22 November 2007, 16:20
On Friday 23 November, the Opening Ceremony will be held, and the First Session of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the 6th Convocation, elected at an early Parliamentary Election on 30 September 2007, will commence proceedings.
At 10:00 am, the Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the 5th Convocation Olexander Moroz will, from the seat of the Chairman, will declare the Ceremonial Meeting open and invite Ivan Herasymov (of the Communist Party of Ukraine), the elder statesman of the People's Deputies within The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the 6th Convocation, to come forward to the rostrum to take the Oath of the People's Deputy.
In line with the Procedure for the Ceremonial Meeting, and the Procedure of Oath Taking by the People's Deputies of Ukraine registered following the election to The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, held on 30 September 2007, as adopted by the Preparatory Deputy Group, The H. Veriovka National Academic Folk Choir will sing the spiritual hymn of Ukraine 'Prayer for Ukraine' (text by O. Konysky, music by M. Lysenko).
Following this, the People's Deputies of Ukraine, prior to taking up their appointment, will take the Oath before The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. The Authorities given to the newly-elected Deputies will take effect from the moment they take the Oath and inscribe their signatures below its text.
At 12:00 am, the Chairman of the Preparatory Deputy Group Raisa Bohatyriova (Party of Regions) from the seat of the Chairman, will advise Parliament as to the number of People's Deputies registered by the Central Election Committee, and the number who have taken the Oath and are registered to attend the first Plenary Meeting. She will also declare the Termination of Authorities of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the 5th Convocation and, pursuant to the Constitution of Ukraine, Article 82, Part 4, invite the elder statesman of the People's Deputies present to declare open the First Plenary Meeting of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the 6th Convocation.
The newly-elected Deputies of Ukraine are predicted to adopt several documents on the same day.
The People's Deputies will take their seats in the Assembly Room of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, according to the seating configuration approved earlier by the Preparatory Deputy Group.