05 February 2014, 13:32
ON FEBRUARY 5, 2014 PLENARY MEETING OF THE FOURTH SESSION OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE OF THE SEVENTH CONVOCATION WAS HELD.
At the beginning of the morning meeting people’s deputies observed a minute of silence in tribute to the memory of 13 deceased in the accident on a railroad crossing in Sumy Oblast on February 4.
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Rybak wished the soonest possible recovery to the injured in the accident.
People’s deputies announced their statements, reports, suggestions and announcements.
Volodymyr Rybak gave the floor to the deputies’ factions representatives.
“Svoboda” faction representative A.Mokhnyk claimed that the Parliament “has to make actual steps in order to initiate a constitutional process, to settle as soon as possible the issue of illegal return to the Constitution of 1996, and to make comprehensive amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine.”
“Batkivshchyna” faction representative O.Turchynov stated that Ukraine is waiting for a real change of power. “We need to stop talking, stop expending time and start making decisions regarding restoration of the constitutional order in Ukraine,” he stressed and said that there are real specific mechanisms for making this happen.
O.Turchynov informed that the “Batkivshchyna” faction submitted a bill on amendments to the Law “On the Constitutional Court” and added that the faction “has already worked on the detailed text of constitutional amendments that were adopted by the Verkhovna Rada and that underwent an examination of the Venice Commission. According to him, “these are the changes Ukrainians are waiting for.”
Party of Regions faction representative Yu.Miroshnychenko claimed that “there is readiness to cooperate, there is a constructive dialogue, there is a suggestion made yesterday by our colleagues from “Batkivshchyna” which unblocks the way towards restoration of the Constitution and introduction of parliamentary-presidential republic. There is readiness to form a joint working group which would comprise representatives from all factions, readiness to involve representatives from a working group established by the President of Ukraine and agree on a text the Verkhovna Rada could vote for in the nearest future.”
Chairman of the CMU faction P.Symonenko said that the party’s suggestion lies in the fact that amendments to the Constitution should be made according to chapter 13 of the Constitution. He also claimed that people’s deputies “should approve the Temporary Commission, determine tasks regarding amendments and approval of parliamentary or parliamentary-presidential republic.”
P.Symonenko informed that the CMU faction submitted specific suggestions regarding amendments to the Constitution, particularly it is suggested to abolish the post of the President and hold a referendum on limiting the powers of the President and recognizing Ukraine as a federate republic.
“UDAR” faction leader V.Klychko said that the Parliament’s task is to divide power. According to him, one of the ways to do this is to return to the Constitution of 2004, and then it will be possible to discuss the possibility of a new Constitution.
The opposition deputies’ representative V.Lytvyn stated that people’s deputies will spend this plenary week without fruitful negotiations. “A quick and a reasonable compromise is necessary. Such compromise that would exclude a violent scenario of further developments in Ukraine,” he stressed. According to the people’s deputy, it is necessary to conduct a dialogue in two dimensions: the first one is to withdraw the country from the conflict, the second one lies in answering all the questions the society has put.
V.Lytvyn suggested “outline approaches, principles and foundations of the country’s functioning as we see it, actions regarding the amendments to the Constitution with specific dates and preventers in order to avoid a possible scenario if this document would not be adhered to.”
He also offered to improve the suggestion regarding the act, however, stipulating such conditions: imperative mandate and forming the government exclusively by factions; amendments to the Law “On the Constitutional Court” and possibly consideration of an address to the Constitutional Court; making these decisions simultaneously in case the agreements are not implemented; adopting decisions on calling local elections where it has long been necessary.
“Otherwise
we will just talk. The country will not be waiting,” stressed V.Lytvyn.
After the speeches, the Chairman granted the floor to the Secretary of the Committee on Rules of Parliamentary Procedure, Ethics and Support to Work of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Valentyn Matvieiev, who reported on the draft plan calendar of the fourth session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the seventh convocation (Reg. No. 3565).
He noted that under the draft bill, it is suggested begin the work of the forth session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the seventh convocation on February 4, 2014 and end it on July 18, 2014.
According to him, the draft plan calendar stipulates 11 plenary weeks, 7 weeks for the work in committees, commissions and factions, 6 weeks for the work of the people’s deputies with the electorate and eleven Government Question Hours.
The rapporteur noted that the draft plan calendar suggests change plenary work of the Verkhovna Rada for the period of July 1 – 4 and to work in the committees on July 7 – 11.
V.Matvieiev informed that the Committee recommends the Verkhovna Rada adopt the draft resolution as a basis and in entirety.
Representatives of the factions voiced out their proposals regarding the plan calendar. In particular, they suggested work daily in the plenary regime until the political crisis in the country is settled. It was also proposed to increase the number of plenary sessions to provide the possibility for consideration of the issues suggested by the factions. One of the proposals pertained to working in the plenary regime the whole February.
The Chairman put to vote the proposals of the specialized committee on adopting the plan calendar as a basis and in entirety.
The people’s deputies did not uphold it (185 votes in favor; opposition factions did not participate in voting).
Neither did parliamentarians uphold the proposal to amend the plan calendar and hold plenary meetings on February 10 – 14 (73 votes in favor).
The Chairman said that he shall announce a break until the tomorrow’s morning for the faction leaders and the working commission to prepare the bill on the constitutional reform and consider the plan calendar. According to him, these proposals, agreed by all factions, will be put to vote tomorrow in the morning.
Volodymyr Rybak adjourned the morning plenary session.
Next plenary meeting of the forth session will be held on Thursday, February 6.