08 November 2013, 15:47
ANOTHER PLENARY WEEK OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE OF THE THIRD SESSION OF THE SEVENTH CONVOCATION HAS ENDED ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8
Having opened the morning session, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Rybak informed that leaders of the Monitoring Mission of the European Parliament Pat Cox and Aleksander Kwasniewski are present in the session hall.
The people’s deputies greeted the guests with applause.
Parliament members paid silent tribute to the people’s deputy, member of the Communist Party of Ukraine Mykhailo Herasymchuk, who passed away at 66.
Volodymyr Rybak invited deputy faction leaders to the office of the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to continue consultations.
Plenary session was further on presided by the First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ihor Kalyetnik.
People’s deputies considered the issue of calling separate early local elections.
Deputy Chairman of the Committee on State Building and Local Self-Government Oleh Paraskiv informed that the Committee has scrutinized 115 appeals from separate local councils regarding calling early local elections of 101 village and 14 township heads. Following the results of consideration of appeals, the respective draft resolutions were registered in the Verkhovna Rada.
O.Paraskiv informed also that the Committee has scrutinized several appeals from heads of oblast state administrations on holding early elections of the people’s deputies of village councils and their heads.
The Committee recommends that the Verkhovna Rada should set the date of early elections of separate village and township mayors on Sunday, March 30, 2013.
Representatives of opposing factions claimed that Batkivshchyna and UDAR factions, as well as the All-Ukrainian union Svoboda will not participate in voting on the abovementioned bills, stating that elections are selective. Opposition stressed the necessity to hold elections in all regions and cities where it is necessary.
The Chairman of the Communist Party of Ukraine P.Symonenko claimed of his non-participation in voting.
Addressing deputies from opposing factions, Mykhailo Chechetov, representative of the Party of Regions, claimed that by refusing to participate in voting on the abovementioned resolutions “opposition actually buries European integration of Ukraine, as well as local self-government”.
M.Chechetov proposed to vote on the date of holding early elections.
The presiding at the meeting placed on vote the first draft resolution on calling separate early local elections.
The draft resolution was not upheld (124 votes in favor).
The presiding said that there is no point in placing on vote other draft resolutions.
I.Kalyetnik brought for consideration the draft resolution on celebration of the 100th establishment anniversary of Karadaha biological station – the Karadaha Wildlife Conservation of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
Rapporteur, the people’s deputy of Ukraine Liliya Hrynevych claimed that authors of the draft resolutions are ready to report “however, only after the main issue – the issue of euro-integrational laws is settled.”
“We should not waste time. The period of consultations can be used for voicing out deputies’ inquiries. The opposition will not vote on other issues until the Euro-integrational laws are placed on vote,” she noted.
The First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ihor Kalyetnik and the Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Koshulynskyi voiced out deputies’ inquiries.
People’s deputies took the floor with statements, announcements and proposals.
Chairman of Batkivshchyna faction Arsenii Yatseniuk informed of finishing consultations of deputy faction leaders with participation of representatives of the European Parliament Mission Pat Cox and Aleksander Kwasniewski. “Opposition is ready for any compromise that will allow Ukraine sign the agreement with the EU on November 28. Opposition is ready, however, the authority is ready for nothing,” he stated.
A.Yatseniuk noted that “there was shown a scenario of Summit breakdown” in the office of the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. He added that all proposals of the opposition were rejected by political opponents.
“We are ready to vote on the first reading of the two bills – the law on the prosecutor’s office and on election of the people’s deputies in the version of the President and the Party of Regions. We officially state that at the demand of more than 150 people’s deputies, the Speaker of the Parliament is obliged to convene extraordinary session of the Verkhovna Rada, during which the three laws should be adopted, i.e. the law on providing Yu.Tymoshenko with a possibility to receive medical assistance; on the prosecutor’s office; and on election of the people’s deputies of Ukraine.
In case the Party of Regions does not come to the Parliament to vote for these three laws, it means that the Agreement in Vilnius will not be signed. If the Party of Regions ignores it, this will mean that the Party of Regions and Yanukovych have ruined the European future of Ukraine and they bear full responsibility for that.
Leader of the UDAR faction Vitalii Klychko reassured that following the results of consultations, deputy faction leaders did not reach understanding.
