PLENARY MEETINGS OF THE FOURTH SESSION OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE OF THE SIXTH CONVOCATION WERE HELD ON TUESDAY, 31 MARCH
In the beginning of the morning plenary meeting, Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, informed the People´s Deputies that Viktor Yushchenko, President of Ukraine, Yulia Tymoshenko, Prime-Minister of Ukraine, members of the Cabinet of Ministers, leaders of central executive bodies, the Ombudsman, the Head of the Accounting Chamber, the Head of the Central Election Commission and other high-ranking officials participated in the meeting.
The Chairman gave floor to Viktor Yushchenko, President of Ukraine, for delivering annual message to The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine concerning domestic and foreign situation of Ukraine.
At first, Viktor Yushchenko addressed the Ukrainian nation with a request to evaluate situation in Ukraine adequately.
In his speech, the President of Ukraine appraised all domestic and foreign processes in Ukraine and beyond its borders at length. He stressed that the main reason of the economic recession in Ukraine was stipulated by the continuous inability of the State and authorities to implement basic structural economic and social reforms.
The President of Ukraine addressed all the participants of the meeting with a request to appease political passions and impose a moratorium on the conflicts and elucidation of relations.
Viktor Yushchenko introduced an anti-recessionary plan consisting of two mutually connected parts and dwelled upon its essence. The President of Ukraine also stressed the necessity of altering the electoral system.
Viktor Yushchenko suggested a transition to the bicameral structure of Ukrainian Parliament with simultaneous reduction of the number of People´s Deputies.
Thus, the lower chamber of the parliament shall assume responsibility for the formation of the government and control over its activity. The upper chamber shall be directly elected due to majority system and represent the communities and regions.
Viktor Yushchenko dwelled upon the role of the President of Ukraine in the system of authority, introduced his motions concerning reforms of the local self-government, administrative-territorial reform, judicial and law enforcement reforms, etc.
After the President´s speech, the recess was announced.
After the recess, V.Lytvyn informed the People´s Deputies about the results of Parliament´s activity at the plenary meetings on 17-20 March.
Then the People´s Deputies scrutinized the amendments to the Bill on amendments to the Law "On the Rates of Excise Duty for Tobacco Goods" (re Extra State Budget Revenue).
The Bill was adopted at the Second Reading and in its entirety as a Law (241 votes).
Two Bills on amendments to certain Laws of Ukraine concerning excise duty were included into the agenda.
The governmental Bill was adopted as a basis and in its entirety (230 votes).
Then the People´s Deputies scrutinized the Bill on amendments to the Law "On Value Added Tax" (re Application of Regulations of Special Tax Treatment to Agricultural Producers by Sale of their Production, and Regulation of Compensation for Losses inflicted by the Natural Disaster). The Bill was rejected.
Mykola Onishchuk, Minister of Justice of Ukraine, presented the Draft Administrative-Procedural Code of Ukraine. The Draft Administrative-Procedural Code of Ukraine was forwarded for repeated First Reading (226 votes).
The Parliament members listened to the report of Borys Shyianov, People´s Deputy of Ukraine, concerning the Air Code, and rejected the said act.
The Bill on Amendments to certain Laws of Ukraine concerning Irrigation Agriculture was adopted as a basis (340 votes).
The Bill on Amendments to the Law "On Housing Stock of Social Designation" was rejected.
In the end of the plenary meeting, the People´s Deputies scrutinized the Bill on Amendments to the Law "On Service at the Local Self-Government Bodies" appertaining to the enhancement of effective legislation in the sector of local self-government.
Then the morning plenary meeting was closed.
At the evening plenary meeting, Mykola Traiduk, People´s Deputy of Ukraine, presented the Bill on Amendments to the Law "On the Local Self-Government in Ukraine". The Bill was rejected.
Then Nestor Shufrych, People´s Deputy of Ukraine, took the floor.
N.Shufrych suggested setting up a Temporary Inquiry Panel to investigate circumstances of poisoning Yushchenko Viktor Andriyovych, candidate to the post of the President of Ukraine, determine the reasons and detect the persons guilty of procrastination in the institution of criminal proceedings and transfer of materials to court.
The Parliament members passed the Resolution on setting up the said Panel (244 votes).
The Bill on Amendments to Article 14 of the Law "On Service at the Local Self-Government Bodies" was adopted as a basis (404 votes).
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine the following Bills at the First Reading: on Amendments to certain Laws of Ukraine concerning Enhancement of Procedure for State Registration of Termination of a Joint-Stock Enterprise"; on Amendments to the Criminal-Procedural Code of Ukraine" (re Observance of Confidentiality of the Confession); on Amendments to certain Laws of Ukraine concerning Protection of Cultural Heritage.
The following Laws were adopted in entirety: on Amendments to Article 338 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (re Enhancement of Criminal Responsibility for Violation of the State Symbols of Ukraine), on recognizing the Law "On Control over the Payment of Duty for Compulsory State Retirement Insurance and the Duty for Compulsory Social Insurance" as invalid.
The Bill on Amendments to certain Laws of Ukraine concerning Procedure of Issue of Licensing Documents was forwarded for repeated First Reading (229 votes).
Then the evening plenary meeting was closed.