THE FIRST SESSION OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE OF THE EIGHTH CONVOCATION BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 27, 2014.  

399 people’s deputies registered for participation in the plenary meeting.

Chairperson of the Preparatory Deputy Group Volodymyr Groysman granted the floor to the most senior people’s deputy Yukhym Zviahilskyi who announced the first session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the eighth convocation to be open.

H. Veriovka National Academic Folk Choir performed the Anthem of Ukraine.

The people’s deputies congratulated Yuliia Tymoshenko, Tetiana Bakhteieva and other MPs on the occasion of their birthdays.

Chairperson of the Preparatory Deputy Group Volodymyr Groysman informed that an Interim presidium needs to be formed in order to hold plenary meetings. Volodymyr Groysman noted that the Interim presidium of the first session consists of six people’s deputies. It includes Chairperson of the Preparatory Deputy Group, as well as one representative from each political party.

The Chairperson put to vote the draft resolution (Reg. No. 1001) on the Interim presidium of the first session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the eighth convocation.

The Verkhovna Rada adopted the draft resolution in entirety by 370 votes.

Volodymyr Groysman informed on the personal composition of the Interim presidium, determined by the representatives of political parties: the people’s deputy Andrii Parubii (Political party “People's Front”), the people’s deputy Oleh Lavryk (Political party “Samopomich” Union"), the people’s deputy Oleksandr Vilkul (Political party “Opposition Bloc”), the people’s deputy Yurii-Bohdan Shukhevych (Radical Party) and the people’s deputy Andrii Kozhemiakin (Political party “Batkivshchyna”).   

The Chairperson invited members of the Interim presidium to take their seats and get down to fulfilling their responsibilities.

Members of the Interim presidium of the first session took their seats.

Volodymyr Groysman noted that the Rules of the Procedure of the Verkhovna Rada (particularly article 16) determine the order of consideration of issues during the first session of the newly elected Verkhovna Rada. He informed that the Preparatory Deputy Group makes a proposal to change the order of consideration of agenda items, and put to vote the draft resolution on the agenda of the first session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the eighth convocation for the period of consideration of organizational issues (Reg. No. 1002).

The MPs upheld the draft resolution by 343 votes.

The Presiding granted the floor to the Prime Minister of Ukraine Arsenii Yatseniuk who announced termination of powers of the Cabinet of Ministers before the newly elected Verkhovna Rada. “Mission has been completed. I would ask you to appoint a new Government,” noted A.Yatseniuk. 

Volodymyr Groysman reminded that under the Constitution of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers that has resigned, continues exercising its authority until the newly formed Cabinet of Ministers starts working.

The Presiding announced another agenda item – formation of deputy factions and groups. He informed that the following deputy factions have been formed and registered in the Verkhovna Rada of the eighth convocation: faction of the Political party “People's Front” (consisting of 83 people’s deputies; the people’s deputy Oleksandr Turchynov was elected its head); faction of the Political party “Samopomich” Union" (consisting of 32 people’s deputies; the people’s deputy Oleh Bereziuk was elected its head); faction of the Political party “Opposition Bloc” (consisting of 40 people’s deputies; Yurii Boiko was elected its head); faction of the Radical Party (consisting of 22 people’s deputies; Oleh Liashko was elected its head); faction of the Political party “The All-Ukrainian Union “Batkivshchyna” (consisting of 19 people’s deputies; the people’s deputy Yuliia Tymoshenko was elected its head).  

Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the seventh convocation Oleksandr Turchynov took the floor with a report entitled “On the state of legislative work of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the seventh convocation”.  

O.Turchynov noted that the Verkhovna Rada of the seventh convocation has become the third Parliament in the Ukrainian history that terminated its work early due to the unanimous backup of the decision on early elections by the society. According to him, “Parliament of the seventh convocation was composed of diametrical oppositions: on the one hand, during 2012-2013 it was a part of Yanukovych’s regime, its support and backup; on the other hand, a strong European opposition crystallized out, the one authorized by Maidan to return the country to the path of development and transformations, to the path of the rule of law and democratic Europe. In fact, these were two different Parliaments – the Verkhovna Rada prior to Maidan and after Maidan.”

Further on, O.Turchynov noted that “the victory of the Revolution of Dignity at the end of February this year, has initiated a new stage in the history of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the seventh convocation. The threat of deplorable Russian aggression against our country has crossed out peaceful life of Ukraine and Ukrainians, and thus has changed the very essence and political face of the Verkhovna Rada.”

