28 August 2009, 12:20
"The topic concerning suspension of privileges and ordering of state residences and cottages has always been crucial and received great publicity", - stated Mykola Tomenko, Vice-Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, answering the questions of the journalists.
Mykola Tomenko stressed that the political force he belonged to applied great efforts to settle the said matter. However, the Committee on Rules of Parliamentary Procedure, Ethics and Support to Work of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, headed by one of the leaders of the Party of Regions, failed to scrutinize any of the Bills submitted by the representatives of the BYuT Faction, especially his Bill concerning payment of financial aid to the former People´s Deputies for the period of their employment.
As regards the legislative initiative of H.Herman and B.Kolesnikov (Reg. No. 1356-2) concerning suspension of privileges and "inventory of medical, medical-preventive, spa institutions, boarding houses, holiday centers that support the activity of the President of Ukraine, The Verkhovna Rada, the Cabinet of Ministers, other public authority bodies", this Bill was scrutinized on 17 June 2008, and the BYuT Faction suggested voting for it in the entirety by one vote. The Bill was endorsed by 192 votes (BYuT 147 votes, Our Ukraine 42, Party of Regions 3, Communist Party and Lytvyn Bloc 0).
The Vice-Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine believes that "the matter shall be settled systematically". Thus, first and foremost, it is necessary to analyze the conditions and the status of the presidential state residences and the state cottages in the so-called "communist village" of Koncha-Zaspa near Kyiv and determine the procedure of their funding.
The Vice-Chairman stressed that "the matter concerning State residences and cottages must be settled in practice, not in theory. We will support the setting up of a special inquiry panel to study the situation".