PLENARY WEEK OF THE EIGHTH SESSION OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE OF THE SIXTH CONVOCATION CONCLUDED ON FRIDAY, JUNE 17
Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, opened the morning plenary meeting, and briefed on the results of work of the Verkhovna Rada at the plenary meetings on June 16.
The Chairman informed about the suggestion of the representatives of deputy factions that the Cabinet of Ministers should report on the security of energy supply of Ukraine during the Government Question Hour. The Cabinet of Ministers authorized Serhii Chekh, First Deputy Minister of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine, to respond to the deputies´ inquires.
The first query concerned the measures taken by the Government to foster cooperation between Ukraine and the European Union in the energy sector.
S. Chekh responded, "Energy sector is a key priority of cooperation between Ukraine and the EU. The Government is satisfied with the progress in all five strategic areas determined by the Memorandum on Mutual Understanding in Energy Sector. Cooperation aims at synchronization of the common energy systems of Ukraine and Moldova with the European network of systems operators."
Another priority is implementation of a common declaration on the gas transport system modernization, signed on March 23, 2009. This project has more economic benefits than other ones, and will strengthen guarantees of secure gas supply to Europe, increasing the volume of transit.
Another question concerned the measures taken by the ministry to liberalize the coal market.
S.Chekh informed that experts of the ministry had developed the concept of introducing the exchange-traded form of coal sale. The primary goal of this concept is to substantiate economic practicality of the development of an exchange-traded form of coal sale to support competitive ability of Ukrainian economy owing to the balance of interests of consumers and producers, and enhanced investment appeal of the coal industry.
The next query was related to the structure of energy generation in Ukraine and Government´s forecast concerning development of the national energy system for 2015-2030 with account for the unpreventable depletion of working life of generation capacities and annual growth of energy consumption.
The people´s deputies asked whether the current state of safety of operating nuclear power plant units is going to be assessed. They also inquired about the Government´s plans concerning further development of nuclear power engineering given the nuclear meltdown in Japan.
S.Chekh informed that safety of nuclear power plant units of Ukrainian NPPs is assessed within the successive nuclear safety programs, each of which is based on the achieved results, and considers the safety reports and good practices of nuclear technologies.
After the Government Question Hour, BYuT-Batkivshchyna and Our Ukraine-People´s Self-Defence factions demanded that a recess be announced or the floor be given to them.
Member of BYuT-Batkivshchyna Faction Yurii Prokopchuk informed about the coming press conference of the representatives of "Covington & Burling" and "BDO" companies in the USA dedicated to the disclosure of political motives behind the legal proceedings against Yulia Tymoshenko.
Iryna Herashchenko, Head of the Interim Inquiry Panel of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine set up to investigate Censorship in Mass Media, Restriction of Freedom of Speech in Ukraine and Interference with the Professional Activity of the Journalists, presented the report of the Panel.
The Verkhovna Rada rejected the draft resolution on the report of the Interim Inquiry Panel of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine set up to investigate Censorship in Mass Media, Restriction of Freedom of Speech in Ukraine and Interference with the Professional Activity of the Journalists (89 votes).
People´s Deputy Ihor Hlushchenko presented the bill on Amendments to Clause 17-1 of the Law of Ukraine "On Electrical Power Engineering" (re Promotion of Engineering of Electrical Power from Alternative Sources).
The bill was adopted as a basis by 288 votes.
The people´s deputies scrutinized the bill on Amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On the Principles of Functioning of the Natural Gas Market" (re Gas Producing Enterprises).
The bill was adopted in its entirety by 274 votes.
People´s deputy Yurii Karakai presented the bill on remedial bank. Under the bill, the primary function of the remedial bank is to deal with the troubled assets of the banks, which operate in the general mode, those with provisional administration or under the liquidation proceedings, and to satisfy the demands of depositors and other loan holders.
The bill was adopted as a basis by 258 votes.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine passed the Resolution "On the Nation-Wide Celebration of the 360th Anniversary of Battle of Berestechko."
The parliament members adopted the Law on Amendments to the Law "On Production Distribution Agreement" (re State Guarantees).
People´s Deputy Ivan Zaiets presented the bill on the State Flag of Ukraine.
The bill on the State Flag of Ukraine was recommitted.
The Chairman adjourned the morning plenary meeting.
On June 20-24, people´s deputies are working in the constituencies, on June 29-30 in the committees and factions.
The next plenary meeting of the eighth session will be held on Tuesday, July 5.