57% of Ukrainians support the resumption of live broadcasts of the Verkhovna Rada sessions According to a recent poll by the Democratic Initiatives Foundation and the Razumkov Center sociological service, over 57% of Ukrainians favor bringing back live broadcasts of Verkhovna Rada sessions on the Rada TV channel. About 65% of Ukrainians believe journalists should be allowed at parliamentary sessions, even in martial law. Around 11% of Ukrainians don't support journalists' access to parliamentary sessions, and approximately 14% of citizens are against the need for broadcasting. It's worth noting that the stance on resuming Verkhovna Rada session broadcasts is consistent across all regions of Ukraine. As a reminder, since the initiation of martial law in February 2022, the Ukrainian parliament has been working in a closed mode and hasn’t broadcasted sessions on the TV or internet.
Mariana Bezuhla resigned from the "Servant of the People" faction and the party. Mariana Bezuhla announced her resignation from both the "Servant of the People" faction and the party. She said that "she had no interest in being associated with a weak faction and party during wartime." On her Facebook page, Bezuhla stated, "I will continue to support the President's initiatives, but I don't want to have any common obligations with the MPs who stab me in the back." It's worth noting that Mariana Bezuhla currently serves as the deputy head of the VRU Committee on National Security and Defense. Recently, she has been vocal with critical statements about the state's military leadership, mainly targeting the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valeriy Zaluzhny. On January 5, the VRU Committee on National Security and Defense recommended Bezuhla's removal from her position. However, during the parliamentary session on January 10, MPs failed to include the issue of Mariana Bezuhla's dismissal on the agenda.
Ukraine's Parliament adopted several laws at its plenary meeting on January 10, 2024. Specifically, MPs adopted in the first reading:
The draft law on conscription was returned for revision, the leader of the Servant of the People faction, Davyd Arakhamia said On January 11, during a closed-door meeting of the Conciliation Council. and a subsequent session with the military command, it was determined to send the draft law on conscription back for revision. "We understand the request of the military command and are ready to meet it. However, not all provisions can be supported. Some provisions directly violate human rights, and some are not optimally formulated," Davyd Arakhamia, the leader of the Servant of the People faction, said. On January 11, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine officially withdrew the draft law on conscription.
MPs initiated the resignation of VRU Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk Oleksiy Honcharenko, an MP from the European Solidarity faction, has started gathering signatures for the resignation of VRU Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk. Currently, the petition has received support from 10 MPs. It is important to highlight that 150 signatures are required for the Verkhovna Rada to deliberate on this matter. Subsequently, 226 votes are needed to include the issue in the agenda, and finally, a minimum of 226 votes are required to remove the speaker from office.
During the speech in Ukraine’s Parliament, the UK PM Rishi Sunak exclaimed “Glory to Ukraine” and underlined that “it is not Ukraine that needs NATO, but NATO needs our state.” The PM of Great Britain emphasised that putin who has now reached the point where he has to humiliate himself to ask for weapons from Iran and North Korea, must understand that no army can defeat free people, therefore Ukraine must win. In the framework of his visit, Ukraine and Great Britain signed the Agreement on security cooperation aimed to develop an "unbreakable alliance" between the states and to build a new future for Ukraine. In his speech R. Sunak assured that UK will help Ukraine to win the war thus the Great Britain announced the largest military aid package for Ukraine. In particular with a grant of 200 million pounds, the UK had planned to start the production of drones both in Ukraine and abroad.
Speaker VRU Stefanchuk and U.S. Special Representative Pritzker discuss financial and military support for Ukraine A delegation of the Ukrainian parliament headed by VRU Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk met with U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine's Economic Recovery Penny Pritzker to discuss further financial and military support from the United States. In addition, Ukraine's implementation of reforms and commitments to the IMF, the USA, the EU, and other international donors and the reconstruction of Ukraine were discussed at the meeting. In this regard, Stefanchuk emphasized the importance of confiscating Russian sovereign assets. “It is especially important to support the Ukrainian private sector, in particular, to attract investments in the agricultural, IT and banking sectors," Stefanchuk said.
