PLENARY WEEK OF THE SEVENTH SESSION OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE OF THE SIXTH CONVOCATION CONCLUDED ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24
In the beginning of the morning plenary meeting, Adam Martyniuk, First Deputy Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, announced that the delegates of the Supreme Court of the Austrian Republic headed by Irmgard Griss, President of the Supreme Court, were present at the plenary meeting.
A.Martyniuk reported on the results of work of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine at the plenary meetings on September 23.
The Chairman reminded that a Government Question Hour shall be held at 10.00 11.00 on Friday. Representatives of the non-coalition deputy factions suggested that the Government Question Hour be dedicated to the inquiries about the subsidies for housing and public utility services. Vasyl Nadraha, Minister of Labour and Social Policy, represented the Government.
People´s Deputies from Our Ukraine-People´s Self-Defence Faction reminded of the Minister´s declarations in mass media that 90-95 per cent of the population would be entitled to the subsidies for housing and public utility services. According to the data of Ukrposhta Ukrainian Post State Enterprise, 9,3 million packages of applications for the subsidies have been sent to the Ukrainian pensioners. However, as of September 17, only 587 thousand applications have been filed in.
The Minister explained that the low percentage of public applications was due to the fact that batteries and boilers were not working in a warm weather, so gas supply was low, and the payments for the housing and utility services did not exceed the limit required to get a subsidy.
V.Nadraha also stated that the Ministry continued the information campaign regarding the procedure of subsidies assignment.
The next inquiry concerned the fact that the inspectors started to walk the apartments of the applicants. During the visits, they registered the household appliances, denying the subsidies in great many cases.
The Minister of Labour reminded that the laws clearly determined the cases, when the citizens could be denied a subsidy. He enumerated these cases.
Another question was as follows: why was the price for gas and housing and public utility services raised, if the majority of the families are entitled to a subsidy. "Was it not more reasonable to envisage UAH 5.2 billion in the budget, subsidizing the entities rendering these services?" People´s Deputies asked.
The Minister of Labour reminded that the state used to compensate for the payments for housing and public utility services to all the citizens. "Now, the citizens with high income will be denied such a generous financial support in the form of subsidies for housing and public utility services. These funds will support the underprivileged. The governmental resolution on the enhancement of social security fixes the budget share to be spent for the payments for housing and public utility services", V.Nadraha stated.
After the Government Question Hour, Volodymyr Oliinyk presented the report of the Interim Inquiry Panel of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to investigate the Application of Public Funds by the Leaders of the State Committee of Ukraine for State Material Reserve.
Iryna Herashchenko reported on the work of the Interim Inquiry Panel of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to investigate Censorship in Mass Media, Restriction of Freedom of Speech in Ukraine and Interference with the Professional Activity of the Journalists.
This Interim Inquiry Panel of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine forwarded 15 appeals and inquiries to the competent public authority bodies to verify possible facts of interference of the public authority and local self-government bodies into the work of mass media, restriction of freedom of speech in Ukraine and interference with the professional activity of the journalists.
The People´s Deputies passed two resolutions, taking into account the preliminary reports of the Panels.
Roman Zvarych presented the report of the Interim Inquiry Panel of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to investigate the Resolution of the Arbitration Institution of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, the Facts of Corruptive Activity of RosUkrEnerho CJSC, Involvement of the Public Authority Officials in it, and Arrest of A.V.Makarenko, ex-Head of the State Customs Service of Ukraine.
The Verkhovna Rada passed the Resolution "On Prolongation of Work of the Interim Inquiry Panel of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to investigate the Resolution of the Arbitration Institution of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, the Facts of Corruptive Activity of RosUkrEnerho CJSC, Involvement of the Public Authority Officials in it, and Arrest of A.V.Makarenko, ex-Head of the State Customs Service of Ukraine." The Interim Inquiry Panel of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine shall report on its work in November, 2010.
In the end of the plenary meeting, the People´s Deputies presented their appeals, motions and announcements.
Adam Martyniuk, First Deputy Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, adjourned the plenary meeting,
On September 27 October 1, the People´s Deputies will work with the voters.
The next plenary meeting of the seventh session will be held on Tuesday, October 5.