ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20 THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE CONTINUED ITS WORK IN PLENARY MODE.
At the beginning of the morning’s meeting, the people’s deputies voiced their announcements, statements and messages.
The parliamentarians continued consideration of draft resolutions on celebration of jubilee and memorable dates. Particularly, they again addressed the draft resolution on 230th establishment anniversary of Sevastopol. During the last plenary meeting, voting on the draft resolution was ineffective.
Speaker – the Chairman of the sub-committee on Culture and Spirituality Volodymyr Yavorivskyi suggested exclude the word ‘establishment’ from the title of the draft resolution in order to adopt it. He also suggested the Committee on Culture and Spirituality to address the Institute of history with a request to ‘give a comprehensive, complete and profound answer that it was Chersonesos.’
The Chairman put the draft resolution to vote.
The people’s deputies did not uphold it (for – 201) and the draft resolution was rejected.
The Verkhovna Rada adopted the resolutions of celebrating: 100th birth anniversary of Yevhen Berezniak; the 125th birth anniversary of Ostap Vyshnia; the 175th birth anniversary of Pavlo Chubynskyi; the 100th birth anniversary of Volodymyr Hryhorovych Serhieiev - academician of the National Academy of Sciences; the 170th birth anniversary of Illia Riepin.
All the other draft resolutions were rejected.
The people’s deputies considered several bills in the first reading.
The Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Fuel and Energy Complex, Nuclear Policy and Nuclear Safety Oleksandr Myrnyi reported on the draft law on amendments to the Law ‘On Electric Power’ (re improving conditions of consumers and suppliers of electric energy). He said that one of the crucial tasks of Ukraine’s energy policy is to settle issues of improving energy markets.
O.Myrnyi claims it is necessary to introduce efficient mechanism of state regulation between consumers and suppliers of electric energy.
With this aim, the people’s deputy suggested amend the Law ‘On Electric Power.’
O.Myrnyi also reported on the decision to recommend that the Verkhovna Rada should adopt the bill as a basis.
The speakers in general supported the adoption of the bill in the first reading.
However, some parliamentarians claimed that the bill requires refinement.
Following the results of the vote, the bill was rejected (for – 165).
The people’s deputy Hryhorii Smitiukh reported on the draft law on amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine re regulation of inspections. He justified adoption of the bill stating that it is necessary to improve inspection procedure of taxpayers by state tax bodies.
The people’s deputy believes that the possibility to further use inspections to pressure subjects of entrepreneurial activity and interfere into their activity should be minimized.
The rapporteur deems that proper settlement of this issue should promote recreation of not only economic, but also social and political situation in the state; strengthen fight with corruption; increase the level of trust and partnership between the state and subjects of entrepreneurial activity.
H.Smitiukh suggested amend the Tax Code.
The bill suggests prohibit any inspections on the part of state tax bodies as based on the anonymous statements, complaints and appeals, as well as on any other unjustified information.
Chairman of the subcommittee of the Committee on Taxation and Customs Policy Kateryna Vashchuk reported the decision of the Committee to recommend the Verkhovna Rada recommit the bill. She informed that committee members have professionally and in detail discussed the suggested provisions and concluded that “the bill provides no ways to settle the problems raised, including that of the excessive pressure.”
People’s deputies noted that there exists the problem with inspections.
However, they doubted whether the law will resolve the existing problems. People’s deputies believe that the law can be helpful only if significantly refined.
The bill was recommitted for the repeated first reading (230 votes in favor).
The draft law on amendments to the Law “On Export Duty Rates for Certain Types of Oil-Plants” re abolishing export duty for sunflower seeds, was reported by the people’s deputy Oleksandr Myrnyi. He noted that this bill suggests abolish export duties on sunflower seeds.
O.Myrnyi noted that abolishment of export duties was one of the key requirements of the European Union in the framework of negotiations on establishment of the Free Trade Zone.
The author argued that abolishment of export duties on sunflower seeds, is needed in view of clear fulfillment of international commitments of our state.
In the course of discussion, the people’s deputies noted that adoption of the bill “can lead to decrease in production volume of sunflower oil in Ukraine and increase its export from Ukraine.”
The author reassured his colleagues that “foreign markets will not be lost.”
Chairman of the subcommittee of the Committee on Taxation and Customs Policy Kateryna Vashchuk reported decision of the Committee to recommend the Verkhovna Rada reject the bill.
People’s deputies upheld decision of the specialized Committee (38 votes in favor).
The First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ihor Kalyetnik adjourned the plenary meeting.
Next plenary meeting of the third session will be held on Thursday, November 21.