USAID RADA: Next Generation promotes the unique experience of the Verkhovna Rada's work during the war in the international arena Stanislav Ivasyk, head of Program's research unit, published a blog post, "How Ukraine's Parliament Functions during Wartime," for the Kennan Institute. The post evaluates the activities of the Verkhovna Rada from the beginning of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine until now, specifically focusing on the legislative process, finding political consensus, and Parliament's communications. The publisher invited USAID RADA: Next Generation to prepare further articles in March and June, to review specific issues of the functioning of the legislature. The Kennan Institute is the premier U.S. center for advanced research on Russia and Eurasia and the oldest and largest regional program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. The institute and its team of professionals are committed to improving America’s understanding of Russia, Ukraine, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the surrounding region through research.
USAID RADA: Next Generation facilitates Ukraine's European integration by improving the draft law on lobbying The Legal Policy Committee of the Verkhovna Rada has appointed representatives from Program to join a working group dedicated to enhancing the draft law on lobbying before its second reading in Parliament. In particular, Stanislav Ivasyk, head of Program's research unit, Mykola Boichuk, Program's legal adviser, and Julia Kyrychenko, Member of the Board of the Centre of Policy and Legal Reform and Program's implementing partner, are all included in this working group. Chaired by Denys Maslov, the head of the Legal Policy Committee, the working group comprises MPs, civil society representatives, and the appropriate experts. The initial draft law on lobbying received approval in its first reading on January 10, 2024. While the Cabinet of Ministers addressed concerns from civil society during its registration, further refinements are deemed necessary to ensure the fair application of the law. The active involvement of Program in this process underscores its commitment to promoting transparency and effective legislation in Ukraine. The adoption of a law on lobbying is one of four recommendations from the European Commission that Ukraine is required to implement by March.
USAID RADA: Next Generation strengthens Ukraine's energy independence inwartime by supporting the installation of alternative energy sources As a result of the June field session of the VRU Committee on Energy, supported by Program, a rooftop solar power plant was installed at the hospital in Boryslav, Lviv region. This solar power plant, boasting a capacity of 30 kW, is complemented by a 40 kWh battery. The hospital now benefits from an alternative source of electricity, ensuring a continuous power supply for 4-5 hours during outages. In addition to serving as a backup power solution, the solar power plant can fully meet the hospital's electricity needs under favorable weather conditions and even contribute surplus energy to the grid. The positive financial impact for the city is anticipated to exceed UAH 10 million, reflecting significant cost savings. This initiative enhances the hospital's resilience to power disruptions and underscores the potential for sustainable and cost-effective energy solutions in the region.
USAID RADA: Next Generation develops parliamentary education for children by implementing the All-Ukrainian simulation game on democracy and parliamentarism On January 10, the Parliamentary Education Center conducted a meeting, which brought together 55 representatives from 40 secondary schools and out-of-school education institutions from different regions of Ukraine. The joint event of the network for the first half of 2024 is the organization and conduct of the All-Ukrainian simulation game on civic parliamentary education, "M18: We are Lawmakers!". Experts and trainers from the NGO "Agency of Educational Policy Development" presented the concept and methodology of the game. The game is aimed at deepening students' awareness of the functioning of representative democracy and parliamentarism, developing the ability to participate effectively in politics and motivating them to take a proactive civic position. Students in grades 8-11 will reenact the process of the committee's work on drafting a bill using a simplified procedure. The All-Ukrainian simulation game on civic parliamentary education, "M18: We are Lawmakers!" will be held from January to May 2024. It includes a survey among students concerning what they think arethe urgent directions of Ukraine's recovery and relevant legislative initiatives, interaction with members of the Ukrainian Parliament, parliamentary lessons, drafting petitions and bills, voting, and other activities. 40 teacher coordinators will be trained in the methodology of conducting the simulation game all while improving their professional competencies in interactive methods of teaching parliamentary education.
