25 September 2019, 17:30
“Elaboration of changes to the parliamentary regulations requires a wide involvement of expert community and European institutions, in particular, the Venice Commission,” -- Olena Kondratiuk, Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
Olena Kondratiuk, the vice speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, participated in a coordination meeting of international technical assistance programmes for the Ukrainian parliament organized by the USAID RADA Programme.
O. Kondratiuk expressed her sincere gratitude to the international democratic community, in particular, the United States of America, Canada, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Council of Europe, and to all governmental and non-governmental organizations for their continued and consistent support to the development of Ukrainian parliamentarism.
According to her, the Ukrainian parliament is working today in a new reality, which is fundamentally different from the previous convocations. Thus, according to the latest data of the Razumkov Centre, the parliament's credibility makes 57%. “The parliament should remain an open platform for discussion, exchange of experience and opinions, and the rights of the opposition should be protected,” O. Kondratiuk stressed.
In her opinion, one of the main challenges for further effective work of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is altering its regulations and Ukraine’s constitution. “There will be set up a special task group or commission in charge of the above changes. It is my firm conviction that the expert community and European institutions ought to be widely involved in our parliamentary reforms… including, in particular, the Pat Cox mission’s developments. We also look forward to assistance and participation of the Venice Commission adepts at honing such processes,” O. Kondratiuk emphasized.
The vice speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine also thanked the head of the USAID RADA Programme Ihor Kohut and all those involved in the implementation of new ideas on the parliamentary work, among which there are assistance in launching the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine educational center, regular trainings for MPs and their aides, and introduction of the principles of a gender-focused legal examination of legislative acts.