VRU Speaker and Bundestag Vice President discuss the Ukrainian Peace Formula in Kyiv
On February 13, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk and German Bundestag Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt met to discuss the implementation of President Zelenskyy's Peace Formula for Ukraine. "I am thankful for Germany's increased defense assistance funding for Ukraine in 2024 and the recently provided defense packages. It's critical not to reduce assistance to our country," Stefanchuk emphasized. They also discussed inter-parliamentary cooperation, political support from the Bundestag, and Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic and European integration. The Peace Formula for Ukraine aims to achieve a just end to the war with Russia. It includes ensuring Ukraine's safety, releasing all prisoners (including abducted children), restoring territorial integrity, and withdrawing Russian troops.
USAID RADA: Next Generation improves the transparency of VRU Committees to make communication with voters more effective
According to the latest monitoring data from the CHESNO Movement, collected between July and December 2023, most VRU Committees significantly improved the transparency of their work, resulting in better interaction with citizens. Currently, with Program support, 16 of 23 Parliamentary Committees have updated their websites, and many have resumed live online broadcasts of their meetings or promptly shared videos of the meetings. USAID RADA: Next Generation held training sessions in communications for Parliamentary Committees and supported the modernization of the VRU Committees’ websites, which now have an adaptive design that is more convenient for the online audience. As a result, CHESNO scored three model Committees (Committee on Social Policy, Committee on Energy, and Committee on State Building) with nine out of 10in Parliamentary Committee openness, while the model Committee on Youth and Sports and the model Committee on Environmental Policy scored 8.5 and 7 points respectively. In its recommendations and during its communications with the VRU Committees, USAID RADA: Next Generation underlined multiple times the importance of providing online broadcasts of Parliamentary Committees’ public events and providing materials in English. CHESNO recognized this, commending the model Committee on Social Policy for its online work and the Committee on Energy for including English translations in its publications. Conversely, the VRU Committee on Transport and Infrastructure ranked lowest in transparency; it does not broadcast meetings or maintain a YouTube channel and does not publish agendas, minutes, or audio recordings of its proceedings. The VRU Committee on National Security and Defense and the VRU Committee on Legislative Support of Law Enforcement were not included in the ranking due to limited access to information under martial law.
USAID RADA: Next Generation provides organizational support to Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to improve the legislative process
On February 13, USAID RADA: Next Generation provided translation for the workshop "Techniques of lawmaking and drafting as a means of implementing the principle of the rule of law: best European practices," organized by the Research Service of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. MPs and VRU staffers who do not speak English had the opportunity to learn from European Union representatives’ experience in the legislative process. In total, 70 VRU representatives took part in the event. Also on February 16, USAID RADA: Next Generation, in partnership with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, provided translation for a post-legislative scrutiny (PLS) workshop for VRU and government representatives. Implementing PLS is a way to strengthen committees' independence and parliamentary procedures.
USAID RADA: Next Generation experts recommend incorporating post-legislative scrutiny provisions into draft law on lobbying On February 13, Program experts participated in a working group meeting on the draft law on lobbying. The working group is headed by MP Denys Maslov, Chairperson of the Legal Policy Committee, and includes MPs and civil society representatives. Program experts stressed the importance of aligning the lobbying law with laws on public hearings and the MPs' code of ethics to enhance parliamentary transparency. Additionally, the experts advocated for integrating post-legislative scrutiny into the draft law.
USAID RADA: Next Generation develops partnerships between MPs and youth to improve parliamentary education
On February 16, as part of the All-Ukrainian simulation game "M18: We Are Lawmakers!", USAID RADA: Next Generation organized an online meeting between active youth and MP Roman Hryshchuk, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Lifelong Learning and Out-of-School Education, responsible for adapting Ukrainian legislation to EU law. More than 200 children and teachers participated in the discussion with the MP. The All-Ukrainian simulation game "M18: We Are Lawmakers!" aims to raise awareness of the functioning of representative democracy and parliamentarism. The game also provides the skills needed to participate effectively in politics and encourages young people to take a proactive civic position. In the game, children will simulate the activities of three Verkhovna Rada committees:
Students will draft petitions and bills to address pressing issues and facilitate Ukraine's post-war recovery. The draft laws will be presented to Ukrainian MPs at the Children's Democracy Forum in May. The game will run until May 2024.