USAID "RADA: Next Generation" has launched the developing of mobile application for the remote work of MPs USAID "RADA: Next Generation" is developing a mobile application to facilitate seamless remote work for MPs. This application aims to foster systematic and efficient collaboration among MPs, enhance the security of the Ukrainian Parliament's operations during wartime, and ensure an uninterrupted legislative process. Meetings between the Computerized Department and the developers have already been held. A project manager was appointed, and the technical employees of the contractor were introduced; they were given access to the internal system and the existing technical code. The launching of the application is scheduled for launch in June 2024. Facilitating remote work for MPs during martial law is essential for ensuring the seamless operation of the parliament. This measure allows MPs to continue their legislative responsibilities, thereby maintaining the functionality and continuity of parliamentary proceedings.
USAID "RADA: Next Generation" improves the MP’s collaboration with voters Under the "Effective Analysis to Address Voters' Concerns" project initiated by MP Victoria Gryb, the focus is gathering information and analyzing the key issues confronting residents from District No. 105 in Ukraine. In collaboration with two experts, USAID RADA: Next Generation held a meeting to identify and compile a list of 20-25 individuals from Gryb's district. This undertaking aims to aid the MP in developing a strategic plan of action to address the challenges identified through this comprehensive analysis.
USAID RADA: Next Generation enhances the transparency of the Verkhovna Rada by developing the concept of a parliamentary press hub USAID RADA: Next Generation developed a concept for a press hub of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine with the proposal being sent to Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, the chairman of the VRU Committee on Freedom of Speech for further advocacy. Establishing the press hub is envisioned to enhance the transparency of the Ukrainian Parliament's operations during wartime while concurrently fostering increased public trust in the Verkhovna Rada. The press hub will serve as a vital communication channel to inform Ukrainian citizens about the work of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Also, the press hub will cover the progress, challenges, and developments related to Ukraine's efforts in European integration. The press hub aims to serve as a reliable source for informing the public about the country's strides towards aligning with European standards and values. This initiative aims to strengthen democratic processes, facilitate open dialogue, and foster collaboration in pursuing Ukraine's European integration goals.
USAID RADA: Next Generation helps the Ukrainian Parliament to communicate effectively with voters through social media Program experts have developed and presented a quarterly report on implementation of the Strategy for developing Parliament's social networks. The report is based on analyzing statistics on parliamentary profiles and comparing them with the indicators planned in the Strategy. The above-mentioned strategy describes the formats, content structure, methods of presenting information, and KPIs for Parliament’s social media accounts. This is done to maintain its leading position among the information platforms of the central public authorities. This will also allow the Parliament to remain an active player in the information landscape for citizens.
USAID RADA: Next Generation provided organizational support to VRU during the visits of the UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine's Economic Recovery Penny Pritzker to Ukraine On January 12, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Rishi Sunak arrived in Kyiv on an official visit. The primary purpose of the visit was to sign a bilateral agreement on security guarantees for Ukraine and announce the provision of about 3 billion pounds of military support to Ukraine over the next fiscal year. Also, on January 12, U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine's Economic Recovery Penny Pritzker arrived on an official visit in Kyiv. The VRU Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk and representatives of parliamentary factions met with Mrs. Pritzker and the delegation she leads. The parties discussed further financial and military support for Ukraine from the United States, the reconstruction of Ukraine, and the confiscation of Russian sovereign assets. USAID RADA: Next Generation provided professional English-Ukrainian interpretation for Sunak's participation in the plenary meeting of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the MP's meeting with Pritzker.
USAID RADA: Next Generation supports the reopening of the Parliamentary Center for Children On January 11, USAID RADA: Next Generation and American Councils held a meeting with Deputy Head of the VRU Secretariat Mykola Shevchuk, representatives of the Information departments of the VRU Secretariat, and the Parliamentary Education Center (PEC) to discuss the reinstallment of the PEC offline activity with schoolchildren regularly in Kyiv. For this purpose, the VRU Secretariat is considering the possibility of using the premises of the building of the VRU committees (Velyka Zhytomyrska St. 11). Participants discussed the needs, risks, and opportunities. On January 16, USAID RADA: Next Generation and partners AC and PEC will visit Velyka Zhytomyrska St, 11, to assess the current status and needs. The idea of establishing the Visitors center at the VRU was also discussed during the meeting.