THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE CONTINUED ITS PLENARY WORK ON WEDNESDAY, 4 JUNE
At the beginning of a morning plenary meeting the People´s Deputies presented their reports, announcements and motions.
Then Arseniy Yatseniuk, Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, reported on the inquiry held to find out the reasons for failure of the electronic voting system "Rada" that occurred at the previous meeting.
Then the parliament members scrutinized a number of Bills appertaining to ratification or denunciation of several international agreements.
After a short discussion, the People´s Deputies concurred that The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine should ratify the Protocol between Ukraine and Czech Republic on Amendments to the Agreement between Ukraine and Czech Republic on Legal Assistance in Civil Cases; the Agreement between the Government of Ukraine and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development on Activity of the Standing Representation of the EBRD in Ukraine; the Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden on General Terms of Technical and Financial Cooperation; the Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of Lithuanian Republic on Economic, Industrial, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, and the Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of Latvian Republic on Cooperation in the Field of Prevention of Emergency Situations and Elimination of their Consequences.
The Verkhovna Rada declined denunciation of the Agreement between the USSR Government and the Government of the Republic of Cyprus regarding Elimination of Double Taxation of Property and Income.
The People´s Deputies commissioned the Cabinet of Ministers to bring forward the Draft Agreement between Ukraine and the Republic of Cyprus regarding elimination of double taxation.
Then the People´s Deputies discussed the Bill on Amendments to several Legislative Acts of Ukraine (re Hourly Wage). Oleh Zarubinsky, author of the Bill, deems necessary to adopt the Law in order to legally secure employer´s obligation to remunerate wage labour for every extra hour at the rate not lower than minimum.
The Committee on Social Policy upheld adoption of the Bill, since it would create legal conditions for establishment of minimum hourly wage.
However, the Bill was rejected due to the results of voting.
After the recess, Serhiy Kivalov, Chairman of the Committee on Justice, commented on the Committee resolution concerning oath-taking of O.Volkov and A.Boiko, members of the High Council of Justice.
The Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine called on the People´s Deputies to collect 50 signatures and appeal to the Constitutional Court of Ukraine with a request to render explanation of Article 17 of the Law of Ukraine "On the High Council of Justice" (re two-month term for oath-taking).
Then the People´s Deputies discussed the Bill on Establishment of a Minimum Wage Share in the Unit Cost. A wage share in Ukrainian industry does not exceed 12 per cent. At the same time, a wage share in economically developed countries constitutes 35-40 per cent. All the labour issues in Ukraine are the result of such a small wage share in the unit cost. Moreover, this is the reason for a flow of labour force abroad.
However, the Bill was rejected due to the results of voting.
The next Bill appertained to amendments to several Laws of Ukraine (re introduction of a minimum hourly wage). The People´s Deputy Valeriy Konovaliuk, author of the Bill, deems necessary to regulate the process of reforming labour renumeration, and coordinate it with international standards.
The Committee on Social Policy upheld adoption of the Bill. However, The Verkhovna Rada rejected the said Bill.
At the end of the plenary meeting the People´s Deputies listened to the Government´s report on monetary policy and the state of macroeconomic discipline presented by Viktor Pynzenyk, Minister of Finance, and Bohdan Danylyshyn, Minister of Economy.
The Minister of Finance reported on the current situation and answered the questions.
Bohdan Danylyshyn stated that the Government made forecasts of economic and social development of Ukraine for Year 2009, and basic macroeconomic indices for the next years.
Then the Plenary Meeting was closed.