Plenary meetings on May 13, 2014

Information Department of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Secretariat
Published on 13 May 2014, at 18:07

PLENARY MEETINGS OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE WERE HELD ON TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2014.

On opening the morning plenary meeting, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov claimed that on the eve of May 9, provocations were prepared in many regions of Ukraine. “However, feast days and holidays were peaceful in all regions but for Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts. Plans of the Russian Federation on destabilization of situation in Ukraine during these holidays completely failed”, he said.

Oleksandr Turchynov informed that in Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts actions of numerous terrorist groups still continue. “They are killing people, torturing and kidnapping them. To stop these unlawful actions the government continues the Anti-terrorist operation aiming at, first of all, protection of Ukrainian citizens.

In his words, the situation is being stabilized now in the north of Luhansk Oblast, in the west of the Donbas, and in the south of Donetsk Oblast. Terrorist groups have tried to hold a farce called “referendum” to cover their criminal actions, however, results of this farce are only criminal responsibility of its organizers. As a result of unlawful actions of these terrorist groups, officers and soldiers of the Armed Forces and law-enforcement agencies as well as civil population are dying”, he said and suggested commemorate the deceased.

People’s deputies commemorated the deceased with a minute of silence.

Oleksandr Turchynov informed that the government’s delegation headed by the Prime-Minister is working in Brussels, where it is planned to sign important documents, particularly, the agreement on providing Ukraine with EUR 1,6 billion. Issues on simplification of visa regime with the EU for Ukrainians will also be discussed there.

“The Parliament shall adopt very important laws concerning, particularly, fighting corruption and deregulation of economy so that Ukrainians could travel across Europe without visas. He also said that the agenda includes “strengthening defense capacity and responsibility of citizens for committing serious crimes”, claimed the Chairman.

Representatives of deputies’ factions and groups made their statements, announcements and claims.

People’s deputies were outraged with speeches of representatives from the Party of Regions and the Communist Party factions, where events of the latest days in the east of Ukraine were distorted.

The Chairman asked workers of the secretariat to turn off the microphone during the speech of leader of the Communist Party of Ukraine faction P. Symonenko, having accused him of lies regarding events in Mariupol and cynicism of the CPU.

Oleksandr Turchynov claimed that “there is a lot of information and materials on involvement of representatives of the CPU in organization of terrorist and separatism actions” and addressed the Ministry of Justice with a request “to consider this issue and, in case of evidence, to submit materials to the court on prohibition of the Communist Party in Ukraine”.

After the speeches, the Chairman announced about resignation from the Party of Regions deputies’ faction of people’s deputy Viktor Yanukovych and about people’s deputy Yurii Savchuk’s resignation from “UDAR” faction.

Factions of the Party of Regions and the Communist Party of Ukraine demanded to announce a break in the meeting for half an hour.

Before announcing a break, the Chairman suggested consider several claims of people’s deputies on early termination of their powers.

The Verkhovna Rada early terminated powers of such people’s deputies: Vitalii Yarema, Volodymyr Bondarenko, Tetiana Sliuz and Serhii Topalov.

People’s deputies did not uphold suggestion on early termination of powers of people’s deputies Borys Deich and Serhii Braiko.

On the demand of the Party of Regions and the Communist Party factions, the Chairman announced a break.

After the break, the Chairman gave the floor to the Party of Regions representative Nestor Shufrych.

N. Shufrych said that “the dialogue is urgent in order for the situation to stabilize, there is no other way”.

N. Shufrych claimed that in order to stabilize situation in the cities of the Donbas, factions call to cease fire and immediately create an investigative commission on finding facts of people’s death in Odesa, Mariupol and other cities as well as to adopt the law on amnesty.

The Verkhovna Rada adopted as a basis and in entirety such draft laws on: amendments to article 1 of the Law of Ukraine “On refugees and persons in need of additional or temporary protection” (re consideration of documents in the migration sphere) under Reg. No. 4580; amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On licensing system in the sphere of economic activity” re improvement of procedure of issuing licensing documents executed by the central executive authorities (Reg. No. 4584); amendments to several legislative acts of Ukraine re certifying accuracy of copies (photocopies) of documents and their extracts, and authenticity of signature on the documents (Reg. No. 4582); amendments to laws of Ukraine connected with the work of Ombudsman in the sphere of personal data protection (Reg. No. 4551); amendments to several legislative acts of Ukraine” (re preventing and counteracting) under Reg. No. 4581; amendments to several legislative acts of Ukraine in the sphere of state anti-corruption policy in connection with implementing the Action Plan for liberalization of visa regime for Ukraine by the EU (Reg. No. 4556).

