25 March 2014, 17:27
PLENARY MEETINGS OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE OF THE SEVENTH CONVOCATION WERE HELD ON TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 2014.
Having opened the morning plenary meeting, Chair of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov informed that on March 24 the Central Election Commission registered such people’s deputies of Ukraine: Shevchuk Oleh Borysovych, Makula Leonid Yakovych, Ledovskyh Olena Volodymyrivna, Hryniv Ihor Oleksiiovych, Chubatenko Oleksandr Mykolaiovych, Kolhanova Olena Valeriivna, elected on October 28, 2012 in multi-mandate nationwide district, included to the electoral list of the political party All-Ukrainian Union “Batkivshchyna”, and Osaulenko Taras Volodymyrovych and Lopachuk Markiian Romanovych, elected on October 28, 2012 in multi-mandate nationwide district, included to the electoral list of the political party All-Ukrainian Union “Svoboda”.
Newly elected people’s deputies took an oath to the Verkhovna Rada.
The Chairman announced Shevchuk Oleh, Makula Leonid, Ledovskyh Olena, Chubatenko Oleksandr and Kolhanova Olena entering “Batkivshchyna” deputies’ faction.
Oleksandr Turchynov claimed that “provocations of the Russian Federation troops that are aimed against our military men and their families in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, who remain faithful to Ukraine, still continue”.
Oleksandr Turchynov informed that considering threat to lives and health of Ukrainian military men and their families, the NSDC decided to reposition military unites located in Crimea and to evacuate their families. The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Ministry of Defence were instructed to ensure a proper level of living for military men and their families in places of relocation. He also said that a lot of Crimean citizens leave the peninsula because of a real danger to their lives and health.
The Chairman gave the floor to acting Minister of Defence Ihor Teniukh for providing information on measures taken by the Ministry of Defence.
Acting Minister of Defence Ihor Teniukh informed that before aggression of the Russian troops on the Crimean peninsula the total number of the military in military units located in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and in Sevastopol city comprised 18 800 military men, among them – 11 900 representatives of the navy, 2900 – of airborne forces, 4000 – of all the other military. In his words, over 6,5 thousand military men and their family members (4 300 of military men and 2 200 of their family members) are willing to continue their service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and to be evacuated from the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
I.Teniukh informed that the Minister of Defence together with the General Headquarters have made arrangements to withdraw military units, military subdivisions and members of their families.
I.Teniukh claimed yesterday the General Headquarters Chair and the Russian Federation General Headquarters Chair Herasymov came to an agreement on withdrawing military units from the Crimean peninsula intact with armament.
Negotiations between the First Deputy Chair of the General Headquarters with Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation Bulhakov on mechanism and order of fulfilling the agreements are planned for today.
The Chair claimed that regardless of serious losses and problems in Crimea, most of military men have fulfilled their duties and have hold out for a month, having given the Armed Forces an opportunity to prepare for protection and defence of all Ukrainian borders. “We managed to get our Armed Forces to full combat alert. We managed to initiate partial mobilization and prepare our Armed Forces for fulfilling their constitutional duty”, he stressed and thanked all officers, sergeants and soldiers who have honourably fulfilled their duty in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
Acting Vice Prime-Minister Volodymyr Hroisman reported on the country’s preparation for accommodating families of the military and citizens of Ukraine forced to temporarily leave occupied territories of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. He informed that there are headquarters dealing with repositioning families of the military to the territory of Ukraine.
“As of now, all organizational and financial issues have been solved, the coordination is carried out. 60 families have already been accommodated”, he informed.
Acting Minister of Social Policy and Labour Liudmyla Denisova informed about measures taken by the Ministry. “Particularly, government’s hotline was opened in the Crimea (0800507309). At railway stations and on the trains of Crimean direction respective information is placed”.
L. Denisova also stated that in Oblast state administrations special hotlines were created, respective information was placed on official web-sites and in mass media, etc.
As of March 24, 3 608 people were accommodated on the mainland of Ukraine. The biggest part of these people addressed Lviv (over 1200) and Ivano-Frankivsk (over 1000).
According to the speaker, the Ministry of Social Policy and Labour organized work of respective authorities on providing citizens with social assistance and payments at their present locations.
Oleksandr Turchynov claimed that occupation of the Crimea has turned out to be a personal tragedy for hundreds of thousands of our citizens. He asked the Cabinet of Ministers, departments and establishments, which will be helping refugees, to deal with this problem sincerely, not formally.
The Chairman gave the floor to acting Minister of Defence Ihor Teniukh.
He said that in view of misunderstandings regarding some issues on the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, he resigns.
The Verkhovna Rada rejected his letter of resignation. 197 people’s deputies voted for the respective decision.
Representatives of deputies’ factions made speeches, claims and proposals.
Then, the Chairman announced a break on request of “UDAR” faction for conducting consultations between factions and groups.
After the break, the Chairman read out draft laws and resolutions suggested for their inclusion to the agenda.
People’s deputies did not uphold inclusion of the draft laws and resolutions (219 in favour).
Repeat voting for inclusion of several draft laws and resolutions to the agenda was not successful (220 in favour).
The Chairman informed about deputies M.Lopochak and T.Osaulenko entering “Svoboda” faction.
People’s deputies suggested include to the agenda some more bills.
