The Committee took this decision at its meeting, after elaborating on the Bill ‘On Prevention of Corruption and Counteraction Principles´ (Reg. No.1377) remitted by the People´s Deputy, H. Moskal.
Committee members noted that the Bill contains provisions regulating, with few exceptions, the same range of issues as the Bill ‘On Prevention of Corruption and Counteraction Principles´ adopted by The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the 5th Convocation on 12 December 2006 (Reg. No. 0876) as a basis for further deliberations (currently prepared for the Second Reading), and hence is an alternative Bill.
Pursuant to Clause 96 of The Standing Orders of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, ‘after a Bill has been adopted at the First Reading, no alternative Bills thereto shall be permitted.´
Therefore, emphasized Committee members. ‘given the provision of Clause 89 of The Standing Orders of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Bill No.1377 introduced by the People´s Deputy, H. Moskal, should be returned to the Legislative Initiator without consideration thereof at a Plenary Meeting, since it is an Alternative Bill to Bill No.2113 adopted at the First Reading´.
The Committee also deliberated on the Bill ‘On Anti-corruption Agency of Ukraine´ (Reg. No.1378). According to this Bill, the Anti-corruption Agency of Ukraine is a State Central Law-enforcement special-purpose body, organising and effecting systematic counteraction to corruption among the Authorities and State Governance bodies, and those crimes related to corruption and presenting a significant social danger to the vital interests of the State and its citizens; activation of lawful rights and interests of natural persons and legal entities; and response to the consequences of actions of corruption. The Anti-corruption Agency shall be established by The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine within The Ministry of Internal Affairs, shall report to The President of Ukraine, and be subject to control by The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
Also considered at the meeting was the Bill on Amendments to several Legislative Acts of Ukraine, appertaining to the strengthening of counteraction to corruption (Reg. No.1379), proposing 114 amendments to 6 Codes and 19 Laws. This Bill, says the Explanatory Note, ‘provides further elaboration, coordination and adjustment of Ukraine´s legislation, as regards establishing the legal and organisational framework for preventing, revealing and removing corruption; compensating for damages caused by corruption-related offences; renovating the rights and lawful interests of natural persons and legal entities, and the State; regulating International co-operation in the area of corruption counteraction; and eliminating the existent collisions and discrepancies in anti-corruption legislation´.
The Committee resolved to take decisions on these Bills once the respective responses from the Experts have been received.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine considers that ‘the constructive proposals included in these Bills shall be taken into account in preparation for the Second Reading of the Bills on amendments to several Legislative Acts, appertaining to Liability for Corruption-related Offences (Reg. No. 0875), on Corruption Prevention and Counteraction Principles (Reg. No.0876), and on Liability of legal entities for committing corruption-related offences (Reg. No.0877), on 12 December 2006 adopted by The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine at the First Reading.