The rapporteur stressed: “During the supersophisticated political and legal, as well as socio-economic situation, the Verkhovna Rada managed to assume all the responsibility for the state of affairs in the country; formed a new parliamentary majority and a new Government; and adopted the badly needed legislative acts, thus ensuring country’s vitality and a nation-wide confrontation to insidious military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. It was the Parliament that guaranteed a stable transition of authority in the country, as well as holding of democratic elections of the President of Ukraine, recognized by the civilized world.” 

O.Turchynov noted also that “by working in the epicenter of intense political processes, the post-Maidan Parliament has managed to demonstrate stable and effective work. In comparison with the previous sessions, the Verkhovna Rada started working a lot more fruitfully.”  

“Thus, despite of the short time period, the Verkhovna Rada of the seventh convocation will go down in history as a Parliament of great challenges and transformations in the Ukrainian statehood,” summed up the rapporteur.

Commenting on the most important decisions, adopted by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the seventh convocation, Oleksandr Turchynov mentioned restoration of the provisions of the Constitution of Ukraine that were illegally abolished under the pressure of Yanukovych. “Such decision of the Parliament was adopted at the demand of Ukrainian people by the constitutional majority (306 votes), which secured a return to the parliamentary-presidential form of government. Together with the restoration of the Constitution of Ukraine, the dictatorship laws, falsified at the demand of Yanukovych’s regime, were revoked,” he stressed.

According to him, for the period of two years of its cadency the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine scrutinized 1 915 draft laws, 371 of which were adopted in entirety as the laws.

O.Turchynov marked out especially seminal laws from among the great number of legislative acts adopted for the period of the two latter sessions. “Particularly, this is the package of bills adopted in connection with the necessity to protect the country against Russian intervention. The Parliament has promptly amended the State Budget for the current year, having significantly increased funding of country’s protection. It has adopted the package of laws that secured the work of law-enforcement bodies and the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” he said.

The rapporteur stressed that “synchronic ratification of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement on September 16, 2014 with the European Parliament was strategic and crucial for the country.” “This is a true breakthrough in our life and simultaneously an enormous responsibility for the new Government and Parliament who are obliged to fill the process of Ukraine’s European integration with real significance,” he noted.

Parliamentarians thanked their predecessors with applause. 

The Chairperson announced formation of the deputy group “Economic Development” including 19 people’s deputies (Vitalii Khomutynnik was elected head of the group); deputy group “People’s Will” consisting of 19 people’s deputies (the people’s deputy Ihor Yeremeiev was elected its head); and the biggest faction in the Parliament – faction of the political party “Petro Poroshenko Bloc” consisting of 146 people’s deputies (Yurii Lutsenko was elected head of the faction).  

The Presiding announced consideration of the issue “On coalition of deputy factions in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the eighth convocation.”

He asked members of the Counting commission to convene for its first organizational meeting in order to afterwards be ready to inform about the decisions taken.

Volodymyr Groysman informed that the coalition of deputy factions shall be formed during the break, and asked the people’s deputies-members of the future coalition, to remain in the session hall in order to hold the first coalition meeting. A break was announced.

After the break, the Presiding invited President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko to the session hall.

He informed that under the protocol of the first meeting of the Counting commission, the people’s deputy Oleksandr Chernenko was elected its head; the people’s deputy Roman Zastavnyi – the deputy head; and the people’s deputy Ruslan Sydorovych – its secretary.

Volodymyr Groysman announced consideration of the issue on election of the Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada and addressed deputy factions and groups with a request to nominee their candidates for this post.

The Presiding granted the floor to the representative of the faction “Petro Poroshenko Bloc” Yurii Lutsenko who has nominated the people’s deputy Volodymyr Groysman to the post. This candidacy was agreed by the coalition deputy factions.

The candidature of the people’s deputy Volodymyr Groysman was upheld by the head of the Radical party faction O.Liashko, head of the faction “Samopomich” Union" O.Bereziuk, representative of “Batkivshchyna” faction S.Soboliev and representative of “People's Front” faction A.Parubii.

The people’s deputies upheld the proposal of the Presiding to continue the plenary meeting until all agenda items are scrutinized.  

Further on, the meeting was led by the member of the Interim presidium Andrii Parubii. He noted that during the speeches only one candidature was proposed – the people’s deputy Volodymyr Groysman. He granted the floor to Volodymyr Groysman.

Volodymyr Groysman outlined the tasks that need to be settled in order to “change the country.” He expressed confidence in the ability to overcome challenges. “We shall work efficiently, professionally, and promptly. We shall transfer our Ukrainian Parliament into a drive for reforms, ensure unity of Ukrainian authorities, and support the President in such difficult time, form a professional government and support the Prime Minister, make respective decisions and share responsibility,” he noted.  

