THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE CONTINUED ITS PLENARY WORK ON THURSDAY, 8 OCTOBER
Opening the morning meeting, Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, sent his greetings to the Ukrainian lawyers on the occasion of the occupational holiday.
The Chairman gave floor to the representatives of the Factions. Representatives of the coalition Factions insisted that the personnel issues be scrutinized at first, being followed by other issues of the agenda.
At the request of the BYuT and "Our Ukraine-People´s Self-Defence" Factions, the Chairman announced a recess. After the recess, V.Lytvyn briefed on the results of the Conciliative Council, the attendants of which agreed to listen to the report concerning the Bill on the State Budget of Ukraine for 2010, followed by the personnel issues and the Draft Resolutions on appointment and dismissal of judges.
After the recess, Anatoliy Miarkovsky, Deputy Minister of Finance, presented the Bill on the State Budget of Ukraine for 2010. He stated that the budget 2010 had been drafted on the grounds of governmentally ratified expected macroeconomic performance, including the economic growth by 3,7 per cent expected in the next year. Thus, economic activity would actively develop, hence, the government intends to provide for the growth of the GDP to UAH 1 trillion 178,6 billion. Moreover, the consumer prices are expected to grow by 9,7 per cent, the increment in the actual wages amounting to 3 per cent, which renders a possibility to secure actual economic growth and increase of actual wages.
The reporter informed the People´s Deputies about the indices of the State Budget balance: the income with the repayment of credits is expected to total UAH 289,3 billion, the expenditures of the State Budget are expected to amount to UAH 336 billion, the deficit of the State Budget being expected to make up UAH 46,7 billion or 3,97 per cent of the GDP. The Bill envisages that the local budgets will be absolutely balanced without a deficit.
The reporter also informed about the priorities in use of the State and consolidated budget funds. Thus, the Government intends to assist the actual branch of economy, as it forms the added value cost. The Government also will distribute the funds to assist the social sphere.
Mykola Derkach, Chairman of the Committee on Budget, took the floor. He stated that the preliminary scrutiny of the Bill confirmed the fact that its regulations failed to comply with the effective legislation, especially, the effective Budget Code.
M.Derkach drew attention to the fact that the Law was non-effective, as the President of Ukraine forwarded it for the repeated scrutiny, having expressed his remarks.
M.Derkach also stated that certain indices of the Draft State Budget for 2010 had not been substantiated by the corresponding calculations. Thus, it lacks information concerning the expected fulfillment of the basic macroindices of the economic and social development in the current year.
Representatives of the Deputy Factions discussed the Bill. Representatives of the factions in opposition criticized the Bill for the non-substantiated indices and misbalance.
V.Kyrylenko, representative of "Our Ukraine-People´s Self-Defense" Faction, stated that the Government´s policy as presented in the Bill would result in a breakdown of the defense sector and foreign policy.
However, V.Bondarenko, representative of the BYuT Faction, stated that the Bill was unique in certain points: it did not include any clause concerning amendments to the laws on taxation; for the first time, the budget enabled more than 12 thousand of village, settlement and city communities to obtain the budget immediately, not waiting for its calculation at the regional and district State administrations.
Discussing the Bill, the People´s Deputies drew attention to the non-attendance of the Prime Minister and the Government members of the Draft State Budget presentation.
Oleksandr Peklushenko, People´ Deputy of Ukraine, presented the Draft Resolution on Rejection of the Bill on the State Budget of Ukraine for 2010 and its forwarding for Further Elaboration to be harmonized with the Constitution of Ukraine and the Budget Code. Then the morning plenary meeting was adjourned.
In the beginning of the afternoon plenary meeting, Oleksandr Lavrynovych, First Vice-Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, announced that People´s Deputies Hennadiy Zadyrko, Volodymyr Kaplienko and Ihor Rybakov had been excluded from the BYuT Faction. The People´s Deputies did not enter any Faction.
The Chairman put the issue concerning appointment and dismissal of judges to the vote. The People´s Deputies scrutinized and adopted a number of resolutions.
Then the Parliament members resumed the scrutiny of the Draft State Budget for 2010.
People´s Deputy Oleh Zarubinsky presented another Draft Resolution on the said matter. He suggested setting up a working group including the members of the Budget Committee and authorized representatives of the Cabinet of Ministers to draft relevant motions to the Bill on the State Budget of Ukraine for 2010.
Both Draft Resolutions were put to the vote. The Parliament members endorsed neither Draft Resolution.
The Chair declared the plenary meeting adjourned.
The next plenary meeting of the fifth session will be held on Friday, 9 October.