AN EVENING MEETING OF THE FIRST SESSION OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE OF THE 6TH CONVOCATION WAS HELD ON THURSDAY 6 DECEMBER
Prior to commencement of the meeting, Deputies of The Party of Region Faction obstructed the Presidium and Speaker's lectern.
The Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Arseniy Yatseniuk, requested a Deputy, who was occupying his seat, to move. Once his rightful seat became available he sat down.
246 People's Deputies registered to attend the Meeting. The Deputies of The Party of Regions and CPU refused to register.
A. Yatseniuk reported on the progress made at the Meeting of the Conciliatory Council. He said they had agreed on a 1.5-hour recess for consultations concerning candidates for the posts of First Vice-Chairman and Vice-Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada.
A. Yatseniuk conveyed the proposal from the BYuT Faction stating that members of those Factions which do not belong to the Coalition of Democratic Forces should be nominated to the post of First Vice Chairman. He added that the BYuT Faction has confirmed this proposal.
A. Yatseniuk thought that the Factions should hold consultations to reach agreement on the election of Chairman's Deputies.
The Chair requested all Factions to submit information to the Office and Administrative Department of The Verkhovna Rada concerning a timetable of consultations with the candidate for the post of Prime Minister of Ukraine.
A. Yatseniuk then informed the meeting that the Conciliatory Council has considered several proposals concerning the election of Committee Chairmen. He said that the matter of assignment of Parliamentary Committees should be agreed among all Factions. Other options that could be used are those offered by the still functioning Preparatory Group.
The members of Factions discussed the necessity of continuing the Evening Meeting to elect a First Vice-Chairman and Vice-Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, by secret voting. According to the Standing Orders, this decision can be only taken at a Morning Meeting. They asked for this decision to be made following a recess.
Several members of the Party of Regions Faction took the floor, and among them Inna Bohoslovska, who attributed the presence of her colleagues at the Presidium and their storming of the lectern, to their protests against the Coalition Faction´s attempt to set up a Temporary Ad Hoc Panel to draft the Bills for consideration by The Verkhovna Rada. She stressed that the creation of this body does not fall in line with the Constitution.
Responding to speeches by Deputies, The Chairman The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine once again stressed the obligatory adherence to the Standing Orders, and consideration of those matters on the Agenda.
A. Yatseniuk announced a recess, following a request by The Party of Regions.
After a one hour interval, he advised that the Inter-Faction consultations were still ongoing, and required a further hour for completion. A. Yatseniuk agreed with the request from the Party of Regions to extend the recess for a further 30 minutes.
After this interval, the Chair announced that the Factions requesting a recess had not submitted any nominations for the position of First Vice-Chairman. A. Yatseniuk addressed the Faction requesting them to submit these proposals no later than the following day.
The Chair also recalled the outstanding matter of the assignment of Committees.
A.Yatseniuk also requested the Factions to complete consultations with the candidate for the position of Prime Minister of Ukraine within five days.
Closing the Meeting, the Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine begged the Deputies to consider fulfilling their obligations to the standard practices of Parliament.
The Evening Meeting was then closed.
The next Plenary Meeting of the First Session of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the 6th Convocation will be held on Friday 7 December.