Volodymyr Groysman noted that he, as a Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada, shall do everything to make Ukraine a prospering European country.

Following the proposal of the Presiding, the people’s deputies went down to voting and elected the people’s deputy Volodymyr Groysman Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the eighth convocation.

Volodymyr Groysman thanked the people’s deputies for their trust.

The Presiding announced consideration of the issue regarding unscheduled message of the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko on the internal and external situation of Ukraine. 

Volodymyr Groysman granted the floor to the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.

The beginning of the presidential speech was dedicated to the changes that took place in Ukraine in the last year.

"Challenges and threats Ukraine has never faced since the World War II and the post-war massacre of the Ukrainian national movement… At the same time, a unique chance given by the responsible Ukrainian people to our state after electing the pro-European constitutional majority to the Ukrainian Parliament for the first time - these colossal opportunities have never been available for us before. This is a complete characteristic of the internal and external situation. Our task can be explained with a simple formula: to avert the threat and use the chance", said Petro Poroshenko.

The President of Ukraine also said "we are living in war conditions. It certainly impedes our plans. For example, how can we convince investors to invest money in the country which is in a state of war? How can we ensure sustainability if a great part of the economy has been physically destroyed? We must find the answers to these questions together", and ensured that his peace plan as well as the Minsk protocol and the Minsk memorandum based on it will bring peace to the Donbas in the end.

Petro Poroshenko emphasized that the key internal challenge is corruption. "I would like to mention poverty in this context as well, but it is clear that the root cause of the extremely low level of life of the majority of Ukrainians is total corruptness of the state apparatus. Incompetence and inefficiency of public administration. Mercantile, so to say, unprincipled corruption is much stronger ally of our external enemy than his ideologically motivated fifth column.

Unemployment, poverty and social injustice are now threatening not just with the growth of protest mood in society. They can and will be used by the enemy to destabilize the situation in the country", said the Head of State.

The President of Ukraine described unique opportunities the Revolution of Dignity has opened to the whole country.

In his words, "the majority of Ukrainians finally supports the Association Agreement with the EU and the idea of joining the European Union. Dear colleagues, we must use this chance. The number of those who stand for the Ukrainian language to be a single state language has reached the record level. In the course of the last year, due to the actions of Russia, the number of those who support the idea of joining NATO has also been increased by 3-4 times. Still, this issue remains the last one among the so-called complicated topics on which in several regions the rate of polar opinions stays equal".

According to the President of Ukraine, "in general, mainly artificial division of Ukraine on geographic, ethnic, linguistic and religious grounds has finally been overcome and this division will stay in the past. Ukraine has never been as united as it is now!"

Petro Poroshenko then claimed that the creation of political preconditions for changes has been finished with the early elections. "Fair, transparent, democratic elections have renewed the Parliament by more than a half for the first time in our history. It is a pleasure for me to see among you those who have a great political and reformatory experience, who have overcome hard challenges. But I am especially pleased to see such a big number of new young faces, for you are the fresh blood the Ukrainian policy required! Welcome to the Verkhovna Rada!

I sincerely congratulate you on being elected the people's deputies and taking the oath. I call for our joint work for the benefit of Ukraine! As President, I am convinced: we will succeed", he said.

He mentioned in his speech "the record breaking forming of coalition and possible quick but responsible forming of the Government". "It is important that politicians haven't been sharing the posts when forming the coalition. They have been elaborating a detailed plan of fundamental changes in the country. I was pleased to watch that. These large-scale transformations must become the next phase of our Revolution. They must gradually result in the efficient reformation", stressed Petro Poroshenko.

The President of Ukraine stressed that he is a reliable ally of the Parliament in the implementation of reformatory, pro-European coalition agreement and he is convinced that "it is only with efficient cooperation that we will manage to achieve the results desired by the people of Ukraine and I will do everything possible for the coordinated work of Verkhovna Rada, the President and the Cabinet of Ministers". 

Petro Poroshenko briefly outlined some crucial issues of our common strategy that concern the national security in its broader sense. He noted that "the worst situation is in our judicial system".

"As the President, I have no right to put pressure on specific courts and I will not do so. But the voters have not only allowed, bur also ordered us to change the system. That's why the judicial reform should be one of the first. I will submit respective draft laws as extremely urgent. For only those who have troubles with the law can feel safe and secured with such courts. And law-abiding citizens should stay away from these courts. There is no truth in there", stressed Petro Poroshenko.

The reformation of all law enforcement bodies, first of all the Ministry of the Interior and the Prosecutor General's Office, is definitely tangent to the judicial reform. He expressed gratitude that this chapter was clearly laid down in the coalition agreement.

