PLENARY MEETINGS OF THE SIXTH SESSION OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE OF THE SIXTH CONVOCATION WERE HELD ON THURSDAY, 17 JUNE
In the beginning of the morning plenary meeting, Adam Martyniuk, First Deputy Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, briefed on the results of work of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine at the plenary meeting on 16 June.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine dismissed Oleksandr Popov from the office of Minister of Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine due to his appointment to another office.
Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov presented the draft resolution on appointment of Yu.Ye.Khivrych to the office of Minister of Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine.
The draft resolution on appointment of Yu.Ye.Khivrych to the office of Minister of Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine was passed by 249 votes.
The recess was announced at the request of Our Ukraine-People´s Self-Defence Deputy Faction.
Yurii Stets, member of Our Ukraine-People´s Self-Defence Deputy Faction, stated that the Committee on Freedom of Speech and Information initiated setting up a temporary inquiry panel to investigate censorship in the mass media, pressure on the freedom of speech in Ukraine, and impediment to the professional activity of the journalists.
Yurii Stets announced the intention of the faction to withdraw this issue from the agenda to adjust it and re-submit for scrutiny.
The Chair reminded that under Clause 10 of the Law "On the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine", a person appointed to the office in the Cabinet of Ministers shall take the oath at the plenary meeting of The Verkhovna Rada. He invited Yu.Ye.Khivrych, newly-appointed Minister of Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine, to take the oath.
A.Martyniuk announced the scrutiny of the draft resolution "On setting up a Temporary Inquiry Panel of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to investigate Legitimacy of Resolutions of the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Company of Ukraine regarding Organization of Competition and Determination of Winners of the Competition for the Receipt (Re-Registration) of Broadcast Licenses with the Use of Frequencies in 2005-2010" (Reg. No.6521). He stated that the BYuT and Our Ukraine-People´s Self-Defence Deputy Factions failed to nominate their representatives to this panel.
Fedir Yaroshenko, Minister of Finance, presented the bill on amendments to the Budget Code of Ukraine.
The Minister of Finance briefed on the main aspects of the bill and answered the questions of the People´s Deputies.
People´s Deputy Serhii Soboliev presented the alternative bill. He analyzed the structure of both bills, focusing on the fundamental principles.
The governmental bill was adopted as a basis by 252 votes.
In the end of the morning plenary meeting, the parliament members scrutinized a number of draft resolutions on appointment and dismissal of judges.
In the beginning of the afternoon plenary meeting, the People´s Deputies included the bill on amendments to the Law "On the State Budget of Ukraine for 2010" (Reg. No. 6507) on the agenda.
The parliament members scrutinized the draft tax code submitted by the Cabinet of Ministers. Fedir Yaroshenko, Minister of Finance, presented the draft. F. Yaroshenko stated that the draft tax code was elaborated to implement the President´s program of economic reforms for 2010-2014 "Prosperous Society, Competitive Economy, Efficient State."
F. Yaroshenko briefed on the main statements of the Tax Code, new taxes and a system of taxes and charges to be introduced.
People´s Deputy Mykola Katerynchuk presented the alternative bill. He appreciated the discussion of the tax reform to be based on the Tax Code of Ukraine.
Representatives of the deputy factions took part in the discussion. The coalition factions supported the governmental draft. They stated that the draft represented a comprehensive tax system.
Representatives of the opposition factions stressed that the governmental draft "is a bomb for the Ukrainian economy." They stated that the draft increased a tax load on the entrepreneurs. "This code is a straight way to the bankruptcy of business and elimination of the middle class", they emphasized.
The draft tax code submitted by the Cabinet of Ministers was adopted as a basis by 247 votes.
The People´s Deputies included the bill on administration and registration of a single social fee (Reg. No. 6525) on agenda.
The Resolution "On setting up a Temporary Inquiry Panel of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to investigate Legitimacy of Resolutions of the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Company of Ukraine regarding Organization of Competition and Determination of Winners of the Competition for the Receipt (Re-Registration) of Broadcast Licenses with the Use of Frequencies in 2005-2010" was passed by 249 votes.
The People´s Deputies adopted the following bills in entirety: on Amendments to the Law "On the State Budget of Ukraine for 2010" (re Allocation of Funds for Cancer Treatment abroad) and on Amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On the State Budget of Ukraine for 2010" (re Motor Roads involved in the Preparation and Holding of the Final Part of the European Football Championship 2012 in Ukraine).
The Verkhovna Rada adopted the bill on amendments to the Law the State Budget of Ukraine for 2010 (re Increase of Expenditures for Provision of Medicine to the Sick with Hemophilia) as a basis.
Adam Martyniuk, First Deputy Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, adjourned the plenary meeting.
The next plenary meeting of the sixth session will be held on Friday, 18 June.