VRU Deputy Speaker Olena Kondratiuk noted that MPs would rethink the media coverage strategy of the parliament’s meetings.
In an interview with the Telegraph media outlet, Onena Kondratiuk, VRU Deputy Speaker, noted the importance of media interest to the parliament. She claimed that a new session of Parliament would start in September, and MPs would need to work on another model of covering VRU’s meetings (now the broadcast of the meetings is uploaded to the RADA TV channel after the plenary meeting has come to its end).
On July 27, Ukraine’s Parliament approved several laws and resolutions:
Resolutions: -terminating the functions of MP, Yuriy Aristov (#9530)
In the second reading:
VRU First Deputy Speaker: parliamentary reform should go on
Oleksandr Kornienko, VRU's First Deputy Speaker, mentioned that VRU committees should be open and accountable. “The VRU Secretariat is working on the updated structure, and soon, it will be presented and discussed in the hall. Separate issues of consideration should also concern the secretariats of the committees”, he noted. This was discussed during the presentation of the anti-rating of the transparency of committees for the first half of 2023. In addition, the highest ratings for the openness of your Committees on Humanitarian politics, Medicine, Human Rights, Energy, and Organization of Government.
USAID RADA: Next Generation (RANG) presented a guide for MPs to interact effectively with voters.
On July 25, 2023, RANG’s partner, IRI, conducted a roundtable for members of parliament on How can a people's deputy effectively interact with voters and presented solutions on how to work more effectively with voters. This toolkit contains the best international practices of interaction with voters. Two political parties asked to provide their local party branches with copies of the handbook to their party members and local elected officials.
Program's grantees conducted a public consultation on psychological support to families of the military in Rivne.
On July 21, alumni of the OPORA academy and MP Solomiia Bobrovska conducted a consultation to work on recommendations to create centers of physiological and psychosocial aid for families of the military and veterans. The consultations are held by demand and the information gathering is conducted online.
USAID RANG presented the research "Parliament during the war" and discussed the Parliament’s role with VRU leadership. On July 28, together with its partner, the Centre of Policy and Legal Reform, Program arranged the discussion to highlight the importance of parliamentary democracy and procedures during the war. Oleksandr Korniienko, First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, presented the VRU’s vision of the parliamentary procedures during the war. Marc Ellingstad, Director of Democracy and Governance Office, USAID, noted that parliamentary support for Ukraine aimed at promoting a responsible, accountable, and democratic Parliament of Ukraine, ensuring fulfillment by MPs of their representative function and public representation in legislative process improvement.
Program facilitated a consensus-building session for MP in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. On July 25, RANG’s partner, IRI, conducted a consensus-building session with MP Ihor Fris in Halych, Ivano-Frankivska oblast. The meeting brought together a number of stakeholders, representatives of the Halych city council, the mayor of Halych city, representatives of the biggest local state enterprises, private small businesses from the nearest communities and members of religious organizations. The aforementioned stakeholders got a chance to discuss local issues with MP, and MP became aware of issues that need addressing.
Program helped VRU Parliamentary Education Center complete a study internship in the Capitol Visitor Centre to include the best experience in its operation.
On July 9-24, VRU Parliamentary Education Centre completed a study internship in the Capitol Visitor Centre. PEC held over 20 working meetings with representatives from various divisions of the Capitol Visitors Centre and other educational structural units of Congress; presented for the first time in the United States the achievements of the Educational Centre over the previous four years; organized three special meetings to discuss the experience of the VRU's Educational Centre in times of martial law and exchanged experiences; and discussed future support for the Center from international partners, along with representatives from USAID and American Councils. 70 people attended the event, including Oksana Markarova, Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States, Fay Ott, Acting CEO for Visitor Services, Kevin Gash, Legislative Strengthening Advisor, USAID, David Patton, President and CEO, American Councils, and other high-ranking officials. The Educational Center's team discussed its history, the realities of operating under martial law, accomplishments and achievements, future ambitions, and a new notion for constructing a "Centre of Statehood" in Ukraine.
Program arranged the fourth meeting within the White Book of Legislative Process.
On July 25, USAID "Rada: Next Generation" Program arranged the fourth meeting in a series of stakeholder discussions regarding the White Book of Legislative Process. Around 30 participants, among whom were MPs, members of their teams, civil society experts, and scholars, discussed the legislative process during wartime, the lack of regulation of the procedure for accelerated adoption of laws on European and Euro-Atlantic integration, low percentage of adoption of governmental draft laws. Following a series of public discussions, the White Paper will be finalized.
USAID RADA: Next Generation (RANG) grantees NGO “Institute Respublica” conducted three events on VRU’s role in Ukraine’s rebuilding
NGO “Institute Respublica” conducted three meetings of active Community Clubs on how the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine influences the restoration of the country." At these events, coordinators communicate with young people and active citizens about methods of interaction between people and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, about tools of communication and influence on the authorities. Particular attention is paid to the discussion of activities that will strengthen mutual trust. The participants deepened their knowledge about the working processes of the VRU and people's deputies. Clubs of active communities were held in the following with the communities of Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, Odesa and Bohuslav in Kyiv region. All the meetings were dedicated to MPs’ interaction with voters, VRU external communication, and the ways people can approach MPs in terms of contributions to the restoration of Ukraine.
Program prepared a concept Note on parliamentary arrangements to deal with SAI (Supreme Audit Institution) reports and proposals for technical assistance.
The paper presents a brief overview of practices employed within the EU and neighboring countries for developing relationships between SAIs and parliaments and proposes appropriate technical assistance. The publication was translated into Ukrainian for the purpose of distribution.
RANG helped VRU Committee on Energy continue implementing PLS methodology in the draft law on the gas market.
On July 3, RANG participated in the sitting of the Committee on Energy working group on the PLS (Post-legislative scrutiny) of the law on the gas market. The committee would like to conduct PLS of the mentioned law with the RANG support during year three of the program. The Nafrogaz and other vital stakeholders took part in the meeting and presented their vision of the possible outcomes of the draft law.
Program conducted a roundtable for members of parliament and local elected officials of different levels on “How can a deputy effectively interact with voters?” in Lviv on July 31, 2023, that gathered political parties.
At the round table, RANG’s partner, IRI, presented the manual “Serving as a Representative of the People: a guide to engaging your constituents”, which contains the best international practices of interaction with voters. The discussion helped MPs and political parties understand the issues they need to address. In particular, it is applicable to people’s awareness of the duties and responsibilities of their MPs, real communication between MPs and people from their constituency, and the needs of the IDPs.
Program helped MP Oksana Savchuk conduct a consensus-building session.
On August 01, 2023, RANG’s partner, IRI, conducted a session with MP in her constituency in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ivano-Frankivs'ka oblast, on cultural issues Ukraine faces right now. MP Savchuk talked about her work in the parliament, draft laws she is working on, and what are her plans for the future. After that, the audience had a chance to express their own opinion about the situation with the culture in their region and how they see solutions to the existing problem. Voters discussed with MP the possible changes in the payments for the employees in the cultural sector as the ways of preservation of architectural monuments and cultural heritage during the war. Those main points were taken into account by MP Oksana Savchuk and her team to be introduced in the draft law.