Petro Poroshenko reminded that the old Parliament adopted the new law on public prosecution which would soon enter into force as well as the law on the National Anti-Corruption Bureau.

He suggested appointing a foreign person as the Chairperson of the given Bureau. This person will have one advantage – absence of ties in the Ukrainian political elite.

The President of Ukraine claimed he thoroughly analyzed the majority of decisions on deregulation adopted in recent years. "Real deregulation and tax reform must launch the economy and resume the process of growth. We will definitely succeed in that", he said.

According to the President of Ukraine, defence reform must also become part of tectonic change: army, intelligence, military industrial complex.

Petro Poroshenko claimed that non-alignment status of Ukraine proclaimed in 2010 couldn't guarantee our security and territorial integrity and we must abolish it.

"This stand has led to serious losses. That's why we've decided to return to the course of NATO integration. We are enhancing cooperation with NATO, working over operational compatibility with the armies of NATO members, focusing on NATO standards in the defense-security sector", claimed Petro Poroshenko. 

In his speech, the President of Ukraine also said that democracy is also an instrument of ensuring the national security. Parliamentary coalition is in fact the constitutional majority. It consists of 302 deputies. We haven't had such a coalition before.

Petro Poroshenko noted that he is the President of the whole country, the President of all Ukrainians.  Thus, he must listen to the opposition as well. "We must respect all these manifestations. It is also related to the issue of language. The main difference between Ukraine and Russia is not in language, but in political culture. It has been demonstrated in the course of the elections and the Revolution of Dignity. This difference is in the type of relations between the authorities and the public, in the attitude to freedom and democracy”, he said.

In his words, the abovementioned changes do not exclude the support of the Ukrainian language and the measures called in the European political culture "positive discrimination". It is a form of supporting those who have been subjected to persecution and harassment for a long time. The Ukrainian language is an important consolidating factor of society and the state.

According to the President of Ukraine, the issue of national security is also related to the problems of church. It is an extremely sensitive area that needs careful approach; sharp movements are not allowed here. But with recent experience we will never forget that sometimes preparation to absorb the country begins with the shared prayers or religious processions. We all should remember the love to the Homeland, love to Ukraine and I'm sure it must be our first priority.

Petro Poroshenko finished his speech saying "our politics must be aimed at gradual movement from the country of the Revolution of Dignity to the Country of Dignity itself". 

"We have no time to talk. The Ukrainian people can confirm that. The coalition has been formed! There is a political will to make changes. There is a clear plan of actions and the coalition agreement. We have a chance to fulfill it. So let's start working, for us to be able to apply for membership in the EU in 5 years", stressed the President of Ukraine.

Volodymyr Groysman announced that the coalition of deputy factions in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the eighth convocation was formed and registered in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Secretariat on November 27, 2014. According to him, the coalition of deputy factions was formed on the basis of the Agreement on the coalition of deputy factions, signed by heads of the following deputy factions: faction “Petro Poroshenko Bloc”, faction “People's Front”, faction “Samopomich” Union", faction “Oleh Liashko Radical Party”, and faction of the All-Ukrainian Union “Batkivshchyna”. All in all, 302 people’s deputies who have personally signed their consent to become members of the coalition.

The Presiding announced consideration of the issue on appointing the Prime Minister of Ukraine. He informed that the Coalition has referred its nominee to the post of the Prime Minister of Ukraine to the President of Ukraine. 

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko noted that he has received the respective submission, signed by five leaders of deputy factions, on appointing Arsenii P. Yatseniuk to the post of the Prime Minister of Ukraine.

Petro Poroshenko signed the submission on appointing Arsenii Yatseniuk to the post of the Prime Minister of Ukraine and called on the session hall to uphold it. 

A.Yatseniuk took the floor.

The Presiding put to vote the issue on appointing Arsenii Yatseniuk the Prime Minister of Ukraine.

The people’s deputies upheld appointment of A.Yatseniuk to the post of the Prime Minister of Ukraine by 341 votes.

The President of Ukraine thanked the people’s deputies for fruitful and efficient work.

The Presiding announced consideration of the issue “On the procedure of covering the work of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the eighth convocation”.

The people’s deputies upheld the draft resolution (Reg. No. 1003) as a basis and in entirety by 366 votes.

The people’s deputies postponed consideration of the issue “On the Committees of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the Eighth Convocation”.

Volodymyr Groysman adjourned the first plenary meeting of the first session.

Next plenary meeting of the first session will be held on Tuesday, December 2, 2014.