THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE CONTINUED ITS PLENARY WORK ON TUESDAY, MARCH 26

Having opened the plenary session, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov informed that President of the World Congress of Ukrainians Yevhen Cholii and President of the Ukrainian-Canadian Chamber of Commerce Zenon Potichnyi are on an official visit in Ukraine.

People’s deputies welcomed the high guests that were in the diplomatic lodge of the session hall.

The Chairman informed that on March 25, 2014, the Central Election Commission registered the people’s deputy of Ukraine Revenko Anatolii Dmytrovych, elected on October 28, 2014 in the nationwide multi-mandate electoral district and enrolled on the “UDAR” political faction list. 

The newly elected people’s deputy took an oath before the Verkhovna Rada.

The people’s deputies took the floor with announcements, statements, notifications and proposals.

Having got down to consideration of agenda items, parliamentarians first of all considered the draft resolution on dismissal of V.P.Tsushko from the post of the Head of the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine. 

Chairperson of the Committee on Entrepreneurship, Regulatory and Antimonopoly Policy Oleksandra Kuzhel informed that V.Tsushko referred a letter of resignation on February 27. This letter was considered during the Committee’s meeting, upheld and brought for consideration by the Verkhovna Rada.

The people’s deputies upheld the resolution by 238 votes, at the second attempt.

The Verkhovna Rada dismissed 6 members of the Council of the National Bank of Ukraine. Under the resolution, the following members of the Council of the National Bank of Ukraine were dismissed in connection with termination of term of their tenure: Honcharov Mykhailo Oleksandrovych, Horbal Vasyl Mykhailovych, Kliuiev Serhii Petrovych, Kolesnikov Borys Viktorovych, Poroshenko Petro Oleksiiovych, and Prasolov Ihor Mykolaiovych.

Parliamentarians considered the draft law on amendments to article 1 of the Law “On Securing Implementation of Housing Rights of Dormitory Residents” (re expanding the right to housing to military men and employees of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine) in the first reading.

Rapporteur, the people’s deputy Serhii Mishchenko, noted that this bill is considered in connection with the developments in Crimea and on the borders of Ukraine.

Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Construction, Urban Development, Housing and Communal Services and Regional Policy Volodymyr Saldo reported the decision of the Committee to recommend the Verkhovna Rada adopt the bill as a basis. He stressed topicality of the bill.

In the course of consideration, the people’s deputies upheld the bill.

The bill was adopted as a basis by 275 votes.

The draft law on amendments to the Law “On Economic Associations” was reported by the deputy Chairman of the Committee on Economic Policy Kseniia Liapina.

The people’s deputy informed that the Committee upheld adoption of this bill as a basis.

During discussion, parliamentarians voiced doubts regarding expediency of adoption of this bill.

The people’s deputies did not uphold the bill (144 votes in favor).

Parliamentarians considered the draft law on amendments to several legislative acts of Ukraine in connection with adoption of the Law “On Information” (in a new version) and the Law “On Access to Public Information” in the second reading.

Chair of the Committee on Freedom of Speech and Information Mykola Tomenko claimed that “the bill is extremely important and is connected with the necessity to continue opening publicity to what is happening in the system of local executive authorities, in the governmental structures in general, in public procurement, etc.”  

M. Tomenko said that after adoption of the Law “On Access to Public Information”, two groups of questions have aroused. First group – this law conflicted with several laws that were adopted earlier on purpose, and after a long discussion the government suggested the first version. The Committee together with the public elaborated amendments to the second reading that cancel these conflicting norms.  

Second group – these are the norms on resonant topics which both journalists and the public are demanding now.  

“What is meant here is specification of many positions related with what we are interpreting now, it is a European norm and a world’s norm that there should be no state’s confidential information, there is confidential information about the person, legal entity”, claimed M. Tomenko.  

The Committee’s Chair informed that the Committee has prepared amendments to the bill and suggests consider them and adopt the bill in the second reading and in entirety.

MPs drew the Chairman’s attention to the fact that a lot of people’s deputies take out their voting cards not willing to vote. Thus, they asked to put this bill to the signal voting.  

The Chairman put this bill to the signal voting – 202 votes in favour.

The Chairman suggested committees and factions to further work on this bill to vote for it at the next plenary meeting.  

People’s deputy Oleh Lukashuk reported on the draft law on amendments to several laws of Ukraine re implementation of provisions of the Convention on the assessment of the environmental impact in a transboundary context.

The Verkhovna Rada rejected the bill (188 votes in favour).

People’s deputy Serhii Kaltsev informed about the draft law on amendments to several legislative acts of Ukraine (re improvement of procedure of state registration of proprietary rights to immovable property and their encumbrances).

Following the voting results, the bill was sent for repeat first reading (228 votes in favour).  

The Chairman adjourned the morning meeting.

Next plenary meeting of the fourth session will be held on Thursday, March 27.