The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has passed a bill about a nationwide minute of silence in its second reading.
260 deputies voted in favour.
The author of the draft law «On Making Adjustments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine regarding honoring the memory of citizens who died as a result of the military aggression of russian federation» is vice-speaker Olena Kondratiuk along with the presidium of the Verkhovna Rada and a group of Members of Parliament.
The draft law complements the Law of Ukraine «On the principles of the state policy of national memory of the Ukrainian memory » with regulations that secures the nationwide minute of silence as an important commemorative event on a legislative level and defines the peculiarities of its implementation.
Besides that, the Code of Civil Protection of Ukraine is being supplemented as well by the clause about the use of warning and information systems for the field of civil protection during the nationwide minute of silence.
«This bill that we have initiated together with non-governmental organisation “Vshanui” is aimed at uniting of our society and formation of new culture worthy of honoring the memory of fallen Defenders of Ukraine through common daily ritual of minute of silence», informed the author of the draft law Olena Kondratiuk.
«We also do not forget to commemorate medical workers, police officers, rescue teams, journalists, energy workers, volunteers and all civilians who died as a result of russia’s military aggression against Ukraine. The memory starts with responsibility of the living towards the deceased citizens. It is exactly what the Hero of Ukraine (posthumously), paramedic Iryna Tsybukh, had wanted. She proposed introducing a minute of silence as an element of new Ukrainian commemorating culture during the war times», added the Vice-Speaker.