the basis of already adopted Constitution. 

L.Kravchuk called on to “set everything in its place again” and asked the deputies to “try trust each other”. “I call on to trust; to believe in the fact that Ukraine is more important than any ambitions; to do everything so that Ukraine was open to reforms and then jointly implement them,” he stressed.  

The First President of Ukraine addressed the people’s deputies with a proposal: either he himself or together with the President L.Kuchma will be a guarantee of negotiations between the President of Ukraine and the opposition. “Only you jointly with the President of Ukraine can settle the current dramatic issues in Ukraine,” noted L.Kravchuk.   

Ending his speech, L.Kravchuk cited the poet V.Symonenko:

May Americas and Russias be silent,

                                                                            When I am talking to Ukraine.

After the speech of L.Kravchuk, Volodymyr Rybak informed that consultations of the faction leaders continue. According to him, there are several unadjusted issues pertaining to the amnesty bill. He announced a break until 2 p.m.

At 2.30 p.m., the First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ihor Kalyetnik informed that negotiations of the deputy faction leaders on the bill on eliminating negative consequences, preventing prosecution and punishing people in connection with the events taking place during peaceful assemblies are being held successfully. He expressed hope that the people’s deputies will be able to vote on it at 4 p.m. He announced a break until 4 p.m.

After the break, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Rybak informed that the Conciliatory Council has prepared two bills on amnesty and on establishment of the Temporary Inquiry Commission of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine. He noted also that deputy faction leaders have adjusted both bills.

At 6 p.m. Volodymyr Rybak informed that the Conciliatory Council has elaborated four amnesty bills. However, according to him, several issues have arisen that need to be settled. “There is nothing to put to vote today,” he noted, and informed that deputy faction leaders continue consultations. 

The Chairman suggested vote on holding the plenary meeting tomorrow.

The people’s deputies insisted on continuing the meeting today.

After a short break, the proposal to continue the plenary meeting was put to vote.

The people’s deputies upheld it by 357 votes in favor.

Plenary meeting was continued at 10.45 p.m.

Volodymyr Rybak reminded of the yesterday agreement to consider the issue of eliminating negative consequences, preventing prosecution and punishing people in connection with the events taking place during peaceful assemblies today. He proposed to take the ad hoc decision on voting on the bills without discussion.

The people’s deputies upheld the proposal by 227 votes.

The bill on eliminating negative consequences, preventing prosecution and punishing people in connection with the events taking place during peaceful assemblies, registered under No. 4023-1, was put to vote.

The Verkhovna Rada adopted the bill as a basis and in entirety by 232 votes.

Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Rybak announced the extraordinary session to be closed.

The fourth session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the seventh convocation will be held on Tuesday, February 4, 2014.