VRU Speaker may head the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, media reports
On March 7, Glavkom media reported on speculation that VRU Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk might be considered for the head of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyi initiated a competition commission in late February to select a candidate for this position. Prospective candidates have a month to submit their candidacy for consideration in the competition. The current head of the Constitutional Court, Serhiy Holovatyi, will turn 70 on May 29, at which point his term will end automatically, leaving the position vacant.
USAID RADA: Next Generation helps to improve Ukrainian legislation by sharing policymaking and end-to-end legislative oversight practices
On March 6 and 7, USAID RADA: Next Generation, in cooperation with the Research Service of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, conducted training on the policymaking process and end-to-end legislative oversight for VRU Secretariat staffers and MP aids. In total, 13 participants joined the event. The training explored the policymaking process and its benefits, to provide an overview of the features of good policymaking, its stages, and the role of the Parliament, Government, and civil society at each stage, as well as the main principles of the end-to-end legislative oversight. The trainers introduced practical skills for applying a policy cycle approach, comparing the policy cycle practices in the UK with the approach used in Ukraine.
USAID RADA: Next Generation develops partnerships to help IDPs cope with the challenges of war
On March 6, USAID RADA: Next Generation, in cooperation with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), conducted a meeting with MP Victoria Hryb (non-factional) and her team to assess the issues confronting citizens in the Hryb constituency (Lugansk region, Shchastya city) and formulate a green book to serve as the foundation for future legislative changes. The majority of voters in the Hryb constituency are internally displaced persons due to the war; the analysis will encompass the primary challenges they are encountering during the full-scale Russian invasion. The participants established terms, delineated Program's support, and outlined subsequent steps. The methodology proposed by the Program could potentially be applied to other constituencies.
USAID RADA: Next Generation cultivates parliamentary education: 40 cadets participated in a lesson dedicated to Taras Shevchenko's birthday
On March 8, the Parliamentary Education Center (PEC), in cooperation with the American Councils for International Education and USAID RADA: Next Generation, held an in-person lesson dedicated to the 210th birthday of the great Ukrainian poet and artist Taras Shevchenko. The lesson took place in a temporary PEC building on Velyka Zhytomyrska Street. In total, 40 cadets from the Military Institute of Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University participated in the session. The lesson provided an in-depth exploration of Taras Shevchenko's life and work, including captivating details from his biography. MP Yulia Ovchynnikova (Servant of the People) attended and engaged in a heartfelt conversation with the students. To further immerse the cadets in Shevchenko's legacy, PEC specialists designed a special "Shevchenko quest," a game that actively engaged the participants. The session concluded with a stimulating quiz, solidifying the knowledge gained throughout the lesson.
USAID RADA: Next Generation establishes dialog between parliamentary factions to intensify MPs' interaction with voters
On March 6, International Republican Institute (IRI), with Program's support, conducted an informal meeting with members of four parliamentary factions. Nine MPs joined the event: Vadym Halaichuk, Roman Hryshchuk and Yevhenia Kravchuk (all - Servant of the People); Yulia Klymenko and Yaroslav Yurchyshyn (both - Voice); Rostyslav Pavlenko and Mykola Kniazhytskyi (both - European Solidarity); and Aliona Shkrum and Valentyn Nalyvaichenko (both - Batkivshchyna). The meeting aimed to establish a constant dialogue with factions and to reach consensus-building among MPs on key parliamentary activities within representative function implementation. During the event, IRI Director in Ukraine, Michael Druckman, presented the results of the latest IRI national survey for February 2024 on citizens' trust in state authorities and their vision of the future. Also, Stephen Nix, IRI's regional program director for Eurasia, discussed with participants the key issues of US support for Ukraine and political developments. Participants agreed that MPs need to intensify their interaction with citizens to explain international diplomacy and the role of the VRU in European integration. USAID RADA: Next Generation and IRI will continue their regular dialogs with factions.
USAID RADA: Next Generation cooperates with OSCE to bring best lawmaking principles to Ukraine
On March 6, USAID RADA: Next Generation and the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) conducted a meeting with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights to discuss a workshop scheduled for Warsaw on 24 and 25 June 2024. The workshop will focus on better lawmaking principles and will include expert lectures and interactive sessions. VRU staffers, representatives of the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, and the Ministry of Justice will participate in the workshop.