Plenary meetings on January 13, 2015

PLENARY MEETINGS OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE OF THE FIRST SESSION OF THE EIGHTH CONVOCATION WERE HELD ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2015.

Having opened morning meeting, Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada Volodymyr Groysman drew attention to the tragedy of people's deputy Nadiia Savchenko. "Today is the thirty second day that our colleague has been starving in the name of justice, in the name of Ukraine. Our stance, our duty is to make everything possible in order to free our colleague", stressed Volodymyr Groysman.

Volodymyr Groysman said that today MPs will consider another address to world European leaders on granting support to Ukraine on this difficult path.

Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada is sure that all political prisoners, who are now outside our country, all prisoners, who are illegally kept, should be freed, "this is a stand of every people's deputy, of every Ukrainian".

Volodymyr Groysman stressed that the President of Ukraine is taking measures on freeing Nadiia Savchenko and our compatriot prisoners, and "a certain progress" can be observed.    

Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada also said that this week people's deputies are suggested to consider extremely important issues. In this context, the Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada stressed the importance of organizational systematic work of the Parliament in order to "adopt quality decisions not just a number of laws". In his words, "each law shall regulate a certain sphere of life clearly for every person".  

Volodymyr Groysman informed about establishing two inter-faction deputy unions "For national and patriotic upbringing" (Chairperson - Ihor Artiushenko), and "Human Rights Protection" (Chairperson - Oleksandr Feldman).

Authorized representatives of deputy groups and factions made their announcements, proposals, and claims.

MP upheld the procedure for considering bills on holding judicial reform.

Deputy Chairperson of the Presidential Administration Oleksii Filatov reported on the draft law on ensuring the right to a fair trial (Reg. No. 1656).

MP Oksana Syroid reported about the draft law on amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On the Judicial System and Status of Judges" and other legislative acts re complying foundations of organization and functioning of the judicial power with the European standards (Reg. No. 1497).  

Coalition factions upheld the decision to adopt the bills under Reg. No. 1656 and No. 1497 as a basis.

The Verkhovna Rada adopted the bills under Reg. No. 1656 and No. 1497 as a basis.

MP Yuliia Tymoshenko reported on the draft resolution on the Address of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Angela Merkel, President of the Republic of France Francois Hollande, and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on releasing people's deputy of Ukraine of the eighth convocation, member of the Permanent Delegation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in PACE Nadiia Viktorivna Savchenko (Reg. No. 1700) and draft resolution on the Address of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to the Parliamentary Assembly of the European Council on releasing people's deputy of Ukraine of the eighth convocation, member of the Permanent Delegation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in PACE Nadiia Viktorivna Savchenko (Reg. No. 1701).  

The Verkhovna Rada adopted both draft resolutions in entirety with 304 and 306 votes respectively.

Deputy Minister of Regional Development Andrii Bilousov informed about the Law "On a moratorium on the forced sale of housing, charges and collection of penalties and other fines for utility services to the citizens residing in the territories of the antiterrorist operation" with proposals of the President of Ukraine (Reg. No. 0962). The governmental official reminded that the law stipulates establishing by 31.12.2015 additional guarantees on protecting housing and property rights of citizens residing on the territories of ATO and those citizens who have been temporarily relocated to other populated areas of Ukraine.

People's deputies agreed with proposals of the President of Ukraine and adopted the law in entirety with 267 votes in favour.

Following the results of consideration of presidential proposals to the Law "On amendments to the Budget Code of Ukraine and several legislative acts of Ukraine" (Reg. No. 0963) the Law was submitted for further elaboration. 

After the break, First Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada Andrii Parubii informed that 15 soldiers of the National Guard died during the Christmas days. He said that the legendary battalion named after Kulchytskyi experienced the most losses.

MP commemorated memory of the deceased with a minute of silence.

People's deputies considered several bills in the first reading following the simplified procedure.

Chairperson of the Committee on Agrarian Policy and Land Relations Taras Kutovyi reported the decision of the Committee to recommend the Verkhovna Rada adopt the bill as a basis and in entirety. 

The people’s deputies upheld the decision of the specializing Committee by 265 votes.

The draft law on amendments to several legislative acts of Ukraine on decentralization of powers in the sphere of architecture and construction control and improving the town planning legislation (Reg. No. 1546) was reported by the Deputy Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services Dmytro Isaienko. He noted that the bill suggests transferring functions on executing state architecture and construction control from the central authority to local self-government authorities, and simplifying several authorization and approval procedures in construction, as well as improving the procedure of submitting declaration on completing preparation and construction work; applying autonomous engineering systems; and improving legal liability in the abovementioned sphere.

Following the results of voting, the bill was adopted as a basis (287 voted in favor).

The draft law on effectuation of right of ownership in an apartment building (Reg. No. 1565) was presented by the Deputy Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services Andrii Bilousov. He noted that the bill aims at regulating the issue on effectuation of right of ownership and efficient managing of an apartment building; determining peculiarities of effectuation of right of ownership in an apartment building, regulating legal, organizational, and economic relations, etc.

