ON WEDNESDAY, 16 FEBRUARY, THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE CONTINUED ITS PLENARY WORK
Opening the sitting, Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, reported on the results of plenary work of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on 15 February.
The People´s Deputies observed a minute of silence in memory of Vasyl Vatamaniuk, Head of Chernivtsi Regional Council, who passed away at the age of 65.
The Chairman announced that a new inter-factional group "Healthy and Sporting Ukraine" was set up in the Parliament. The group headed by People´s Deputy I.Rybakov included 20 non-affiliated deputies.
Mykola Tomenko, Deputy Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, read out the act on setting up an inter-factional group "Healthy and Sporting Ukraine", and announced that the goal of the group is support of a healthy lifestyle among the Ukrainian youth, promotion of tourism and grassroots sports in Ukraine, etc. He stressed that the group assumed the responsibility for the formation of legislative support in the sphere of youth policy, sports, tourism, promotion of healthy lifestyle, and restriction of consumption of alcoholic beverages and tobacco goods. Mykola Tomenko, Deputy Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, and Viktor Korzh, Deputy Head of the Committee on Public Health, were elected co-chairmen of the inter-factional group "Healthy and Sporting Ukraine."
People´s Deputies presented their motions, appeals and announcements.
The Parliament members scrutinized the draft resolution "On Celebration of the 140th Anniversary of Birth of Lesia Ukrainka (Larysa Petrivna Kosach-Kvitka), Prominent Ukrainian Poetess and Public Figure."
People´s Deputy Adam Martyniuk presented the draft resolution. Under the Resolution, during the first half of the year 2011, the Cabinet of Ministers shall take action to repair, renew exhibitions and support the work of Lesia Ukrainka literary-memorial museum and the museum of the Kosach family in Novohrad Volynskyi of Zhytomyr region.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine passed the Resolution by 352 votes.
The Parliament members postponed scrutiny of the bill on amendments to the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Infringements regarding strengthening of prevention of environmental crimes.
People´s Deputy Oleh Liashko presented the bill on the moratorium on public utility services delinquency charge.
The bill suggests considering the funds charged for the untimely payment for public utility services since January 1, 2011 as future payments for the public utility services.
An alternative bill on the moratorium on public utility services delinquency charge was presented by People‘s Deputy Oleksandr Chornovolenko.
Both bills were rejected.
The People´s Deputies postponed scrutiny of the bill on amendments to several Laws of Ukraine (re moratorium on the privatization of property of religious purpose).
The bill on amendments to the Law "On Assessment of Property and Property Rights, and Professional Valuation Activities in Ukraine" was withdrawn.
Parliamentarians discussed the bill on amendments to the Law "On Register of State Property Right Objects that are not to be privatized" (regarding objects that are of strategic significance for the state).
In the result of the voting the bill failed to meet necessary support of the People´s Deputie and was rejected.
The bill on amendments to certain Laws of Ukraine regarding rejection of the state vehicle inspection was reported by Anatolii Hrytsenko, People´s Deputy of Ukraine. The Head of Party of Regions Faction O. Efremov announced during the discussion that faction was not going to vote for the bill since the bill does not define anything instead of cancellation of the norm on state vehicle inspection.
O. Efremov announced that the faction together with the Cabinet of Ministers is working upon new legislation norm and it shall be soon introduced for the parliamentary scrutiny, consequently the Parliament will adopt the Law that is recognized by the European Union.
The Verkhovna Rada has directed the bill for the elaboration by 356 votes.
The People´s Deputies scrutinized the bill on amendments to certain Laws of Ukraine (regarding examination of education programs and schoolbooks).
In the result of the voting the bill was rejected.
Scrutiny of the bill on amendments to certain legislative cats of Ukraine (regarding strengthening of the guarantees of higher educational establishment self-government) at the author´s request was postponed.
First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine A. Martyniuk adjourned the morning plenary meeting.
Starting from 15.00 there are the Parliamentary Hearings "The State of Pension Reform and Its Improvement" in the assembly hall of the Verkhovna Rada.
Next plenary meeting shall be held on Thursday, February 17.