27 April 2011, 13:13
Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, supports obligatory will expression of the deputies in the session hall.
In the interview to UNIAN news agency on Wednesday, V. Lytvyn stated that the parliament members should exemplify respect for the Constitution and responsibility for their authorities and commitments. "The deputies should be obliged to vote either "in favour" or "against" or "abstained." It would confirm the presence of the deputies in the session hall and their work," he stated. "At present, if the deputies are asked why they had been absent in the session hall, they answer, "I have been present, but have not voted." Obligatory will expression is aimed at such cunning fellows."
V.Lytvyn stated that publication of information on the personal registration of People´s Deputies had considerably improved the attendance of plenary meetings. "The number of deputies in the session hall has immediately increased during the first week after the publication of surnames and a bulk of public appeals and letters," he informed.
However, the Head of the Parliament admitted that the discipline had slightly slackened. "I had to remind the heads of the factions and the deputies that they should work, not relax. Moreover, someone is trying to build up their policy in this situation," declared V.Lytvyn.
The Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine projected that attendance of plenary meetings would rise before the parliamentary elections, as the deputies would demonstrate their responsibility to the voters.
However, the Head of the Parliament is against introducing one ‘voting day´ in the plenary week, like in the State Duma of the Russian Federation and some other parliaments. "Then no one will attend the sessions during the other days, which will only discredit parliamentarism," V.Lytvyn stressed.