Deputy Chairperson of the Committee on Construction, Urban Development, Housing and Communal Services Aliona Babak reported the Committee’s decision to recommend the Verkhovna Rada adopt the bill as a basis.

The Verkhovna Rada adopted the bill as a basis by 250 votes. 

Further on, the people’s deputies considered the draft law on energy efficiency of buildings (Reg. No. 1566), and, following the results of voting, recommitted it (229 votes in favor).

Then, the people’s deputies had to consider three bills on amendments to article 41 of the Law “On Joint Stock Companies” (re quorum of general assembly of joint-stock companies with majority state corporate rights)".

On insistence of faction of “Petro Poroshenko Bloc”, the Presiding put to vote the issue of including the alternative bill registered under No. 1296 into the agenda.

The proposal failed (138 votes in favor).

Parliamentarians considered three bills registered under No.1310, 1310-1 and 1310-2. They were presented by the people’s deputies Oleh Liashko, Viktoriia Voitsitska and Yurii Derevianko.

Co-reporting, Chair of the Committee on Economic Policy Andrii Ivanchuk informed that the Committee did not scrutinize these bills, since it hasn’t received the opinion of the Anticorruption Committee, the Central Scientific Experts Office of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Secretariat and the Cabinet of Ministers. 

A.Ivanchuk suggested adopting as a basis a more thoroughly prepared bill under the authorship of the people’s deputy Yu.Derevianko. 

Representative of the Government, Head of the National Securities and Stock Market Commission Dmytro Teveliv reported the proposal of the National Commission to uphold the bill of the people’s deputy O.Liashko. 

The people’s deputies discussed the three bills and following the results of voting, adopted as a basis and in entirety the bill registered under No. 1310 (230 votes in favor).

Morning plenary meeting was adjourned.

At the beginning of the evening plenary session, Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada Volodymyr Groysman informed that representative of the Defense Minister will take the floor with the information on the situation in the ATO zone at 4.45 p.m.

The people’s deputies continued consideration of the bills in the first reading.

The draft law on amendments to the Law "On Regulating Urban Planning" re acceptance into operation construction objects built without permission for construction" (Reg. No. 1059) was reported by the people’s deputy Oleksandra Kuzhel. She noted that legislative act specifies legislative provisions on the issues on accepting into operation the construction objects built by March 12, 2011 without permission for construction. Under the bill, a simplified order of accepting into operation construction objects built by March 12, 2011 should be valid by December 31, 2015.

Following the results of voting, the bill was adopted as a basis and in entirety (259 votes in favor).

MPs considered the bill registered under No. 1084 and rejected it, following the results of voting.

Representative of the Headquarters of the Defense Ministry, Chair of the main training center of the Armed Forces of Ukraine General Bohdan Bondar informed the people’s deputies about the situation in the ATO zone.  

According to him, the most complicated situation remains in the region of Stanytsia Luhanska, Donetsk Airport and the city of Mariupol.

B.Bondar noted that representative of the so-called DNR - Zakharchenko said yesterday that there will be no more rotations and they will not transfer the injured.

Representative of the Headquarters informed that the situation has stabilized at present, however, at the same time, the threat of shelling of our positions remains. 

B.Bondar informed also about the missile attacks near the town of Dokuchaievsk, as a result of which 10 persons died and 13 were injured.

General B.Bondar responded to the questions of the people’s deputies.  

MPs continued consideration of the bills in the first reading.

The draft law on amendments to several laws of Ukraine re protection of informational television and radio space of Ukraine (Reg. No. 1317) was reported by the Chairperson of the Committee on Culture and Spirituality Mykola Kniazhytskyi. According to the rapporteur, the bill stipulates establishing general criteria for determining audiovisual products which can be a threat to national security of Ukraine, particularly those products that praise armed groups of the country-occupant, prohibiting public use of such products and imposing sanctions on economic entities which will ignore such a prohibition.  

The Committee Chairperson reported on the specifications to the bill.

Following the results of voting, the bill was adopted as a basis (240 votes in favor).

Parliamentarians considered two bills pertaining to making amendments to several laws of Ukraine re Public Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine, registered under No. 1357 and 1357-1.

The bills were presented by the Chairperson of the Committee on Freedom of Speech and Information Policy Viktoriia Siumar and the people’s deputy Mykola Tomenko.

The bill registered under No. 1357 was adopted as a basis.

The people’s deputies considered also the the draft law on amendments to article 7 of the Law “On the Status of War Veterans and Guarantees of their Social Protection” (re injured in the course of protests), registered under No. 1423 and, following the results of voting, upheld its adoption as a basis.

The Verkhovna Rada adopted the Resolutions “On approving Recommendations of parliamentary hearings entitled "Education, health care and social insurance of children with psychophysical development disorders: problems and ways of their settlement" (Reg. No. 1340) and “On perpetuation of the memory of the Heroes of Ukraine who gave their life for freedom and independence of Ukraine” (Reg. No. 1013).

The Chairperson adjourned the evening session.

Next plenary meeting of the first session will be held on Wednesday, January 14.