“We take every move for the Agreement to be signed. Representatives of the European integration have stressed for several times that in order to sign the Agreement we should not only adopt Euro-integrational bills, but also settle the problem of political prisoners and the issue of Yu.Tymoshenko. The working group on preparation of the bill was established and this is where it all stopped. There is no progress in negotiations. Mr Vasyliev, invited by the representatives of factions and the Cox- Kwasniewski mission, claimed that we need one week. Unfortunately, in a week we can talk only of a history and not of the future of Ukraine,” he noted.
Inna Bohoslovska, representative of the Party of Regions, noted that “the scheme that we now agree on will open the opportunity to sign the Agreement in Vilnius, despite confrontation and misunderstanding between certain politicians.”
I.Bohoslovska suggested establish a working group on adjustment of the bill on treatment of the imprisoned abroad, which, according to her, “will elaborate the final variant of the bill that will be signed by faction leaders of all factions and the Parliament will vote on it.”
Having interrupted speeches of the people’s deputies, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Rybak passed the floor to faction leaders.
Leader of the All-Ukrainian union Svoboda Oleh Tiahnybok informed that “negotiations that took place in the cabinet of the Chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament showed that opposition is willing to settle this issue and is ready to maximum compromise.”
O. Tiahnybok informed of the position of Svoboda faction in regard to Yu.Tymoshenko’s case: “to settle the problem we should only amend article 84 of the Criminal Code, so that each imprisoned could obtain the right to treatment abroad, following the court’s decision.”
“We are all aware of the fact that Tymoshenko’s case is no longer a judicial issue, but a political one. Despite the bills on the prosecutor’s office and on elections are extremely unfavorable in the existing version for the Svoboda faction, we are ready to vote on them in the first reading today, even without discussion,” he noted.
Representative of the Batkivshchyna faction Oleksandr Turchynov noted that “opposition agreed on all compromises during negotiations in the cabinet of the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada. However, we have seen it that the Party of Regions is not ready to settle this issue”.
O.Turchynov said that opposition upholds position of the Party of Regions to establish a working group. He addressed the Chairman to place the proposal on vote. “I am convinced that such a group will take a politically and judicially correct decision and we will be able to vote on adoption of the three laws as a basis and in entirety on Tuesday,” he noted.
Chairman of the faction of the Communist Party of Ukraine Petro Symonenko claimed that the faction will not participate in voting on the “Euro-integrational laws”.
Volodymyr Rybak announced consideration of the draft law on the prosecutor’s office.
Representative of the Batkivshchyna faction Oleksandr Turchynov suggested first vote on establishment of a working group on adjustment of the bills on treatment of the imprisoned abroad.
The Chairman put the proposal to vote.
People’s deputies upheld the proposal by 280 votes in favor.
Parliament members voted for the establishment of the working group on a proportional basis, suggested by the Party of Regions faction (289 votes in favor).
The Chairman announced consideration of the draft law on the prosecutor’s office and the alternative bill.
Chair of the Committee on Legislative Support of Law Enforcement Andrii Kozhemiakin reported on the bills. He noted that both of them were adjusted on the basis of one bill, elaborated by the Committee.
The Chairman put to vote the issue on inclusion of the bills registered under No. 3541 and 3541-1 into the agenda.
The two bills were placed on the agenda by 287 votes in favor.
The bill registered under No. 3541 was put to vote without discussion.
The bill was adopted as a basis by 286 votes in favor.
The draft law on amendments to several legislative acts of Ukraine regarding refinement of election legislation (Reg. No. 3396) and the alternative bill (Reg. No. 3396-1) were placed on the agenda by 285 votes.
Deputy Chairman of the Committee on State Building and Local Self-Government Oleh Paraskiv reported on the bills.
O.Paraskiv informed that the Committee recommends that the Verkhovna Rada should adopt the bill (Reg. No. 3396) as a basis and reject the alternative bill (Reg. No. 3396-1).
The bill was adopted as a basis by 281 votes in favor. Thereat, the decision was taken to reduce the time period for adjustment of the bill for the second reading.
Parliament members also took the decision to reduce by half time period given for adjustment of the bill (Reg. No. 3541) for the second reading (287 votes in favor).
Further on, people’s deputies took the floor with statements, announcements and proposals.
The First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine I.Kalyetnik adjourned the plenary session.
People’s deputies will work in the committees, commissions and factions on November 11-15.
Next plenary meeting of the third session will be held on Tuesday, November 19.