08 October 2013, 18:17
PLENARY MEETINGS OF THE THIRD SESSION OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE OF THE SEVENTH CONVOCATION WERE HELD ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8.
At the beginning of the morning session authorized representatives of deputy factions took the floor with announcements, statements, and proposals.
The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Volodymyr Rybak congratulated lawyers of Ukraine on their professional holiday.
Volodymyr Rybak brought in for consideration the issue on approving the agenda of the third session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the seventh convocation.
The Chairman noted that on Monday, after the meeting of the Conciliatory Council, leaders of deputy factions agreed to approve the agenda in entirety today.
He informed also that the agenda consists of section one that includes the drawn up bills, and section two that consist of the bills, mandated to the committees for preparation and refinement.
Volodymyr Rybak attached attention of the people’s deputies to the fact that the draft agenda of the third session does not consider the proposal regarding the bills that are suggested to be excluded from the agenda. According to him, all the proposals regarding additional inclusion of urgent bills to the agenda shall be considered during plenary meetings, in line with the requirements of article 23 of the Rules of Procedure of the Verkhovna Rada as a matter of routine procedure.
The Chairman put the proposal to vote. The people’s deputies did not uphold it (211 votes “for”).
Representatives of factions drew attention to that fact that the agenda includes the bills as of the end of August this year. The representative of the “UDAR” faction suggested include all of the registered bills as of October 8 to the agenda. He was supported by several representatives of other factions.
Following the results of voting, the proposal was not upheld (191 votes “for”).
Due to the fact that the agenda of the third session was not adopted, the Chairman suggested approve weekly agenda of plenary meetings for October 8-11 and work on it.
The people’s deputies upheld the suggestion by 338 votes.
The draft resolution on awarding the annual prize of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to teaching staff of secondary, vocational, pre-school and out-of-school education was reported by Liliya Hrynevych, the Chairperson of the Committee on Science and Education. She reminded that this prize has already been awarded 4 times. Overall, the Verkhovna Rada has presented 116 prizes each amounting at UAH 20 thousand.
“Financial estimate of the Verkhovna Rada for 2013 stipulate expenditures for the prize. Diplomas and badges of honor are also awarded together with the prize,” noted L.Hrynevych.
The Verkhovna Rada adopted the resolution by 345 votes.
The draft law on approval of the decision of the President of Ukraine to send the national contingent for Ukraine’s participation in the Operation Ocean Shield and in the Operation EU NAVFOR ATALANTA was reported by the Defence Minister Pavlo Lebediev. He noted that adoption of the bill shall secure participation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Operation Ocean Shield for the period of September 24, 2013 – January 2, 2014 and in the Operation EU NAVFOR ATALANTA for the period of January 3 – March 5, 2014.
According to the rapporteur, expenditures necessary to secure participation of Ukraine’s national contingent in the operations are considered in the State Budget of Ukraine for 2013 and in the budgetary inquiry of the Defence Ministry for 2014.
Chairman of the subcommittee of the Committee on National Security and Defence Oleksandr Kuzmuk reported the decision of the Committee to recommend the Verkhovna Rada adopt the bill as a basis and in entirety.
The Verkhovna Rada adopted the bill by 334 votes in entirety.
The draft resolution on granting a hearing to the report of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on Ukraine's participation in the activities of the maintenance of international peace and security in 2012 was reported by the Chairman of the Committee on National Security and Defence Volodymyr Lytvyn.
The resolution was adopted in entirety by 342 votes.
The people’s deputies considered in the second reading and adopted in entirety the draft law on amendments to article 7 of the Law of Ukraine “On state social assistance to low-income families” (re persons that provide social services).
The draft law on amendments to several legislative acts of Ukraine re reducing the number of licensing documents was reported by Yurii Miroshnychenko, the Representative of the President of Ukraine in the Verkhovna Rada.
Yu.Miroshnychenko stressed that the bill, referred by the President of Ukraine, aims at further deregulation of entrepreneurial activity and simplification of conditions for doing business in Ukraine.
The First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Entrepreneurship, Regulatory and Antimonopoly Policy Vladyslav Lukianov reported the decision of the Committee to recommend the Verkhovna Rada adopt the bill as a basis.
The people’s deputies upheld the decision of the specialized Committee by 295 votes.
