PLENARY MEETINGS OF THE THIRD SESSION OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE WERE HELD ON TUESDAY, 13 JANUARY
Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, opened the morning meeting and announced that Yulia Tymoshenko, Prime Minister of Ukraine, and members of the Cabinet of Ministers took part in the parliament´s work.
Yuriy Prodan, Minister of Fuel and Energy, reported on the conditions of Ukrainian-Russian relations in the gas sector, and the situation concerning supply of Ukraine with energy resources, transit of natural gas through its territory to the European customers. At the beginning of his report, the Minister stated that the Council of Energy Ministries of the European countries considered the actions of Ukrainian authority and the national joint-stock company "Naftohaz" as responsible, and announced that supply of Russian natural gas to the European countries should be restored that day.
Yu.Prodan related the history of the issue since 2008 in detail. He stated that the situation was characterized by the absence of a coordinated price for imported natural gas, lack of agreements for 2008 concerning supply of gas. He stated that international bilateral agreements were not effective on 1 January 2008, and the national joint-stock company "Naftohaz" had virtually no gas of its own in the Ukrainian storages. Arrears of the company for the imported natural gas totaled 5,2 billion UAH. The national joint-stock company "Naftohaz" lost a half of the total market of natural gas sale in Ukraine, i.e. industrial customers. A mediator "Ukrhazenerho" was acting at the natural gas market in Ukraine.
The reporter stated that the Ukrainian government considered transition to the long-term, transparent, direct, contractual relations in gas supply and transit as one of the measures to be taken to secure stable functioning of economy.
Yu.Prodan reported on the conditions of negotiations with the Russian party in detail.
Yu.Prodan stressed: "At present, the situation at the domestic market is stable. Reserve fuel is fully used at the fuel-burning power plants. Black oil is burnt instead of gas. However, self-government bodies create problems with payments".
Finally, the reporter stated that the Russian party deviated from the Memorandum signed by the Prime-Ministers of the countries. The current situation can hardly be settled only within the scope of energy dialogue between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. It is necessary to extend the range of issues, where the balance of interests can be achieved, as well as the circle of participants of negotiations, with the European party attracted".
Yu.Prodan stated that negotiations with the Russian Federation were still in progress.
Mykola Martynenko, Chairman of the Committee on Fuel and Energy Complex, Nuclear Policy, and Nuclear Safety, was a co-reporter on the matter. He commented on the situation concerning gas transit and supply of Russian gas to Ukraine.
M.Martynenko stressed the fact that operation of a great number of Ukrainian enterprises was limited, the conditions of heating and hot water supply in many cities of Ukraine deteriorated.
M.Martynenko also stated that instead of possible ways out of the crisis, mutual reprimands were issued, and inadequate prices for gas for Ukraine and transit tariffs were proposed.
M.Martynenko called for halting the search of the guilty side or winners in the gas war. "There will be no winners. All participants of the gas war: European countries, Ukraine and Russia, suffer losses. Moreover, population of Ukraine and certain EU countries is also suffering", - he stated.
The Chairman of the parliamentary Committee deems necessary to unite the efforts of all branches of authority and experts in Ukraine to find the ways out of the gas war, and hold negotiations at the higher level, i.e. the leaders of governments of the two countries should restore the negotiations.
He believes that reforming of gas sector should become an issue of top priority both for the Cabinet of Ministers, and The Verkhovna Rada, and should give impetus to the introduction of energy-saving technologies, which will reduce gas dependence of Ukraine on the Russian gas.
Leaders and authorized representatives of Deputy Factions, the People´s Deputies participated in the discussion.
The majority of speakers called for setting up a temporary inquiry panel to investigate the situation in the gas-transport system of Ukraine and take immediate measures.
The Chairman read out the Draft Resolution "On setting up a Temporary Inquiry Panel of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to investigate Operation of a Gas-Transport System of Ukraine and Supply of Customers with Gas in 2008-2009". Pursuant to the Draft Resolution, the Temporary Inquiry Panel is to investigate the situation concerning operation of the gas-transport system of Ukraine and supply of customers with the natural gas in 2008-2009, exert parliamentary control over the process of negotiations in order to restore supply of Ukrainian customers with gas and transit of gas to Europe.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine passed the Resolution on setting up a Temporary Inquiry Panel. People´s Deputy Inna Bohoslovska was elected Head of the Panel. Pursuant to the Resolution, the Panel will function within two months and present its preliminary report at the plenary meeting on 6 February.
Then the People´s Deputies scrutinized two Bills appertaining to the extension of the list of persons authorized to submit a cassation, submitted by V.Yushchenko, President of Ukraine, and People´s Deputy V.Moisyk.
The Bill by People´s Deputy V.Moisyk was adopted as a basis and in its entirety (396 votes).
The Verkhovna Rada declined the Bills on Amendments to the Criminal Procedural Code of Ukraine (re Appeal against the Resolutions on Institution of Criminal Proceedings) and on Amendments to the Code of Administrative Legal Procedure of Ukraine concerning Competence in Disputes where The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the President of Ukraine or the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine act as a Party.
The Bill "On Amendments to certain Laws of Ukraine concerning Taxation in the Period of holding of the Final Part of European Football Championship 2012 in Ukraine" was adopted as a basis (391 votes).
Then the plenary meeting was closed.
At the evening plenary meeting, two Draft Resolutions concerning holding of parliamentary hearings on the topic "Preparation to the holding of the Final Part of the European Football Championship-2012 in Ukraine" were scrutinized. One of the Bills was adopted by 395 votes. Pursuant to the Resolution, parliamentary hearings will be held on 11 March 2009.
The Verkhovna Rada passed the Resolution "On Celebration of the 65th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War and Liberation of Ukraine from Fascist Occupants".
The following Bills were adopted as a basis: on Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine concerning Adoption of the Code of Administrative Legal Procedure in Ukraine (368 votes), on Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts (re Documents that certify Right of Ownership of Land Areas and the Order of the Partition and Unification of Land Areas) (388 votes), on Amendments to Law "On Charge for the Development of Wine-Making, Gardening Establishment and Hop Growing" (252 votes), on Amendments to the Law "On Human Protection f про внесення from the Ionizing Radiation Influence" (369 votes), on Amendments to the Law "On Electric Power Engineering" (re Regulation of Energy Export) (385 votes).
The People´s Deputies scrutinized the Bill "On the List of Documents of Licensing Character in the Sphere of Economic Operations". The Bill was adopted as a basis by 396 votes.
The Bill "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine re Minimizing of the Consequences of the Financial Crisis for the Market Participants" was adopted as a basis (244 votes). It aims at preservation of workplaces and receipt of extra revenue to the State Budget.
At the end of the evening plenary meeting, the People´s Deputies scrutinized and passed the Resolution "On Emergency Actions on Preserving of Territorial Integrity of the National Academy of Science Botanical Garden named after M. M. Hryshko" (403 votes).
Then the evening plenary meeting was closed
The next plenary meeting will be held on Wednesday, 14 January.