PLENARY MEETINGS OF THE THIRD SESSION OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE WERE HELD ON THURSDAY, 25 DECEMBER
At the beginning of the morning meeting, Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, announced the results of Parliament´s work at the plenary meeting on 24 December, Thus, at the plenary meeting, The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine scrutinized 17 issues of the agenda. Due to the results of scrutiny, 2 Laws were adopted, 6 Bills were adopted as a basis, 1 Bill was forwarded for repeated First Reading, 2 Bills were declined, 5 Bills were not included to the agenda.
The Chairman stated that on 24 December 2008, the Central Election Commission registered Bobyliov Oleksandr Fadeyovych, People´s Deputy of Ukraine who was included into the electoral list of the Bloc "Our Ukraine-People´s Self-Defence" and elected on 30 September 2007 in the multi-mandate electoral district.
The newly-elected People´s Deputy took the oath before The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. The Chairman informed the People´s Deputies that O.F. Bobyliov accessed the Deputy Faction "Our Ukraine-People´s Self-Defence".
The People´s Deputies held a minute of silence in honour of the victims of tragedy that happened on 24 December 2008 in Yevpatoria.
Then Serhiy Teriokhin, Chairman of the Committee on Taxation and Customs Policy, informed about the Committee´s resolution concerning introduction of amendments to certain Laws of Ukraine on excise duty. The Committee recommends that the Parliament adopts the Bill at the Second Reading and in its entirety, as it should fill the State Budget with 9,4 billion UAH.
The People´s Deputies scrutinized the amendments and adopted the Bill at the Second Reading and in its entirety (236 votes).
The Bill "On Prevention of Influence of the Global Financial Crisis on the Development of the Construction Sector and Housing Development" was adopted at the Second Reading and in its entirety by 410 votes.
Scrutiny of the Bill on Amendments to the Law "On Amendments to certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine" (re Rates of Rent for Natural Gas) was postponed until all the remarks concerning adequacy of the title were considered.
The People´s Deputies scrutinized the Bill "On Amendments to certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine concerning Responsibility for Delinquencies at the Securities Market". The Bill was adopted at the Second Reading and in its entirety by 264 votes.
Then the Parliament members scrutinized amendments to the Bill "On Measures to be taken to secure Protection of Population from the Consequences of the Global Financial Crisis". The People´s Deputies adopted the Bill at the Second Reading and in its entirety by 230 votes.
After the recess, the People´s Deputies scrutinized a number of Draft Resolutions concerning holding of extraordinary local elections.
The Verkhovna Rada adopted the Bill "On Amendments to certain Laws of Ukraine regarding Minimization of Influence of the Global Financial Crisis on the Employment of Population" at the Second Reading and in its entirety.
Then the People´s Deputies scrutinized and adopted the Resolution on the Schedule of the Fourth Session.
The Bill on Amendments to the Law "On Special Regime of Innovational Activity of Technological Parks" (re Specification of Terms and Conditions of Realization of Projects) was declined (203 votes).
The People´s Deputies failed to uphold the motion of the Chairman concerning continuation of the evening meeting until the Bill on the State Budget of Ukraine for Year 2009 and all the Bills appertaining to the revenue of the State Budget were scrutinized.
The Verkhovna Rada adopted the following Bills at the Second Reading and in entirety: on Amendments to certain Laws of Ukraine regarding Specification of Functions of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine and the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; on Amendments to the Law "On the Local Self-Government in Ukraine" (re Period of Authority of the Local Councils and their Chairpersons), etc.
The Bill "On Amendments to certain Laws of Ukraine due to Adoption of the Law of Ukraine "On Freedom of Movement and Free Choice of the Place of Residence in Ukraine" was forwarded for the Third Reading.
The Bill on Amendments to the Economic Processual Code of Ukraine was declined.
Then the morning plenary meeting was closed.
At the beginning of the evening meeting, Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, stated that the People´s Deputies were to scrutinize the Bill on the State Budget of Ukraine for Year 2009. The Committee on Budget passed Conclusions and Recommendations concerning the Bill. The Parliament could scrutinize the Bill as soon as these Conclusions and Recommendations were presented. Therefore, the Chairman stated that the Draft Resolution concerning Approval of Location of Objects was to be scrutinized next.
The Draft Resolution was declined.
The People´s Deputies scrutinized two Draft Resolutions concerning celebration of memorable dates and jubilees in 2009. The Resolution elaborated by the members of the Committee on Culture and Spirituality was adopted.
The Verkhovna Rada passed a Resolution on Celebration of the 125th Anniversary of Foundation of the National Technical University "Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute".
People´s Deputy Vasyl Shpak presented the Bill on Amendments to the Law "On State Aid to Agriculture of Ukraine (re Improvement of Mechanisms of State Pricing Management of Agricultural Market, Insurance of Agricultural Goods Production, Livestock Sector and Social Programs Realization)".
The Bill envisages extension of the list of objects of governmental price regulation. To the objects of price regulation the following kinds of agricultural goods should be added: "wheat, blend of wheat and rye, maize, barley, buckwheat, peas, millet, oats, soya , sunflower seeds, flax seeds, hop, granulated sugar (from beet), wheat flour, rye flour, meet, offal (of a killed animal and poultry), dry milk, butter, sunflower oil".
The Bill was adopted as a basis by 411 votes.
The Bill on General Principles of Development of State-Private Partnership in Ukraine was forwarded for repeated First Reading.
Mykola Derkach, Chairman of The Committee on Budget, presented the Bill on the State Budget of Ukraine for Year 2009. He informed about the basic indices suggested by the Government for adoption: revenue in the amount of 237,5 billion UAH, expenditures and crediting - 268,5 billion UAH, deficit - 31 billion UAH.
Mykola Derkach reported on Committee´s motions concerning the Bill and stressed the importance of adoption of the State Budget till the end of the current year.
However, the speakers stated that the Draft State Budget was quite complicated and even recessionary, not planned due to actual macrofactors. Moreover, the Draft State Budget envisages inflation at the rate of 9,5%, although the international organization envisage at least 17 %.
Other speakers stated that expenditures of the State Budget failed to be supported by actual revenue, called for elimination of social populism and adoption of a real calculated budget.
The Bill was declined (219 votes).
Then the plenary meeting was closed.