ON THURSDAY 26 NOVEMBER PRE-TERMED PLENARY MEETING OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE AS HELD
Oleksandr Lavrynovych having opened the plenary meeting informed on registered initiative of 151 People´s Deputy regarding the conduction of the pre-termed sitting of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine concerning the scrutiny of the Law of Ukraine "On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On the State Budget of Ukraine for the Year 2009" with the motions of the President of Ukraine.
The Speaker on the demand of Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc and "Our Ukraine Self-Defence" announced the break for the consultations.
After the break, O. Lavrynovych informed that in the sitting took part Government representatives and Yulia Tymoshenko, the Prime Minister of Ukraine.
Oleksandr Shlapak, the First Vice-Chairman of the President of Ukraine Secretariate, informed on the proposition of the President of Ukraine to the Law "On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On the State Budget of Ukraine for the Year 2009." He declared that the President uphold the legislative initiative regarding allocation of UAH 1 billion for fighting against influenza epidemic but objects against the source of funds allocation.
O. Shlapak proclaimed: "In case the President´s veto is overridden, the funds would not be added to the state budget as there are no funds by definition. But the pubic conflict and distrust among the population would be added. In case the President´s motions are upheld, within several days the State Budget would receive funds and under strict parliamentary supervision would be directed for the fighting against epidemic. "
Mykola Derkach, the Chairman of the Committee on budget informed on the decision of the Committee to recommend that the parliament overrides the President´s veto and adopts it in its entirety. The Committee calls on the conclusion of the Scientific-Expert Department, according to which it is declared that the President´s motions do not contain necessary grounding of he necessity and possibilities of the budget and state debt increase at the expense of deficit of the State Budget increase.
Yulia Tymoshenko, the Prime-Minister of Ukraine delivered the speech before the People´s Deputies. She declared the information published on the official web site of the World Health Organization according to which, the most optimistic prediction for Ukraine is 34 thousand deaths that is in ten times more then during the last year, and the most negative prognosis is 240 thousand deaths.
The Prime Minister of Ukraine expressed surprise regarding the position of Party of Regions, according to which the People´s Deputies from the mentioned faction deny voting for the veto overriding. "On the quantity of their lives personally depends life of each citizen, either the country is prepared for the second wave of the epidemic or not."
The Prime Minister addressed the People´s Deputies with the request to override the President´s veto taking into the consideration that the President´s proposition is the increase of the state debt even despite the fact that the Committee on Budget Matters and the Chairman of the National Bank of Ukraine proved the information that this billion of income excels the expenses.
Hanna Herman, the Party of Regions representative suggested that the Government should report on the funds use that are supposed to be directed for the preparation for Euro-2010 and overcoming of the floods consequences as the Party of Regions has doubt regarding their purpose use. Another approach to the problem solution, according to the Party of Regions, is allocation in December of the sum at the rate of UAH 200 million on anti epidemic measures.
The People´s Deputies scrutinized the president´s motions as a result neither of them was adopted.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine failed to override the veto of the President of Ukraine "On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On the State Budget of Ukraine for the Year 2009" (213 votes) and directed it for the further elaboration to the Budget Committee (251 votes).
The Speaker closed the meeting.