10 March 2016, 13:30
Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman expects that next plenary week, the Ukrainian Parliament will adopt amendments to the Law of Ukraine on e-declaration [of incomes by Ukrainian officials], in order to implement all the requirements aimed at the fulfillment of the Visa Liberalisation Action Plan for Ukraine.
"Next plenary week, we will have all the grounds to finally adopt the amendments to the e-declaration. Therefore, Ukraine will in full implement all the obligations it took," the Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada said this within the framework of the 12th Annual Investment Conference of Dragon Capital in Kyiv on Thursday.
Groysman said this issue was the last unsettled option for the introduction of the visa-free regime by the EU for Ukraine. Respective amendments are expected to the Law of Ukraine No. 3755 "On amendments to Law of Ukraine "On preventing corruption" (as to e-declaration of incomes by officials).
The Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada said that protraction with the implementation of the Visa Liberalisation Action Plan for Ukraine was related to the elaboration of the decisions adoption of which was expected from the Verkhovna Rada. In particular, he said that respective law was not adopted. The people's deputies are currently correcting the mistakes made by the previous and incumbent parliaments, Groysman said.
The Chairperson of the Ukrainian Parliament also reminded that during the last plenary week on February 16, the people's deputies adopted three "visa-free laws," "which created instruments for intensification of the fight against corruption."
At the same time, Groysman stressed that unfulfilled is still the obligation to establish the National Anticorruption Agency. "That is a question to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine," he said. "I believe that both requirements will be implements and we will receive the visa-free regime in 2016," Groysman said. He added that he had been assured of respective decision by the EU representatives during the meetings at the European Parliament.
"We have to speed up tackling the last issue. All the colleagues, faction leaders are ready to do so," the Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada said.
Apart from the visa-free regime issue, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine will take the decision on the tender selection of employees to the State Bureau of Investigation, adoption of the Resolution on approval to recommendations of the European Parliament touching the internal reform of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and other technical issues. Besides, on Thursday, March 17, the Ukrainian Parliament will host the "finances and economy" day, Groysman said.
At 16:30, today, the Verkhovna Rada will host a meeting of the parliamentary factions and groups leaders to adopt the agenda for the next plenary week, the Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada said.