PLENARY MEETINGS OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE OF THE SIXTH CONVOCATION WERE HELD ON TUESDAY, 30 MARCH
In the beginning of the morning plenary meeting, the People´s Deputies observed a minute´s silence in honour of victims of the terrorist act in Moscow underground on 29 March.
Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, stated that he had forwarded the telegrams of condolence to the heads of both chambers of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.
V.Lytvyn stated that on 22 March 2010, the Central Election Commission registered the People´s Deputies of Ukraine elected in a multi-mandate electoral district by the Party of Regions ballot list on 30 September 2007: Petro Volodymyrovych Melnyk, Yurii Oleksandrovych Boldyriev, Maksym Heorhiiovych Lutskyi, Oleh Volodymyrovych Nadosha, Valerii Vasyliovych Kalestyn, Volodymyr Mykolaiovych Oliinyk, Volodymyr Leonidovych Tovstenko, Oleksii Valeriovych Boiarchuk, Oleksandr Andriiovych Kozub, Serhii Fedotovych Maiboroda, Hryhorii Mykolaiovych Kalietnik, Vasyl Petrovych Stelmashenko, Oleksandr Viktorovych Zats, Volodymyr Ivanovych Lychuk, Vladyslav Valeriiovych Zabarskyi, Andriy Pavlovych Pinchuk, Anatoliy Oleksaiovych Horbatiuk, Vitalii Petrovych Zablotskyi, Vasyl Mykhailovych Chudnyi, Yurii Pavlovych Chmyr, Oleksii Petrovych Konchenko, Denys Serhiiovych Omelianovych.
The newly-elected People´s Deputies took the oath in front of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
These People´s Deputies, as well as People´s Deputies Valentyn Zubov and Oleh Malich from the BYuT Faction and Serhii Vasylenko from Our Ukraine-People´s Self-Defence Faction joined the coalition of the deputy factions "Stability and Order".
V.Lytvyn announced that the authorities of the following temporary inquiry panels were terminated: a Temporary Inquiry Panel of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to investigate Interference of the Public Authority and Local Self-Government Bodies and their Officials into the Activity of Mass Media, and Mass Media Reports concerning Restriction of Freedom of Speech in Ukraine; a Temporary Inquiry Panel of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to investigate the Circumstances of the Death of the People's Deputy, I. Pluzhnykov and Acquisition of His Property and Shares of "Inter" Television Company; a Temporary Inquiry Panel of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to investigate the Circumstances of Illegitimate Detention of Kolesnykov Borys Viktorovych, Head of Donetsk Regional Council, by the Central Investigation Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine on 6 April 2005, Institution of Criminal Proceedings and his Arrest. These inquiry panels failed to submit the reports in due time.
Representatives of the Deputy Factions presented their appeals, motions and announcements.
On demand of the BYuT and Our Ukraine-People´s Self-Defence Factions, the recess was announced to harmonize the agenda. People´s Deputy Ihor Hryniv declared that the BYuT and Our Ukraine-People´s Self-Defence Factions insisted that the issue on dismissal of D.Tabachnyk, Minister of Education and Science, were scrutinized.
The BYuT Faction insisted on dismissal of the Minister of Education and Science and gave a vote of non-confidence to Dmytro Tabachnyk. I.Hryniv stated that such a stand of the Faction was explained by sustainable anti-Ukrainian policy and anti-Ukrainian declarations of Dmytro Tabachnyk. The Faction recognizes his right for a personal stand and political position, although believes that such declarations are incompatible with the office of the Minister and the official standpoint of the Ukrainian government.
People´s Deputy Viacheslav Kyrylenko presented the draft resolution. The draft resolution was rejected (202 votes).
People´s Deputy Andrii Shkil presented the bill on amendments to the Customs Code of Ukraine (re use of information presented by the customs bodies).
The bill was rejected.
People´s Deputy Andrii Shkil also presented the bill on amendments to the Law "On Quality and Safety of Foodstuffs" (re notification of the content of genetically modified organisms in the foodstuffs).
The bill was rejected.
Petro Tsybenko, First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on the Matters of Pensioners, Veterans and Persons with Disabilities, stated that the Committee recommended adopting the bill on amendments to the law "On Victims of Nazi Persecution" (re age of minor prisoners, and the rate of pension rise) as a basis.
The bill was adopted as a basis by 229 votes.
Then the parliament members scrutinized the bill on enhancement of social security of the victims of Nazi persecution (re travel privilege). The Chairman announced that the bill would be considered at the afternoon plenary meeting, and declared the morning plenary meeting closed.
In the beginning of the afternoon plenary meeting, Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, briefed on the results of the conciliative council. The participants of the council discussed the necessity of passing resolutions on the local elections and electoral legislation. The attendants of the council agreed to scrutinize the bill (Reg. No.4177) on amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine (re period of authorities of The Verkhovna Rada of the Crimean Autonomous Republic, local councils and village, township and city mayors) on Thursday, 1 April.
The attendants of the conciliative council resolved to forward the draft electoral code to the People´s Deputies. The draft will be presented on 28 April 2010. The resolution on holding of the parliamentary hearings on this issue is expected to be passed on Thursday, 1 April. Then the Electoral Code will be brought before Parliament and forwarded for the repeated First Reading.
The attendants of the meeting also discussed the scrutiny of the bill on the State Budget of Ukraine for 2010. The Cabinet of Ministers is expected to present the Draft State Budget approximately on 14 April.
The People´s Deputies resumed scrutiny of the bill on amendments to certain laws of Ukraine (re use of travel privilege).
The bill was adopted as a basis by 231 votes.
Serhii Teriokhin, Chairman of the Committee on Taxation and Customs Policy, presented the Bill on Amendments to the Customs Code of Ukraine (re alleviation of export of goods beyond the customs territory of Ukraine).
The bill was rejected.
The People´s Deputies discussed the bill on amendments to the Customs Code of Ukraine (re period of processing goods).
The bill was adopted at the First Reading by 353 votes.
People´s Deputy Valerii Sushkevych presented the bill on amendments to clause 9 of the law "On Income Tax" (re taxation of charity aid).
The bill was adopted as a basis by 237 votes.
The Chairman adjourned the plenary meeting.
The next plenary meeting will be held on Wednesday, 31 March.