Plenary meetings on April 8, 2014

PLENARY MEETINGS OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE OF THE SEVENTH CONVOCATION WERE HELD ON TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014.

Having opened morning plenary session, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov noted that a pre-planned coordinated provocation against our country, which was organized by Special Forces of the Russian Federation begun on Sunday.

Oleksandr Turchynov informed that as of today, buildings of Donetsk Security Service of Ukraine and Oblast Administration in Kharkiv are absolutely freed from criminals. According to him, in the course of liberation of Kharkiv Oblast State Administration, weapons and hand-grenades were used against officers of the law-enforcement bodies. Several law-enforcers were heavily injured.

Oleksandr Turchynov informed also on detention of 70 criminals, and expressed conviction that buildings of Donetsk Oblast State Administration and Luhansk Security Service of Ukraine will be freed in the nearest time. “Separatists’ attempts to initiate provocations in Dnipropetrovsk and Mykolaiv oblasts were localized,” he noted.

Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine thanked representatives of law-enforcement bodies for decent and professional performing of their duties.

The Chairman informed about secession of the people’s deputies Yu.Miroshnychenko and Yu.Liovochkin from the composition of the Party of Regions. He said also that the people’s deputy V.Hrushevskyi joined the abovementioned party.

Representatives of deputy factions and groups took the floor with announcements, statements and proposals. Developments in the Eastern Ukraine; bridling recessionist sentiments in Kharkiv, Donetsk and Luhansk; overcoming systemic crisis problems; and protection of national interest, etc were the main themes of speeches.

Faction representatives made their suggestions regarding consideration of agenda items.  

In the course of the speech of P.Symonenko, Chairman of the faction of Communist Party of Ukraine, there was an incident between the people’s deputies from the coalition faction and communists.

In his speech, P.Symonenko has criticized actions taken by the authority, which led to destabilization of situation in the eastern part of Ukraine. He noted that secessionist statements were organized not form the outside by local residents.

Representatives of coalition factions conveyed deep outrage over this and pushed the speaker out of tribune.

The Chairman announced a break in the plenary meeting.

After the break, the people’s deputies got down to consideration of agenda items. They have considered two bills on amendments to the Criminal Code of Ukraine (re responsibility for crimes against the fundamentals of Ukraine’s national security) in the first reading. The people’s deputies Oleh Liashko and Serhii Soboliev reported on the bills.

Before reporting on the bill, the people’s deputy O.Liashko informed on the situation in the Luhansk city. He said that he has come back from Luhansk two hours ago. “At present, the Department of the Security Service of Ukraine in Luhansk is still seized. There are around 150-200 people there. The majority of them are former military men, Afghan soldiers,” he said. 

“Only a blind will fail to notice that these actions are being coordinated from one center and this center is beyond Ukraine. This center aims at splitting Ukraine apart. This is the work of Russian Special Forces. Responsibility for Luhansk oblast lies on the deputies of the Party of Regions that represent Luhansk: Yefremov, Tykhonov, Medianyk, Horokhov and others,” claimed O.Liashko. 

Speaking on the bill, the people’s deputy noted that it aims at strengthening responsibility for treason against the State, spying, diversions, blocking of military units and separatist actions.

Presenting his bill, the people’s deputy Serhii Soboliev noted that this is the document that “allows internal affairs bodies, the Security Service of Ukraine and Ukrainian courts apply the very same provisions that are used in all countries of the world.” S.Soboliev asked to adopt the bill in the first reading.

Chairman of the Committee on Legislative Support of Law Enforcement Andrii Kozhemiakin reported the decision of the Committee to recommend the Verkhovna Rada adopt as a basis the bill of the people’s deputy S.Soboliev.  He informed that the Committee has scrutinized both bills.

In his concluding words, the people’s deputy O.Liashko agreed to uphold the bill of his colleague with a suggestion to take into account remark to article 49 of the Criminal Code.

The Verkhovna Rada adopted the bill of the people’s deputy S.Soboliev, registered under No. 4542-1, as a basis and in entirety by 231 votes.

The Chairman suggested place on the agenda several draft laws and resolutions as one package. He explained it by an agreement with leaders of deputy factions and groups, and read out their registry numbers. The people’s deputies suggested add several more bills to the list. 

With consideration of these proposals, the package was put to vote.

The people’s deputies did not uphold inclusion of bills and resolutions into the agenda (170 votes in favor).

Representatives of some factions explained their non participation in voting.

The Chairman noted that in case the suggested draft laws are not voted on as a whole package, none of them will be included into the agenda. He proposed uphold inclusion of the bills in the package. 

Parliamentarians did not uphold the proposal (185 votes in favor).

The people’s deputies did not uphold another suggestion of the Chairman – to continue evening session, until all the agenda items are considered.

Secretary of the Committee on State Building and Local Self-Government Ruslan Kniazevych reported on the refined draft law on amendments to the Law “On elections of deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, local councils and village, township and city mayors” (re technical and legal improvement of electoral process), registered under No. 2664.

The people’s deputies considered two remarks to the bill that the authors insisted on. Following the results of voting, they were rejected.

The Verkhovna Rada adopted the bill in entirety by 252 votes.

The Chairman announced a break in the session.

After the break, at the demand of factions of the Party of Regions and the Communist Party of Ukraine, the Chairman announced another break to hold consultations.

Oleksandr Turchynov informed about the meeting of the Conciliatory Council, during which the incident between the people’s deputies from the coalition and the faction of the Communist Party that occurred in the session hall in the morning, was discussed. “The Conciliatory Council, as well as representatives of all deputy factions and groups condemn use of force in any format in the parliamentary hall. Moreover, all faction leaders agreed that force of one deputy against another shall never again be used in the parliamentary session hall,” he noted. 

Oleksandr Turchynov informed also that the Conciliatory Council has entrusted him to switch off the microphone of any people’s deputy when the latter humiliates another deputy. 

The Chairman adjourned morning plenary session.

At the beginning of the evening plenary session, Oleksandr Turchynov informed that the people’s deputy O.Volkov joined the Party of Regions and that the people’s deputies S.Tihipko, A.Hirshfeld, S.Dunaiev, Yu.Ioffe, I.Horina, S.Fabrykant, O.Shablatovych, V.Poliakova, H.Fedoriak, A.Semeniuk and O.Nechaiev have left the Party of Regions.

The people’s deputies continued consideration of agenda items.

The draft law on amnesty in 2014 (Reg. No. 4526) was reported by the Chairman of the Committee on Legislative Support of Law Enforcement Andrii Kozhemiakin.

According to the speaker, the bill suggests apply amnesty primarily to the categories of convicted that have committed non-grave crimes or are unprotected and vulnerable in the social sphere, particularly: to the under-aged, to women and men who have children under 18, children with disabilities and/or an adult son/daughter with disabilities, disabled of group one, two and three, having tuberculosis, oncological diseases, etc.    

Thus, every year nearly 23 thousand persons get to places of detention for the abovementioned articles, this comprises 50% from the total number of people sentenced to imprisonment”, claimed A.Kozhemiakin, and informed that the Committee recommends that the Verkhovna Rada adopt the bill as a basis.   

The speaker also claimed adoption of the bill will let decrease a number of people serving their sentences in places of detention or restriction of liberty, and those who are not socially dangerous.

MPs upheld the bill which, in their words, “is topical”, and they also made several suggestions to the bill.

The Verkhovna Rada adopted the bill on amnesty in 2014 as a basis and in entirety with 232 votes.

People’s deputies adopted in entirety the draft law on amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine (re cancellation of car recycling tax and excise tax on vehicle conversion) in the version of the first reading (Reg. No. 4238) with 227 votes.

MPs did not uphold the draft resolution on amendments to the Resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine “On forming Interim Special Commission of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on the issue of elaborating a bill on amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine” (214 votes in favour).

Chair of the Committee on the Rule of Law and Justice Leonid Yemets reported on the draft law on restoring trust in the court system of Ukraine (Reg. No. 4378-1), elaborated for the second reading. He claimed the Committee had worked on all suggestions to the bill, the comparative table of which includes 192 amendments, and it recommends that the Verkhovna Rada adopt it in entirety.

The Verkhovna Rada adopted the draft law on restoring trust in the court system of Ukraine with 234 votes.

People’s deputies re-considered the draft resolution on amendments to the Resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine “On forming Interim Special Commission of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on the issue of elaborating a bill on amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine”, and adopted it in entirety with 234 votes.

Chair of the Committee on Legislative Support of Law Enforcement A.Kozhemiakin reported on the draft law on amendments to the Criminal Executive Code of Ukraine re adapting legal status of the convicted with European standards (Reg. No. 4525). He claimed the bill determines investigative detention facilities as an establishment for executing criminal offences, and improves: procedure of controlling bodies’ visits to establishments for executing punishment; procedure and conditions of executing punishment in a form of an arrest; procedure and conditions for serving a sentence in a form of restriction of liberty (the right to have portable personal computers and accessories to them; the right to use mobile communication means). The bill also stipulates specificate rights of the convicted and their obligations; short-term departures outside the colony for receiving medical care if such care can not be provided on the territory of a respective place of detention; increase a number of meetings for the convicted; cancel public control over persons convicted on parole. The document stipulates specify rules for detaining persons with tuberculosis; improve medical care for the detained; etc.  

The Verkhovna Rada adopted the draft law as a basis and in entirety with 237votes.

People’s deputies then considered three bills on higher education.  

Chair of the Committee on Science and Education Lilia Hrynevych reported on the Committee’s decision to recommend that the Verkhovna Rada adopt the bill Reg. No. 1187-2. In her words, this bill suggests a new version of the Law “On Higher Education” which stipulates determine principles and ways of implementing state policy in the sphere of higher education; levels and degrees of higher education; governing bodies in the sphere of higher education and their authorities; bodies governing higher educational establishments and their authorities; standards of educational activity and higher education, procedure of licensing higher educational establishments and accreditation of specialities as well as foundations of creating Single state electronic basis of educational issues. The bill also suggests regulate issue on creating and activity of the National agency for higher education quality and independent establishments for evaluating and ensuring quality of higher education; determine tasks, legal status, types, structures, order of forming, re-organization and liquidation of higher educational establishments, etc.       

The bill was adopted as a basis with 230 votes.

People’s deputy Oleh Pankevych informed about the draft law on amendments to several legislative acts of Ukraine re improving material and financial insurance of the state’s defense capacity. He suggested determine that when protecting the state in case of armed aggression or armed conflict, funding of the country’s national defense, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, mobilizational preparation and mobilization measures can be effected additionally by donations from physical and legal entities in the order established by the Cabinet of Ministers.  

Chair of the sub-committee of the Committee on National Security and Defence Oleksandr Kuzmuk reported on the Committee’s decision to recommend that the Parliament adopt the bill as a basis and in entirety.

MPs adopted the bill as a basis and in entirety with 231 votes.

People’s deputies considered two draft laws on amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine (re improving material and financial insurance of the state’s defense capacity).

Following the voting results, none of the drafts received enough votes.

The Chairman adjourned the plenary meeting.

The next plenary meeting of the fourth session will be held on Wednesday, April 9.