PLENARY MEETINGS OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE OF THE EIGHTH CONVOCATION WERE HELD ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2.
370 people's deputies registered in the session hall.
At the beginning of the meeting, the MPs commemorated famous Ukrainian writer, member of the First of December Initiative, Ukrainian political prisoner Yevhen Sverstiuk who died of a lingering disease on December 1.
Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman informed that on November 19 and 28 the Central Election Commission registered such people's deputies: Matios Mariia Vasylivna, "Petro Poroshenko Bloc", and Rudyk Serhii Yaroslavovych, elected in the single-mandate district No. 198.
Newly
elected MPs took the oath to the Verkhovna Rada. Volodymyr Groysman asked non-affiliated people's deputies to submit to the Verkhovna Rada their applications for membership in the Verkhovna Rada committees. In his words, efficient and professional government of Ukraine shall be formed as well.
The Chairperson announced a break till 12:30 p.m.
After the break, Volodymyr Groysman informed about the consultations with leaders of deputy factions and coalition members where they discussed issues on forming the Cabinet of Ministers and composition of the Verkhovna Rada committees.
Volodymyr Groysman said that everyone understands that the government of Ukraine shall be formed today. He suggested continuing evening plenary meeting until this issue is resolved and put his suggestion to vote.
People's deputies upheld the suggestion with 310 votes.
Volodymyr Groysman informed about the coalition meeting at 3 p.m. and adjourned the morning meeting.
At the beginning of the evening meeting, Volodymyr Groysman announced that M.Matios and F.Nehoi entered the deputy faction of "Petro Poroshenko Bloc".
The Chairperson said that the deputy group "People's Will" includes 20 people's deputies. He also informed about establishing the inter-faction deputy union "For Kharkiv, for Slobozhanshchyna", the chairperson of which is Valerii Pysarenko.
Authorized representatives from deputy factions and groups made their announcements, statements, and suggestions.
After this, the Chairperson announced a break for consultations.
After the break, Volodymyr Groysman said that President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko also participates in the plenary meeting.
The Chairperson reminded that under the Constitution of Ukraine, the President submits candidates for the posts of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Defence.
Volodymyr Groysman informed that the President of Ukraine made a submission for appointing Pavlo Klimkin as the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the draft resolution on appointing P.Klimkin as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine with 351 votes.
The President of Ukraine submitted Stepan Poltorak for the post of the Minister of Defence.
Petro Poroshenko informed that in the morning he signed a decree on granting Ukrainian citizenship to Nataliia Yaresko, Oleksandr Kvitashvili, and Aivaras Abramovychus, whom coalition views as candidates for the Cabinet of Ministers members. He congratulated them on this occasion.
Petro Poroshenko informed he would sign a decree on granting Ukrainian citizenship to Russians and Byelorussians who are participating in the ATO.
The Chairperson put to vote the draft resolution on appointing Stepan Poltorak as the Minister of Defence of Ukraine.
People's
deputies adopted the draft resolution on appointing Stepan Poltorak as the
Minister of Defence of Ukraine with 347 votes.
The Presiding informed that the issue of appointing members of the Cabinet of Ministers shall be considered following the submission which the coalition has referred to the Prime Minister.
Prime Minister of Ukraine Arsenii Yatseniuk reported on the situation in the country; on the urgent tasks the Government is facing; and on the bills that need to be adopted till the end of this year.
After the speech of A.Yatseniuk, the Presiding put to vote the draft
resolution on forming the composition of the Cabinet of Ministers (Reg. No.
1008). The Verkhovna Rada adopted the draft resolution as a basis by 229 votes.
Leader of the faction “Petro Poroshenko Bloc” Yu.Lutsenko suggested granting leaders of faction and groups the floor, and then vote for the composition of the Government as a whole in one package.
Representatives of factions noted that the country requires reforms.
Chairperson of “Samopomich” faction O.Bereziuk made a remark saying that there was no possibility to listen to the nominees to the posts of members of the Government and ask them questions.
Representatives of other factions and groups informed that they will vote for the suggested candidatures.
The Presiding granted each nominee with three minutes to present their activity programme.
The nominees responded to the questions of parliamentarians.
In the course of nomination, the Presiding granted the floor to the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko who thanked the people’s deputies for voting by the constitutional majority.
The nominees continued their speeches.
Prime Minister Arsenii Yatseniuk suggested give him the opportunity to introduce other nominees, and in case of necessity the people’s deputies will be able to ask them questions.
He briefed on the nominees and told about the tasks they will perform.
The people’s deputies did not uphold the proposal of the Presiding to stop discussing candidatures.
Afterwards, the Presiding put to vote the draft resolution on forming the composition of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (Reg. No. 1008) in order to adopt it in entirety.
The Verkhovna Rada adopted the draft resolution in entirety by 288 votes.
The resolution resolved to appoint:Voshchevskyi Valerii to the post of Vice-Prime-Minister of Ukraine;
Kyrylenko Viacheslav to the post of Vice-Prime-Minister of Ukraine – Minister of Culture of Ukraine;
Zubko Hennadii to the post of Vice-Prime-Minister of Ukraine – Minister of Regional Development, Construction and Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine;
Onyshchenko Hanna to the post of Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine;
Pavlenko Oleksii to the post of Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine;
Avakov Arsen to the post of Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine;
Shevchenko Ihor to the post of Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine;
Aivaras Abromavichus to the post of Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine;
Demchyshyn Volodymyr to the post of Minister of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine;
Pyvovarskyi Andrii to the post of Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine;
Stets Yurii to the post of Minister of Information Policy of Ukraine;
Zhdanov Ihor to the post of Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine;
Kvit Serhii to the post of Minister of Science and Education of Ukraine;
Kvitashvili Oleksandr to the post of Minister of Health of Ukraine;
Rozenko Pavlo to the post of Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine;
Yaresko Nataliia to the post of Minister of Finance of Ukraine;
Petrenko Pavlo to the post of Minister of Justice of Ukraine.
Prime Minister of Ukraine Arsenii Yatseniuk thanked the people’s deputies for the support and formation of a new Government.
Prior to assuming an office as a Prime Minister, A.Yatseniuk read out an oath of members of the Cabinet of Ministers and all the newly appointed members of the Government signed the text of an oath.
The Verkhovna Rada adopted the resolutions on dismissing Groysman Volodymyr Borysovych from the post of the Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, Minister of Regional Development, Building and Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine and on dismissing former members of the Cabinet of Ministers from their posts.
MPs have also voted for early termination of powers of A. Yatseniuk, A. Avakov, V. Voshchevskyi, I. Zhdanov, S. Kvit, V. Kyrylenko, P. Rozenko, Yu. Stets, and P. Petrenko in connection with their appointment to the posts of members of the Cabinet of Ministers.
The Presiding instructed the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Secretariat to carry out internal investigation regarding spreading false information about the people’s deputy V. Voshchevskyi in the session hall.
Volodymyr Groysman adjourned evening plenary session.
Next plenary meeting of the first session will be held on Thursday, December 4.