MPs then considered several bills in the first reading.

The Verkhovna Rada adopted as a basis and in entirety such draft laws on: amendments to several legislative acts of Ukraine re protection of investors’ rights (Reg. No. 4586); amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On state registration of legal entities and individuals-entrepreneurs” (re reorganization of state institutions and simplification of dissolution of juridical persons) under Reg. No. 2121-1; amendments to several legislative acts of Ukraine re simplifying the procedure of state registration of termination of entrepreneurial activity of individual entrepreneurs according to declarative principle (Reg. No. 2409-1); amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine re accounting period when applying provisions of transfer pricing (Reg. No. 4527).

The following draft laws were adopted as a basis: on amendments to several legislative acts of Ukraine (re forming land plots and their state registration on the basis of land regulation documentation elaborated before 2013), registered under No. 2193a and on amendments to the Law “On Basic Principles of State Monitoring (Control) in the Sphere of Economic Activity” re responsibility of officials and administrative officials of bodies of state monitoring (control), registered under No. 3216-1.

Following the results of voting, the bill on amendments to several legislative acts of Ukraine (re securing employment of rural population and maintaining social sphere of a village), registered under No. 2450, was rejected.

The people’s deputies considered the issue of including several draft laws and resolutions into the agenda. Following the results of voting, none of the bills was included.

The Chairman adjourned morning plenary session.

At the beginning of the evening plenary meeting, Oleksandr Turchynov informed that consultations on the eve of the All-Ukrainian round table discussion of national unity continue in the Verkhovna Rada.

He invited leaders of factions and groups to the office of the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada to discus further work.

Oleksandr Turchynov informed about establishment of the Inter-faction deputy union “Anti-crisis group” in the Verkhovna Rada. The people’s deputy I.Rybakov was elected the head of the group. The Chairman announced a break.

After the break, Oleksandr Turchynov informed about the results of the meeting of leaders of factions and groups.

The Chairman granted the floor to the Chair of the Committee on State Building and Local Self-Government Davyd Zhvania, who suggested return to the issue of including the bill on amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On Elections of the President of Ukraine” regarding securing proper organization and holding of electoral process (Reg. No. 4835). The bill was considered during the morning session, however, it was not included into the agenda.

The people’s deputies did not uphold the suggestion.

Neither was upheld the proposal of the people’s deputy A.Kozhemiakin to place the draft resolution registered under No. 4837 and the draft law under No. 4838 on the agenda.

Parliamentarians did not uphold several other draft laws registered under No. 1098, 4638 and 4482.

Further on, parliamentarians scrutinized several bills in the first reading.

The draft laws on amendments to several legislative acts of Ukraine regarding strengthening responsibility for violation of legislation in the sphere of providing administrative services (Reg. No. 4404) and the alternative bill (Reg. No. 4404-1) were reported by the people’s deputy Svitlana Fabrykant and First Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade Anatolii Maksiuta.

Chairman of the Committee on Legislative Support of Law Enforcement Andrii Kozhemiakin reported the decision of the Committee to recommend the Parliament adopt the governmental bill registered under No. 4404-1.

The bills did not receive enough votes to be adopted in the first reading as a basis.

Parliamentarians did not uphold the draft law on amendments to clause 15 of the Transitional Provisions of the Land Code, registered under No. 2526a in the first reading.

The Verkhovna Rada adopted the resolution on establishment of the Interim Investigative Commission of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on investigating facts of mass killings of civilians in the cities of Odesa, Mariupol and Krasnoarmiisk, as well as in other cities in the south and east of Ukraine (Reg. No. 4852) by 263 votes.

Following the results of voting, the draft laws registered under No. 2198 and No. 2347а were not upheld.

The draft law on amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On State Registration of Legal Persons and Natural Persons-Entrepreneurs”, registered under No. 2999, was reported by the people’s deputy Oksana Prodan.

Chairperson of the Committee on Entrepreneurship, Regulatory and Antimonopoly Policy Oleksandra Kuzhel reported decision of the Committee to recommend the Verkhovna Rada adopt the bill as a basis.

Representatives of coalition factions expressed resentment in connection with voting on several bills considered in the first reading. They accused their colleagues from other factions of non-willingness to work and adopt laws important to the state. They suggested dissolve the Parliament.

Oleksandr Turchynov took the blame for organizing work of the Parliament on himself. He said that the decision on the latter considered bill will be taken during the next plenary meeting, and adjourned the session.