MPs upheld inclusion to the agenda of all suggested bills with 234 votes.
The Verkhovna Rada dismissed I.Teniukh from the post of acting Minister of Defence. 228 people’s deputies voted for the resolution.
Oleksandr Turchynov informed about the consultations held, and suggested appoint colonel-general Mykhailo Koval the acting Defence Minister.
The Chairman informed about appointment of Oleksandr Kuzmuk as an advisor of the Acting President of Ukraine on matters of defense.
Oleksandr Kuzmuk addressed the people’s deputies with a request to appoint colonel-general Mykhailo Koval the acting Defence Minister.
The Verkhovna Rada appointed colonel-general Mykhailo Koval the acting Defence Minister by 251 votes.
The newly elected acting Defence Minister M.Koval took the floor before the Verkhovna Rada. He said that he has a clear understanding of responsibility and trust that was given to him on behalf of the people of Ukraine.
Oleksandr Turchynov said that representative of “UDAR” faction has raised a question of his dismissal from the post of the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada.
Oleksandr Turchynov put to vote the proposal on dismissal of the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
The people’s deputies did not uphold it (2 votes in favor).
The Verkhovna Rada adopted in entirety the draft law on amendments to several laws of Ukraine regarding inclusion of data on acting legal and natural persons-entrepreneurs into the Single State Registrar (Reg. No. 2484) by 230.
The draft law on amendments to the Law “On State Procurement” re strengthening transparency of procurement by enterprises” was reported by the people’s deputy Viktor Chumak.
V.Chumak said also that “by adopting this bill we will fulfill one of the most important requirements of the European Union for signing the Association Agreement.”
Deputy Chairperson of the Committee on Economic Policy Kseniia Liapina reported the decision of the Committee to recommend the Parliament adopt the bill as a basis.
The Verkhovna Rada adopted the bill as a basis and in entirety by 235 votes.
The people’s deputies considered two bills on amendments to article 28 of the Law “On State Registration of Property Rights to Immovable Property and their Encumbrances”. The people’s deputies Viktor Chumak and Ruslan Martsinkiv reported on the bills.
Following the results of voting, both bills were rejected.
The draft law on amendments to several legislative acts of Ukraine regarding protection of citizens’ housing rights was reported by the Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Construction, Urban Development, Housing and Communal Services and Regional Policy Volodymyr Saldo.
In the course of consideration, the majority of parliamentarians were against adoption of this bill. In particular, the people’s deputy R.Martsinkiv argued that the bill contradicts several legislative acts (particularly, article 383 of the Civil Code of Ukraine).
Following the results of voting, the bill was rejected (83 votes in favor).
The people’s deputies scrutinized several draft resolutions on setting early elections of several city mayors.
The Verkhovna Rada set early elections of the following city mayors for Sunday, May 25, 2014: Sumy city mayor (Sumy city of Sumy Oblast); Vasylkiv city mayor (Vasylkiv city of Kyiv Oblast); Pryluky city mayor (Pryluky city of Chernihiv Oblast); Antratsyt city mayor (Antratsyt city council of Luhansk Oblast); Zhovti Vody city mayor (Zhovti Vody city council of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast); Ladyzhynsk city mayor (Ladyzhynsk city council of Vinnytsia Oblast); Romny city mayor (Romny city council of Sumy Oblast); Bobrynets city mayor (Bobrynets city of Bobrynets region of Kirovohrad Oblast); Baturyn city mayor (Baturyn city of Bakhmach region of Chernihiv Oblast); and Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi city mayor (Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi city of Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi region of Cherkasy Oblast).
The Chairman adjourned morning plenary session.
The people’s deputies continued consideration of the agenda items during the evening plenary session.
The draft law on amendments to several legislative acts of Ukraine regarding maintaining stable work of strategic enterprises of energy branch was reported by the head of the subcommittee of the Committee on Fuel and Energy Complex, Nuclear Policy and Nuclear Safety Volodymyr Bandurov.
The rapporteur informed that the Committee recommends the Verkhovna Rada adopt the bill as a basis and in entirety.
Following the results of voting, the bill was rejected.
The draft law on amendments to several legislative acts of Ukraine regarding securing free access of citizens to the coastline of water objects for general water use was reported by the people’s deputy Ruslan Martsinkiv.
All the people’s deputies that participated in consideration upheld the bill. However, following the results of voting, the bill lacked voices to be adopted (188 votes in favor).
The Verkhovna Rada adopted several resolutions on holding the following parliamentary hearings: “On ensuring implementation of dormitory residents housing rights: problems and ways of their settlement” (May); “Education, healthcare and social welfare for children with psychophysical developmental disorders: problems and ways to solve them” (June 4, 2014); and “On status and legislative support of development of science, as well as scientific and technical sphere of the country” (July 2, 2014).
The people’s deputies considered the draft resolution on dismissal of members of the Council of the National Bank of Ukraine. Chairman of the Committee on Finance and Banking Oleksandr Ryzhenkov reported on the bill, under which six members of the Council of the National Bank of Ukraine, whose tenure finished on January 11, 2014, are suggested to be dismissed
Following the results of voting, the bill lacked voices to be adopted.
The Chairman adjourned evening plenary session.
Next plenary session of the fourth session will be held on Wednesday, March 26.