Rada seems set on making a full-fledged and sterling parliamentary research service

Information Department of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Secretariat
29 May 2020, 18:45

The Ukrainian parliament is elaborating a set of models for launching its own research service

This was announced by the Chief of Staff of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Viacheslav Shtuchnyi during an online session held on May 28 to study the experience of the Congressional Research Service. International experts also participated in this event.

Viacheslav Shtuchnyi noted that the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Secretariat had recently completed the functional analysis conducted by the Parliamentary Reform Office (PRO) in cooperation with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), being so commissioned by the EU-UNDP Parliamentary Reform Project. The analysis results have reflected the acute need to establish a full-blown parliamentary research service as soon as possible.

Presently, the parliament’s structure does contain several units performing “research-like” functions, but this is obviously not enough for a sound and comprehensive analytical work. Since 2011, there has been operating the Verkhovna Rada’s Information and Research Centre, which is supported by the USAID RADA Programme. This centre is seen to be the mother of the research service that currently provides MPs with analytical information of wide range.

Chief of the USAID RADA Programme did then confirm the programme’s readiness to render assistance in establishing the aforementioned service within the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

Afterwards, several speakers from the Congressional Research Service dwelt at length on the specificity of this body’s work. The U.S. Congressional Research Service, in operation for a century at the least, renders help in informing the congressional corps, assists in the legislative process, contributes to overseeing and monitoring the implementation of legislation as well as provides proper training for newly elected members of the US Congress, etc.

The Chief of Staff of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Viacheslav Shtuchnyi thanked the USAID RADA Programme for organizing the meeting with international experts and supporting parliamentary initiatives and events.