PLENARY MEETINGS OF THE SECOND SESSION OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE OF THE SIXTH CONVOCATION WERE HELD ON TUESDAY, 3 JUNE

At the beginning of a morning meeting, Arseniy Yatseniuk, Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, announced that Viktor Yushchenko, President of Ukraine, Yulia Tymoshenko, Prime-Minister of Ukraine, and representatives of the Government attended the meeting.

Arseniy Yatseniuk announced oath-taking by the newly-elected People´s Deputies. He gave the floor to Oleksiy Fedun, the People´s Deputy, who took the oath of allegiance to the Ukrainian nation.

The following People´s Deputies also took the oath: Oleh Polishchuk, Olexandr Steshenko, Pavlo Unhurian, Volodymyr Pylypenko, Serhiy Vlasenko, Volodymyr Lemza, Olexandr Sochka, Viktor Pavlenko, Valeriy Dubil, and Anatoliy Yahoferov.

Pursuant to Article 148 of the Constitution of Ukraine, the President of Ukraine appointed the judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, namely: Vdovichenko Serhiy Leonidovych, Nikitin Yuriy Ivanovych and Baulin Yuriy Vasyliovych.

Then the People´s Deputies scrutinized the Law of Ukraine "On Amendments to several Legislative Acts of Ukraine", taking into account the motions of the President of Ukraine.   

O.Shlapak addressed the People´s Deputies with a request to uphold the President´s motions, since it will confirm sources of revenue of the social protection funds and the Pension Fund, and special sources of the State Budget revenue.

Then the Chairman announced a recess.

After the recess, The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the Law of Ukraine "On Amendments to several Legislative Acts of Ukraine" by 226 votes.

Viktor Yushchenko, President of Ukraine, addressed the People´s Deputies. He expressed his opinion concerning the oath-taking by the judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine.

V.Yushchenko congratulated the judges, stating that the Constitutional Court was finally with a complete staff.

V.Yushchenko called on the politicians to implement decisions of the Constitutional Court and express tactful opinions concerning its activity.

The President of Ukraine also advanced his opinion regarding decision of the Constitutional Court of 22 May, and a decision concerning the Law of Ukraine "On Amendments to several Legislative Acts of Ukraine" adopted by The Verkhovna Rada.

V.Yushchenko signed the Law adopted by The Verkhovna Rada in the Session Hall. He left The Verkhovna Rada soon afterwards.

Authorized representatives of Deputy Factions presented their reports, announcements and motions.

Then the People´s Deputies scrutinized the Bill on Amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On the Customs Tariff of Ukraine" at the Second Reading. Serhiy Teriokhin, Chairman of the Committee on Taxation and Customs Policy, reported about the Bill.

The Bill was adopted at the Second Reading and in its entirety.

Anatoliy Maxiuta, First Vice-Minister of Economy, reported about the Bill on the State Programme of Privatization for Years 2008-2012. Pursuant to the Bill, privatization aims at enhancement of social and economic efficiency of production, coordination of privatization process with economic development strategy.

Moreover, the State Programme defines new orientations and priorities, as well as new goals and conditions of public property privatization in Years 2008-2012. First of all, privatization is to be completed as a social and economic project of a pervasive property reform. The State Programme defines the following priorities of privatization: enhancement of public property structure in industrial sector; attraction of customers who are interested in long-term development of enterprises; sale of minor and non-marketable holdings of shares of particular immovable property objects and units of ongoing construction; sale of loss-making and low-profit enterprises under customer´s obligation to conduct financial rehabilitation of such privatization objects; sale of highly marketable objects for fulfillment of budget assignments and increase of the State Budget revenue.

The Bill includes regulations concerning use of privatization methods, enhancement of sale mechanism through the employment of competitive methods of privatization (auctions, tenders with competitive bidding), etc.

Co-Reporter Olexandr Bondar, Sub-Committee Chairman of the Committee on Economic Policy, dwelled upon innovations of the Bill, answered the questions and appealed to the People´s Deputies with a request to uphold the Bill.  

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the Bill on the State Programme of Privatization for Years 2008-2012 at the First Reading by 227 votes.

Then the morning meeting was closed.

At the beginning of an evening meeting, the members of the High Council of Justice took the oath.

The People´s Deputies scrutinized the Bill on Amendments to several Laws of Ukraine concerning privatization.

The Committee on Economic Policy upheld the Bill.

The Verkhovna Rada adopted the Bill as a basis.

The Bill also extends the list of categories of citizens liable to contract military service in the ranks, sergeants and sergeant majors. Thus, the persons with basic comprehensive secondary education are included into the said list.

Then the Parliament members scrutinized the Bill on Amendments to the Law "On Military Duty and Military Service" (re Gradation of Military Ranks of Senior Officers). Anatoliy Hrytsenko, Chairman of the Committee on National Security and Defence reported about the said Bill. Thus the Bill establishes two additional ranks for senior officers: "Brigadier General" for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and "Captain Commander" for Ukrainian Naval Forces.

According to Anatoliy Hrytsenko, the Bill will secure clear-cut gradation of military ranks of senior officers, promote development of strong motivation for military service, clearly define the prospects of their career, and enhance the prestige of the military service.

The Verkhovna Rada adopted the Bill as a basis by 367 votes.

Then the People´s Deputies scrutinized another Bill related to reforming of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, namely: the Bill on Amendments to the Law "On the State Budget of Ukraine for Year 2008, and Amendments to several Legislative Acts of Ukraine" (re Promotion of the Transition of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to the Contract Recruitment for the Army). The Bill increases expenditures and revenues of the State budget of Ukraine by 1 605 283, 5 thousand Hryvnias. Thus, 1 579 935, 5 thousand Hryvnias are allocated for further implementation of tasks aimed at transition of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, other military units to the contract recruitment for the army.

The Bill also envisages allocation of funds for preparation and holding of extraordinary election of deputies of Kyiv City Council and Kyiv Mayor, village mayor of Bilorichensky (Luhutynsky district of Luhansk region); and for holding of local election scheduled on 1 June by The  Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

The People´s Deputies expressed their remarks concerning the Bill that refers to funding of different sectors and branches. Furthermore, the title of the Bill fails to comply with its contents.

The People´s Deputies regarded the Bill as urgent, but they suggested changing its title and using systemic approach to the issues concerning funding of different matters.

The Verkhovna Rada adopted the Bill as a basis by 274 votes.

Then the People´s Deputies scrutinized the Draft Resolution "On Amendments to the Interim Standing Orders of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine". The Draft Resolution improves legal regulation of activity of parliamentary opposition, defines its legal status, and establishes the procedure of holding a "Government Question Hour".

The Draft Resolution was adopted as a basis by 396 votes.

At the end of the meeting, the People´s Deputies scrutinized and adopted two resolutions appertaining to renaming of Novoyavorivske (Yavoriv district, Lviv region) and denomination of a newly-created settlement in Olexandrivsk district of Kirovohrad region.   

Then the evening plenary meeting was closed.