PLENARY MEETINGS OF THE FIFTH SESSION OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE OF THE SIXTH CONVOCATION WERE HELD ON THURSDAY, 19 NOVEMBER
Oleksandr Lavrynovych, First Vice-Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, declared the morning meeting open and informed about the results of work of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine at the plenary meetings on 18 November.
The People´s Deputies were surprised by the fact that the members of the Cabinet of Ministers failed to attend the plenary meeting, at which the Bills on the State Program of Economic and Social Development of Ukraine and on the State Budget of Ukraine for 2010 were to be scrutinized.
The People´s Deputies did not uphold the suggestion of scrutinizing the President´s motions to the Laws "On Amendments to the Laws "On the State Budget of Ukraine for 2009" and "On the Rates of Excise Duty on Tobacco Goods" and the Bill on Amendments to the Law "On the State Budget of Ukraine for 2009" (re Justice financing).
Then the Parliament members launched the scrutiny of agenda issues.
Anatoliy Maksiuta, First Vice-Minister of Economy, presented the Bill on the State Program of Economic and Social Development of Ukraine for 2010.
Thus, pursuant to the Program, the Government shall take systematic measures to create favourable conditions for business, curtailing the procedure of setting up business to 14 days and shortening the list of activities subject to licensing.
As to the foreign economic policy, Ukraine shall facilitate further integration, esp. formation of a free trade zone with the European Union.
The People´s Deputies stated that the Bill on the State Program of Economic and Social Development of Ukraine included general, not particular, statements. They consider this Program as "a project of further stagnation of national economy".
The Bill on the State Program of Economic and Social Development of Ukraine was rejected (192 votes).
The People´s Deputies resolved that scrutiny of the Draft Resolution on Ratification of Conclusions and Motions to the Bill on the State Budget of Ukraine for 2010 shall be followed by the scrutiny of the Draft Resolution on Demarcation of Krasnoperekopsk city and Krasnoperekopsk district of the Crimean Autonomous Republic, and President´s motions to the Laws "On Amendments to the Laws "On the State Budget of Ukraine for 2009" and "On the Rates of Excise Duty on Tobacco Goods" and the Bill on Amendments to the Law "On the State Budget of Ukraine for 2009" (re Justice financing).
The People´s Deputies also resolved to postpone scrutiny of the issues concerning appointment and dismissal of judges till 4 p.m.
Mykola Derkach, Chairman of the Budget Committee, presented the Draft Resolution on Ratification of Conclusions and Motions to the Bill on the State Budget of Ukraine for 2010.
Valentyn Symonenko, Head of the Accounting Chamber, presented the conclusions of the Chamber regarding the Bill. The Accounting Chamber Board concluded that the Bill on the State Budget of Ukraine for 2010 had been drafted with numerous violations of the Constitution, the Budget Code and other Laws. The Bills fails to comply with the goals set by the Government in the declaration of budget goals and objectives for 2010. "Low accuracy of macroeconomic forecast forms a system of actual risks as to fulfillment of basic indices of the State Budget. Thus, the Bill needs to be re-drafted", - he stated.
The Verkhovna Rada failed to adopt the Draft Resolution on Ratification of Conclusions and Motions to the Bill on the State Budget of Ukraine for 2010 (189 votes). The Chair declared that pursuant to the Budget Resolution, the People´s Deputies shall scrutinize each of the thousand amendments separately. Scrutiny of the amendments was postponed to the afternoon plenary meeting.
The Chair adjourned the morning plenary meeting.
In the beginning of the afternoon meeting, Lidia Izovitova, Volodymyr Vysotsky and Serhiy Safulko, members of the High Council of Justice, took the oath.
The People´s Deputies scrutinized and passed a number of Draft Resolutions on Appointment and Dismissal of Judges.
The BYuT and "Our Ukraine-People´s Self-Defence" Factions insisted on announcing a recess. The Chair doubted the signature of M.Martynenko, Head of "Our Ukraine-People´s Self-Defence" Faction, under the appeal, stating that it could not be considered as a signature of an authorized Faction representative.
The People´s Deputies continued to scrutinize the issue concerning dismissal of judges, esp. dismissal of Mr Demchenko as he attained retirement age.
O.Lavrynovych suggested that next week, The Verkhovna Rada scrutinizes the issue concerning employment of all the officials who passed the age limit of civic service or employment at any other office.
The Chair announced a recess.
Serhiy Soboliev, representative of the BYuT Faction, explained the reason for a recess: the Faction insisted on scrutinizing Draft Resolution on dismissal of judge Demchenko due to attainment of retirement age.
O.Lavrynovych stated that he would forward a corresponding appeal to the High Council of Justice. At the next Conciliative Council, he will raise the issue of dismissing all the officials who passed the age limit.
The People´s Deputies suggested scrutinizing several Draft Resolutions concerning Conclusions and Motions to the Bill on the State Budget of Ukraine for 2010, as the Draft Resolution of the Budget Committee had not been adopted.
The suggestion was rejected.
The Chair declared the meeting adjourned.
The next plenary meeting will be held on Friday, 20 November.