29 October 2010, 14:48
The participants of the meeting discussed the bill on refugees and individuals in need of additional or temporary protection (Reg. No.7252), submitted by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
According to O. Zarubinskyi, "its scrutiny would be complicated, as in the course of its adjustment, several remarks from the Ministries and other central executive power bodies were not considered." The People´s Deputy stated that the Parliament had not adopted the draft Concept of Migrational Policy of Ukraine in the first reading that sets the state priorities in this sphere.
Simone Wolken declared that the UN Refugee Agency for Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine was interested in Ukraine joining 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless and 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness that are closely connected with the sphere of refugees rights protection. O. Zarubinskyi emphasised, "considering ratification of these Conventions, the state should consider its capacity of abiding by the requirements stated in the acts."
The Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee has also confirmed the willingness to cooperate with the UN Refugee Agency in the formation of the state migration policy, improvement of the national legislation on the issues of citizenship and refugees´ rights protection.
Furio De Angelis, Deputy Regional Representative at UNHCR, Dmytro Plechko, UN Human Rights Commissioner's Mission in Ukraine, Natalia Naumenko, the Director of Refugee and Asylum Affairs Department of the State Committee of Ukraine for Nationalities and Religions, Mykola Erukh, Head of the Migration Department of SCNR, attended the meeting.