A PLENARY MEETING OF THE FIRST SESSION OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE OF THE 6TH CONVOCATION WAS HELD ON TUESDAY 11 DECEMBER
274 People's Deputies registered to attend the Meeting.
Having opened the Morning Sitting, the Chairman The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Arseniy Yatseniuk, immediately granted a recess following a request from two Factions. He explained this due to the expected arrival of The President of Ukraine, Viktor Yushchenko.
Forty minutes later the Chair announced that consultations were still ongoing and ordered a further recess until 12:30 am.
At 12:30 am A. Yatseniuk announced that Viktor Yushchenko was taking part in the Plenary Meeting of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
The Chair then notified the People's Deputies of the Meeting of the Conciliatory Council, which required a decision on changing items on the Agenda for consideration. He stated that the first item for discussion was the Formation of the Government.
He put to the vote the issue of additions to the Agenda, and the altered sequence of the Agenda. i.e. items added to the Agenda were The Formation of Ukraine's Government, consisting of 5 sub-issues: The Appointment of the Prime Minister, Dismissal of the preceding Prime Minister, Termination of Authorities of the preceding Government Members, Appointment of the new Government Membership, and Termination of Authorities of the People's Deputies elected to the Government.
The decision to alter the sequence of the Agenda was passed by 246 votes of the People's Deputies.
The Chair then gave the floor to The President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko.
V. Yushchenko addressed The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. The State Leader called on The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to work for the sake of National interests, and not for either their positions or personal interests. 'I am confident, that overcoming the political crisis and achieving political stability is our key task. Each political force, under whatever banner it marches or whatever ideology it advocates, must realize that political instability removes Ukraine's opportunities', he stressed.
V. Yushchenko said that the political and parliamentary crisis is a hindrance to our economic and humanitarian advances. ‘The National interests should take priority over all for the sake of overcoming this crisis´, The President appealed to the Deputies.
V. Yushchenko expressed his contentment at the creation of a Coalition which had won the election. He also expressed his belief that the future work and prospects of the Coalition would be productive, and wished them every success.
The President of Ukraine promised he would always be an ally of the Ukrainian Parliament, and called on the Deputies to renew with the utmost speed the Authority of this branch.
The President of Ukraine put forward his submission to appoint the People's Deputy Yulia Tymoshenko as Prime Minister, and asked the People´s Deputies to offer their support.
V. Yushchenko also introduced a submission to appoint the People's Deputy, Yuriy Yekhanurov, as Minister of Defense and the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Volodymyr Ohryzko, as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The Chair then gave the floor to Yulia Tymoshenko, the Candidate for the post of Prime Minister. She outlined her key priorities for the new Government, namely stock-taking in the spheres where 'corruption is flourishing'.
Yu. Tymoshenko also stressed the Law on Opposition, whose submission and passing must take priority. She said that ‘a fitting Parliamentary Opposition should actually become the Legislator'.
Yu. Tymoshenko seconded the establishment of Interim Inquiry Panels in Parliament, so as 'to introduce not just a supervisory control in each field, but also to bring to account each officer infringing the Constitution and Laws, and violating moral standards and political rules in general´. She upheld the idea of reinstating Ad Hoc Supervisory Parliamentary Panels and giving them a status almost equal to that of Ad Hoc Inquiry Panels.
The Candidate called on 'The Power and the Opposition to unite when Ukrainian National interests are at stake, and to offer up all their votes for the protection of Ukraine'.
Yu. Tymoshenko replied to questions from the People's Deputies.
Members of four Factions spoke during this discussion on the Candidate for the post of Prime Minister. The Factions of the Coalition of Democratic Forces, i.e. BYuT and 'Our Ukraine People's Self-Defense' seconded the nomination of Yu. Tymoshenko.
A member of the CPU Faction said that the members of this Faction would not vote for Yu. Tymoshenko.
Following this, voting for the appointment of Yu. Tymoshenko proceeded. 227 People's Deputies took part in this voting, 225 of them voting in favour of the Candidate, and 2 abstaining.
Deputies from the Coalition Factions informed the Chair that the voting cards of People's Deputies O. Omelchenko of 'Our Ukraine- People's Self-Defense' and I. Dankevych of BYuT, having been used in their voting, failed to register. It was considered necessary to put this matter to repeated voting.
The Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine put to the vote this matter of repeated ballots for the appointment of Prime Minister. This aroused protests by Deputies from the Party of Regions Factions. They crowded around the Presidium and Speaker's lectern, thus preventing The Chair from conducting the Sitting.
A. Yatseniuk put to the vote the matter of a repeated ballot for the appointment of Prime Minister. The vote declared no positive result with only 225 votes out of 230 given in favour of repeated voting.
The Chair then announced a recess in the sitting. After this interval the Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine attempted to take his seat, but was prevented from so doing by the blocking of the Presidium by People's Deputies from the Faction of Regions.
A. Yatseniuk announced a recess in the sitting. He said that the leaders of Factions were holding consultations with The President of Ukraine. The Chair said that the evening sitting would be opened after the completion of said Consultations.
At 5.30 pm, the Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine announced that the consultations of the Faction leaders with The President of Ukraine were still ongoing and said that the next Plenary Meeting of the First Session will he held on Tuesday 12 December.