ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21 PLENARY MEETINGS OF THE THIRD SESSION OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE OF THE SEVENTH CONVOCATION WERE HELD.

At the beginning of the morning meeting, the people’s deputies welcomed the leaders of the European Parliament Monitoring Mission to Ukraine Alexander Kwasniewski and Pat Cox.

The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Rybak claimed that on Saturday, November 23 Ukraine and the whole world will commemorate the 80^th anniversary of the memory of millions of victims of 1932-1933 Holodomor. ‘These horrible years will never be forgotten. Memory about innocent victims will stay in our hearts forever,’ said Volodymyr Rybak.    

The parliamentarians honoured the memory of the victims of Holodomor with a moment of silence. 

The Chairman of the Committee on State Building and Local Self-Government Davyd Zhvaniia reported on the draft law, elaborated for the second reading, on amendments to several legislative acts of Ukraine regarding improvement of electoral legislation, Reg. No. 3396. He claimed that during its meetings on November 18 and 20, the Committee considered remarks and suggestions to the bill.   

All in all, 457 suggestions were submitted from 19 people’s deputies. Following the results of the Committee’s consideration, 79 of them were taken into account, 11 – partially taken into account, 1 was taken into account with editorial specification, 366 – were rejected.   

D. Zhvaniia drew attention to the fact that 240 of the submitted suggestions did not comply with requirements of article 116 of the Rules of Procedure. The Committee rejected these suggestions.     

D. Zhvaniia informed that the Committee recommends that the Verkhovna Rada should adopt this bill in the second reading and in entirety. 

The Verkhovna Rada adopted the bill in entirety by 365 votes.

Before consideration of the next issues, the representatives of deputies’ factions took the floor.

The Chairman of the ‘Batkivshchyna’ faction A.Yatseniuk informed that ‘Yulia Tymoshenko called Ukrainian opposition to vote for all the bills giving Ukraine a chance to sign the Association Agreement not taking into account that they are far from being perfect.’

Before consideration of the bills concerning treatment of the convicted abroad, A.Yatseniuk suggested include into the agenda the bill under Reg. No. 3599 elaborated by the members of the Interim Working Group of the opposition factions.

Representatives from factions ‘UDAR’ and All-Ukrainian Union ‘Svoboda’ supported A.Yatseniuk.

The representative of the Party of Regions faction Volodymyr Oliinyk claimed that ‘the issue is complicated.’ According to him, ‘Europe lacks the provision giving right to the convicted to be treated outside of the country of serving a sentence. We are practically introducing an innovation which is a complicated and difficult process, there are pros and cons. At the same time, in this session hall the opposition does not have enough votes to adopt this decision by itself. Moreover, both the Party of Regions and non-affiliated deputies do not have enough votes. That is why on November 8 the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine formed a working group to reach a consensus.’       

The Chairman of the Communist Party P.Symonenko informed the people’s deputies and the EU representatives that ‘3,5 mln citizens’ signatures were collected. These people demand a referendum, only after which everything related to the integration should be considered.’

Volodymyr Rybak informed that six bills on treatment of the convicted abroad are registered in the Verkhovna Rada. According to him, the Interim Working Group has not elaborated its bill yet.   

The Chairman also informed that draft laws under Reg. No. 3596 of the people’s deputy Oleh Liashko and under Reg. No. 3599, which was refined and submitted on November 18 by a people’s deputies’ group headed by A.Kozhemiakin, were considered yesterday in the evening by the Committee.      

The Chairman suggested include into agenda these two bills.

The people’s deputies upheld the suggestion.

Authors of the bills – the people’s deputies A.Labunska, A.Yatseniuk, S.Mishchenko, V.Kupchak, O.Liashko and A.Kozhemiakin reported on their content.   

The Chairman of the Committee on Legislative Support of Law Enforcement Andrii Kozhemiakin reported on the Committee’s decision to recommend that the Verkhovna Rada should recommit all the bills.

All the bills were discussed.

Representatives of the opposition factions claimed they will vote for any of the bills and called their colleagues from the Party of Regions faction to do the same. 

Representatives of the Party of Regions faction H.Herman claimed that ‘the Party of Regions is in favour of reaching a consensus, in favour of voting for the law on the prosecutor’s office as well… We will do everything to make European prospect real for us.’ 

The Verkhovna Rada rejected all six bills. The Party of Regions and the Communist Party factions did not vote.  

The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Rybak addressed the Chairman of the Interim Working Group H.Vasyliev instructing him to gather the working group, work and refer the bill the Verkhovna Rada has to consider.   