Parliament members considered several draft resolutions on election and dismissal of judges and took the respective decisions.
The Chairman of the Committee on Budget Yevhenii Hiellier reported on the draft law on amendments to the Law “On the State Budget of Ukraine for 2013” (re increasing expenses for the Central Election Commission). He stressed that adoption of this bill will allow to repay a debt of the Central Election Commission, to hold re-elections of the people’s deputies in several single mandate electoral districts, and to ensure functioning of the State register of voters.
The Chairman of the Committee noted that the Verkhovna Rada adopted the Law “On re-elections of the people’s deputies in several single mandate electoral districts No. 94, No. 132, No. 194, No. 197 and No. 223, enforcement of which requires extra funds. According to him, to settle these issues the bill suggests increase the amount of budget allocations for the Central Election Commission by UAH 48,8 mln.
The Verkhovna Rada adopted the bill as a basis and in entirety by 316 votes.
The people’s deputies considered and adopted as in entirety the draft law on amendments to Appendix No. 2 to the Law “On the State Budget of Ukraine for 2013” (re funding of the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of the Youth and Sport).
The Chairman adjourned the morning meeting.
On the evening meeting the parliamentarians continued the consideration of the agenda.
The First Deputy Minister of Interior Affairs of Ukraine Viktor Dubovyk reported on the draft law on amendments to article 18 of the Law “On Militia” re refining the system of staffing of internal affairs bodies. The bill suggests oblige military students of higher educational establishments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) offset expenses connected with maintenance of students in the MIA higher educational institutions in case they early terminate a study contract due to unwillingness to continue studying; non-fulfillment of curriculum; or dismissal from bodies of internal affairs three years after graduation from the MIA higher educational institution for any reason other than ill health dismissal or due to reduction of personnel.
The Chairman of the Sub-committee on Legislative Support of Law Enforcement Volodymyr Malyshev informed about the Committee’s decision to recommend that the Parliament should adopt the bill as a basis.
The Parliamentarians adopted the bill as a basis by 236 votes.
The Deputy Minister of Incomes and Fees Andrii Ihnatov reported on the draft law on amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine re record keeping and registration of taxpayers. He stressed that the bill is aimed to simplify the procedures of starting a business and ensuring open and free access to information from national registries that include business entities data.
The Chairman of the Committee on Taxation and Customs Policy Vitalii Khomutynnik reported on the Committee’s decision to recommend that the Verkhovna Rada should adopt the bill as a basis.
The people’s deputies upheld the decision of the specialized committee by 337 votes.
The Chairman of the State Service for regulatory policy and entrepreneurship development Mykhailo Brodskyi reported on the draft law on amendments to several legislative acts of Ukraine re simplification of business start-up procedure. He noted that the bill suggests cancel registration fee, establish the mechanism of state registration of legal persons and sole traders by submitting electronic documents without mandatory electronic signature using other ways of applicant’s identification, and to cancel mandatory application of seal by economic entities.
The Chairman of the Committee on Entrepreneurship, Regulatory and Antimonopoly Policy Oleksandra Kuzhel reported the Committee’s decision to recommend that the Verkhovna Rada should adopt the bill as a basis. She also noted that adoption of this bill will help fight raiding.
The Verkhovna Rada adopted the bill as a basis by 307 votes.
The people’s deputies considered two bills on amendments to several legislative acts of Ukraine re reforming state administration in the sphere of road facilities. The people’s deputy Mykola Katerynchuk and the Minister of Infrastructure Volodymyr Kozak reported on these bills.
The aim of the bills is harmonization of the legislative norms regarding state administration of public roads with current market conditions.
The First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Transport and Communications Ruslan Solvar reported on the decision of the Committee to recommend that the Verkhovna Rada should adopt as a basis the government bill. The Committee members adopted this decision.
Following the results of the voting, the government bill was adopted as a basis.
The people’s deputies considered two draft laws on improvement of current legislation in the sphere of entrepreneurship.
The Verkhovna Rada adopted as a basis the bills on state assistance to economic entities and on amendments to article 35 of the Budget Code of Ukraine (re state assistance to economic entities).
The draft law on the Fund for insurance compensation under life insurance contracts was also adopted in the first hearing.
The Chairman adjourned the evening meeting.
The next plenary meeting of the third session will be held on Wednesday, October 9.