There are ||| bodies in focus of our committee scan today:

• Committee on Anti-Corruption Policy

At its 6 May sitting, the committee examined the following issues:

Bill No.3348 – the draft law “On amendments to the Law of Ukraine ‘On the High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine’ for providing the court with office facilities and other operational issues”. The bill aims to provide the court with its permanent premises so that to eventually increase the High Anti-Corruption Court’s performance. The committee decided to recommend that the Verkhovna Rada take the draft bill on its both readings.

Bill No.3355 (and the bill No.3355-1 as the alternate) – “On amendments to the Law of Ukraine ‘On prevention of corruption’ with regard to the refined list of entities subject to declaration”. The bill aims to extend the scope of anti-graft legislation over persons who are part of review boards of state-owned banks, profit-making organizations or enterprises; companies (except for stock corporations) with a statutory fund where state owns a golden share (50%+); office-holders of stock corporations with a statutory fund where state owns a golden share (50%+, directly or indirectly). Another purpose of the bill is to take advisers, aides, authorized persons, Ukrainian president’s press secretary, who act pro bono, out from the operation of anti-graft legislation.

In addition, amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On access to public information" propose to give free access towards information on structure, principles of formation, amounts of remuneration of head, members of supervisory board of a legal entity under public law, state enterprises, state companies and so forth.

The committee’s decision was to recommend that the Verkhovna Rada adopt the draft bill No.3355-1 on its first and second readings, and, accordingly, reject the bill No.3355.

Members of the committee also studied the issue whether the health ministry was compliant with the legislation when purchasing protective suits for doctors, in particular with regard to likely overpricing.

During the discussion, there was raised the issue of ensuring protection to not only infectious disease doctors but for emergency workers as well.

The сommittee decided to apply to the State Audit Service of Ukraine and the Accounting Chamber for an extraordinary auditing of protective gear procurement operations carried out in connection with the coronavirus disease. The сommittee also requested the above authorities and the State Customs Service to provide information on whether these protective gear were imported as humanitarian aid or under contract.

The committee also considered procurement operations of medical equipment with unjustified involvement of intermediaries. Following the discussion, the committee decided to send the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine a request to provide all available documentation on this issue.

In the bargain, the committee reviewed the activities of the National Agency of Ukraine for finding, tracing and management of assets derived from corruption and other crimes (aka Asset Recovery and Management Agency or ARMA) that had been made public and connected to ARMA and its public council appointments. MPs supported the decision to send two appeals: one to ARMA in order to obtain reliable information on the scope of activity of this organization, another one - to the Prime Minister of Ukraine on response measures towards ARMA, to be then copied to the National Agency on Corruption Prevention and the State Bureau of Investigations.

The body also examined a range of draft laws through the lens of their compliance with Ukraine’s anti-graft legislation. As those to comply with, there were recognized the following bills – Nos.3376, 3376-1, 3380, 3380-1, 3349, 3350, and 3330 (the latter one yet to be updated).

• Committee on Human Rights, Deoccupation and Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories in Donetsk, Luhansk Regions and Autonomous Republic of Crimea, National Minorities and Interethnic Relations

At its 6 May sitting, the committee heard the justice minister Denys Maliuska on the observance of sanitary and epidemiological standards, rules, norms in penitentiary institutions and pre-trial detention centers under the quarantine.

At the sitting, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Liudmyla Denisova also delivered her annual report on the state of observance and protection of human and civil rights and freedoms in Ukraine for 2019. Following the discussion, the сommittee decided to recommend that presentation of this report be included in the agenda of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

Committeemen then supported the first reading of the bill No.2038 on amendments to UA law for the recognition of those Ukrainian citizens who were forcibly transplanted from Poland in 1944-1951 as deportees.

Parliamentarians also approved the draft bill No.3397 on amnesty of convicts (as to preventing the spread of acute respiratory disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2), presented by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

At the sitting, committeemen examined a resolution about the Cabinet’s action programme as well. The draft resolution No.3330 provides for approval of the programme for the period of the current government’s term of office. During the discussion, committee members emphasized that the programme presented is in need of a substantial refinement and that the committee is ready to cooperate on the matter. Finally, the committee decided to recommend that the Verkhovna Rada send the government programme in question for further consideration, taking into account proposals of the committee.

Members of the committee also decided to address the President of Ukraine with a proposal to include representatives of the committee in the Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk.

• Committee on Social Policy and Protection of Veterans’ Rights

At its 6 May sitting, the committee examined a resolution about the Cabinet’s action programme. The draft resolution No.3330 provides for approval of the programme for the period of the current government’s term of office. During the discussion, committee members emphasized that the programme presented is in need of a substantial refinement and that the committee is ready to cooperate on the matter. Finally, the committee decided to recommend that the Verkhovna Rada send the government programme in question for further consideration, taking into account proposals of the committee.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Social Policy, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs and NGOs. They also made their comments and suggestions regarding the said resolution.