The Chairman informed that the next issue to be considered is the draft law on the prosecutor’s office (Reg. No. 3541). He said that 804 suggestions to the bill were received.  

‘The comparative table to the bill on the prosecutor’s office has not been elaborated and submitted to the people’s deputies. According to article 89 of the Constitution of Ukraine and the Rules of Procedure, we can not consider this bill without the table,’ he said.  

The Chairman of the working group on the elaboration of the bill on the prosecutor’s office for the second reading V.Oliinyk informed that the latest amendments were received last Friday at 5 p.m. The working group was able to start working only on Tuesday.   

V.Oliinyk called all the people’s deputies to submit remarks to the amendments as soon as possible to be able to hold the first meeting of both the working group and the Committee.  

The Chairman gave floor to the factions’ representatives.

The Chairman of ‘Batkivshchyna’ faction A.Yatseniuk informed that he has ‘a copy of the document signed by the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych who submitted the law on the prosecutor’s office to the Parliament.’   

“We, as the Ukrainian opposition, despite inconsistency of this bill, we are ready to vote on it in the version referred by your faction leader and as yet the President Victor Yanukovych. We demand to place the law on voting and adopt this bill.  

We demand that the presiding provide a clear answer to whether the voting on the bill in the version of Viktor F. Yanukovych will be taken right now and we also demand that the Party of Regions support its President,” he stressed.

Representatives of UDAR and Svoboda factions also demanded vote on this bill.

Representative of the Party of Regions claimed that “we should adopt a serious law on the prosecutor’s office that corresponds to the European standards. It shouldn’t be a hasty decision.” He called on his colleagues from opposition to work. 

The Chairman announced a break and invited deputy faction representatives to the office of the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for consultations.

After the break, the Chairman granted a floor to deputy faction leaders.

Chairman of the Communist Party P.Symonenko informed that “negotiations that were held in the presence of the EU representatives once again testified that what is going on now in Ukraine is the betrayal of national interests.”

P.Symonenko informed also that “at present, the Cabinet of Ministers urgently considers the issue on suspending work on the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, since it threatens Ukraine’s national security.”

UDAR faction leader V.Klychko noted that “opposition, unfortunately, does not have enough votes to uphold European laws. Everything possible is done to prevent from adoption of the law on treatment abroad and on the prosecutor’s office. The whole responsibility lies on the Party of Regions that blocks the work. We hope that the laws will be adopted in the nearest time.”

O.Tiahnybok, Svoboda faction leader, said that “there are no obstacles to vote on the bill on prosecutor’s office.”

Batkivshchyna faction leader A.Yatseniuk claimed that “according to the Chairman, on Friday, the Parliament should start its work with the law on the prosecutor’s office and the law on providing Yulia Tymoshenko with the right to receive medical assistance. This is the last plenary day.” “Until Friday, opposition will not vote on any bill from the agenda. We demand to vote on the laws that make Ukraine the European state.”  

Representative of the Party of Regions V.Oliinyk informed that in the course of consultations, the decision was taken to continue work of the working group and search for a compromise on the prosecutor’s office.

Further on, the people’s deputies considered the issue of ratification.

The Chairman suggested continue work on ratification tomorrow, after consideration of the Euro-integrational laws, and adjourned the morning session.

People’s deputies continued consideration of agenda items during the evening session.

The draft law on amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On State Budget of Ukraine for 2013” re repaying a debt for energy resources, adjusted for the second reading, was reported by the Chair of the Budget Committee Yevhenii Hiellier. He informed that in the course of adjustment of the bill, the Committee received 9 proposals, which were considered in the comparison table.

The Committee recommended that the Verkhovna Rada should adopt the bill in the second reading and in entirety.  

The Chairman noted that the decision on this bill will be taken tomorrow.

Representatives of opposition factions demanded to immediately invite the Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov to the Verkhovna Rada to provide explanations why the Government suspends the process of preparation to signing the Association Agreement with the EU. 

At the demand of the Communist faction representative, Volodymyr Rybak put to vote the bill that was considered during the morning session on ratification of the Memorandum on Mutual Understanding between Ukraine as a Borrower and the European Union.

Voting was not resultative.

People’s deputies upheld adoption of the draft law on amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On State Budget of Ukraine for 2013” re repaying a debt for energy resources by 239 votes.

The bill on amendments to the Mining Law of Ukraine re provision with coal and peat briquettes was adopted in entirety.

At the demand of Batkivshchyna and UDAR factions, the Presiding announced a short break in the meeting.

The First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine I.Kalyetnik adjourned the evening session in connection with blocking of the work of the Verkhovna Rada by representatives of opposition factions.