During the first day of his visit to Strasbourg, the First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksandr Korniienko held a working meeting with Director-General of the Directorate-General for Democracy and Human Dignity Marja Ruotanen. This is the third meeting in a day to continue the dialogue between Ukraine and the Council of Europe.
The First Vice-Speaker spoke in detail about the legislative steps taken on the issue of national minorities (communities). At the same time, the parties discussed plans and further actions on the part of the Ukrainian Parliament.
In particular, Oleksandr Korniienko informed about the work on the draft law on combating discrimination (No. 5488) – on amendments to the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offences and the Criminal Code of Ukraine on combating discrimination.
The First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine stressed the importance of supporting cultural projects of representatives of national minorities (communities), as there are many initiatives on their part and ideas that require resource assistance for implementation.
Finally, he spoke in more detail about the important decision that Ukraine received this month, in particular, the start of negotiations on our country's accession to the European Union. The First Vice Speaker said that he is a member of the negotiating team on this issue.
The delegation also includes members of the Ukrainian Parliament: Roman Lozynskyi, the First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on the Organisation of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning; Alina Zagoruiko, the Deputy Chairperson of the Committee on the Organisation of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning; Vitalii Bezhin, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Administrative and Territorial Structure and Local Self-Government of the Committee on the Organisation of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning, Larysa Bilozir, the Chairperson of the Subcommittee on Administrative Services and Administrative Procedures of the Committee on the Organisation of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning; Viacheslav Rubliov, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Regional Policy and Local Budgets of the Committee on the Organisation of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning; Oleksii Kuznetsov, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Rights and Freedoms of Persons Violated as a Result of the Temporary Occupation, Internally Displaced Persons and Persons Missing in Special Circumstances of the Committee on Human Rights, De-occupation and Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine, National Minorities and Interethnic Relations; Oleh Syniutka, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Supporting the Activities of People's Deputies of Ukraine of the Committee on Rules, Deputy Ethics and Organisation of Work of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, and Mykhailo Sokolov, the Member of the Committee on Organisation of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning.