Verkhovna Rada makes several decisions during December 3-5 plenary sessions Oleksiy Chernyshov was appointed Vice Prime Minister and Minister of National Unity of Ukraine. This follows President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s November presentation of an internal resilience plan to the Ukrainian Parliament, which included the establishment of the Ministry of National Unity. The new ministry's primary focus will be to support Ukrainian communities abroad, strengthen their connections to Ukraine, and safeguard shared national interests. On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances, marking Ukraine's accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, MPs addressed Parliaments, governments of foreign countries, and international organizations. Also, MPs recognized achievements by awarding the Verkhovna Rada Prize for Young Scientists for 2023 (#12195) and the Annual Prize for Teachers (#12257). MPs passed several laws:
MP Aliona Shkrum resigns her mandate
On December 3, the Verkhovna Rada voted to terminate the mandate of MP Aliona Shkrum from the Batkivshchyna party, as confirmed by MP Oleksiy Honcharenko. Honcharenko previously speculated that Shkrum was stepping down to potentially take the position of Deputy Minister of Community and Territorial Development under Oleksiy Kuleba. Shkrum has not publicly commented on her resignation or the possibility of joining the government.
Central Election Commission registers two new MPs
On December 5, the Central Election Commission registered two new MPs: Tamila Tasheva and Bohdan Lukashuk. Tamila Tasheva, elected in the 2019 early Parliamentary elections on the nationwide multi-mandate list from the Golos party, succeeds Oleh Makarov, who passed away on October 24, 2024. Born in 1985 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, into a Crimean Tatar family deported from Crimea, Tasheva was appointed Deputy Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in Crimea in 2019, and, in 2022, became the Permanent Representative of the President in Crimea. Bohdan Lukashuk, the next candidate on Batkivshchyna's election list, replaces Aliona Shkrum, who resigned on December 4. Born in 1982 in Khmelnytsky, Lukashuk is the son of former MP Oleh Lukashuk. An economist, he has served as Deputy Head of the Khmelnytskyi District State Administration and was elected to the Khmelnytskyi City Council in 2020.
USAID RADA: Next Generation promotes gender sensitivity in Verkhovna Rada
On December 6, USAID RADA: Next Generation organized a roundtable discussion titled “Building a Gender-Sensitive Parliament: EU Experience for Ukraine.” The event brought together more than 100 participants, including Deputy VRU Speaker Olena Kondratiuk, MPs, representatives of the VRU Secretariat, civil society, and international experts. During the discussion, a gender sensitivity assessment of the Verkhovna Rada was presented. Conducted by experts from Jurfem, the Ukrainian Women Lawyers Association, with Program support and based on the European Institute for Gender Equality's methodology, the assessment awarded the Verkhovna Rada 42 points — matching the average score for EU member state Parliaments. Program experts shared insights from the European Parliament and EU member states on implementing gender-sensitive practices. The participants explored relevant experiences and developed recommendations for enhancing the Verkhovna Rada's gender sensitivity. USAID RADA: Next Generation is committed to supporting Parliament in becoming more inclusive. By fostering equal opportunities within Parliamentary structures and composition, gender sensitivity contributes to greater efficiency, effectiveness, and legitimacy in legislative work.
USAID RADA: Next Generation strengthens oversight and legislative capacities of VRU Committee on Freedom of Speech
On December 2, the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, with support from USAID RADA: Next Generation, held a meeting with the Secretariat of the VRU Committee on Freedom of Speech. The discussion focused on advancing the Committee's role as a “model” committee within the post-legislative scrutiny (PLS) project. Experts will focus on improving the Law of Ukraine, “On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine on Providing Additional Protection Guarantees to Media Workers Operating in Areas of Military Operations and/or Temporarily Occupied Territories.” USAID RADA: Next Generation supported VRU Committees in building the VRU’s oversight and legislative capacities, which resulted in the post-legislative scrutiny of three laws with the engagement of more than 60,000 citizens, 30 analytical materials, and more than 140 communication materials, to enhance transparency and interaction with citizens.