Ukraine's Parliament adopted several laws at its plenary meeting on November 21, 2023.
In the first reading, Parliament adopted the draft law on the taxation of banks (#9656d), which sets the income tax for 2023 at 50%. Starting from 2024, the rate will be 25%.
VRU passed in the first reading of the European integration-related law on the independence of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (#10060).
In the first reading, MPs approved the law authorizing the National Agency on Corruption Prevention to investigate property acquired before appointment to public service (#10262). This draft law is one of the conditions for further European integration of Ukraine.
VRU increased the staff of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau from 700 to 1,000 people. The competition for filling additional vacant positions will be held as follows: in 2024, for 100 positions; in 2025, for 100 positions; and in 2026, for 100 positions.
Parliament appointed Vitaly Koval as Chairman of the State Property Fund of Ukraine.
Ukraine's Parliament adopted several laws at its plenary meeting on November 22, 2023:
Limited the maximum rate for micro-loans to 1%.
Established English as the official language of international communication in Ukraine. This includes normalizing the use of English in state authorities, local self-government bodies, emergency assistance units, state border crossings, education, transport, and health care.
Sent a statement to the newly elected Sejm and Senate of the Republic of Poland, expressing the desire to continue cooperation between the peoples of Poland and Ukraine.
Approved sanctions against Russia and Belarus in the defense and industrial sphere.
Adopted a statement dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the Holodomor of 1932-1933.
Approved changes to the Code of Ukraine on administrative offenses in connection with the ratification of the Istanbul Convention.
VRU Deputy Speaker Kornienko: VRU needs to adjust the procedure for adopting European integration-related laws.
During an interview with liga.net, the VRU First Deputy Speaker Oleksandr Kornienko underscored the urgency of accelerating the adoption of key legislation for Ukraine's integration into the European Union. He noted that the MPs of the ninth convocation were the first to work longer than their term of office and highlighted their achievements. Notably, Ukraine secured candidate status for membership in the European Union. "We're currently gearing up for negotiations with the EU, with 90% of the candidacy work involving votes in the Verkhovna Rada. Additionally, requirements introduced by the European Commission will be subject to parliamentary voting." Kornienko stressed the importance of amending the regulations for adopting European integration-related legislation. "We may introduce procedural changes to the regulations to facilitate a faster review of European integration-related laws. This could involve implementing a more agile process to consider amendments to these laws."
The Speaker of the Parliament of Finland, Jussi Halla-aho, spoke Ukrainian in the Verkhovna Rada.
On November 25, during the Verkhovna Rada meeting dedicated to the 90th commemoration of the Holodomor, the Speaker of the Parliament of Finland, Jussi Halla-aho declared Finland's recognition of the Holodomor of 1932-1933 as a genocide of the Ukrainian people. Emphasizing the need to respond to Russian imperialism with strength, he commended Ukraine's heroic resistance against the Russian offensive, which earned the respect of the civilized world and inspired courage in the West. Halla-aho added that Finland had provided 20 military aid packages and expressed readiness to offer ongoing assistance. The Verkhovna Rada meeting also hosted other international partners of Ukraine, including The President of the Belgian Senate, Stephanie D'Hose; the President of the Czech Senate, Miloš Vystřil; the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic, Markéta Pekarová Adamová, The Speaker of the Senate of Ireland Jerry Buttimer, The NATO PA President Michał Szczerba.
USAID RADA: Next Generation held a public discussion involving 140 Parliament and civil society participants to strengthen cooperation between the parties.
On November 24, Program facilitated a discussion with MPs, civil society leaders, and the donor community, which served as a platform to present the parliament's activities to build communication and interaction with civil society. Marc Ellingstad, Director of the Office of Democracy and Governance, USAID, provided welcoming remarks. Marcin Walecki, Senior Resident Country Director for the National Democratic Institute (NDI), presented international experience in interaction techniques of cooperation between parliament and civil society. The participants, both MPs and civil society organizations, shared advocacy practices and interaction between civil society organizations to establish partnership relations between NGOs and the parliament. The forum helped the parties acknowledge the need for continuous cooperation, including in a public consultation format. During the forum, Oleksandr Korniyenko, VRU's first deputy speaker and chair of the servant of the party, Olena Shuliak, mentioned that the law on public consultations would be adopted in the second reading soon. USAID RADA: Next Generation has already supported several MPs in holding public consultations and engaging civil society and various groups of stakeholders to include all the opinions in the law-making process.
USAID RADA: Next Generation presented a strategy for developing VRU social to improve online interaction with voters.
On November 23, Program communication experts presented a package of strategic recommendations for the development of the Parliament's social media with representatives of the communication units of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. The recommendations are based on an analysis of key global and regional social media trends, statistics on parliamentary profiles, and surveys of the Secretariat's staff and subscribers who use parliamentary sources to receive news and information about laws and policies. The package of recommendations describes the formats, content structure, methods of presenting information, indicators, and implementation. It will allow the Parliament to maintain its leadership position among the information platforms of the central public authorities, which has been achieved due to the contribution of Program experts to the VRU Communication Task Force in the first months after Russia's full-scale invasion.
USAID RADA: Next Generation Activity organized a photo exhibition in the VRU premises on the role of parliament to mark the 10th anniversary of the Maidan Revolution of Dignity.
On November 21, an exhibition illustrating the parliamentary dimension of the Revolution of Dignity was launched in the premises of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Program provided 45 photographs of MPs' work and documented decision-making steps, ensuring the legitimacy of the processes at a time when the parliament became the main decision-making body and the center of legitimate authority.
Program helped the VRU Energy Committee ensure parliamentary oversight during a field hearing. USAID RADA: Next Generation assisted the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Energy and Utilities in conducting a working trip to Volyn and Lviv regions to discuss issues of transforming coal regions and new development opportunities with local government and business representatives on November 17. In Novovolynsk, government representatives, local government bodies, and the leaders of state coal industry enterprises joined the committee meeting. This type of collaboration enables the government to find effective and inclusive solutions for developing regions and Ukraine. Committee members held a working meeting at the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant, where they were briefed on measures taken to enhance Ukraine's energy resilience. Such committee initiatives strengthen parliamentary oversight.
USAID RADA: Next Generation helps the VRU Committee engage in stakeholder consultations by providing evidence-based recommendations regarding the EU 4th energy package.
On November 25, Program supported the hearing of the Committee on Energy. As a result of the hearing, the Committee approved the recommendations. The comprehensive document incorporates proposals from the key stakeholders, outlining tasks for the government to enact necessary legislation for seamless integration into the EU's energy sector.
VRU Committees implement Post-legislative scrutiny (PLS) to amend the legislation to serve the stakeholders better using the Program-proposed methodology.
USAID RADA: Next Generation continues to support VRU committees during post-legislative scrutiny for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, extending its support to four committees: Energy, Social Policy, Economic Policy, and Youth Policy. During October-November 2023, Program held webinars for these committees and assisted in developing surveys to assess the impact of adopted laws. VRU Committee on Youth Policy published a questionnaire on the core issues of youth policy. VRU Committee on Economic Development published a questionnaire on the localization in public procurement within PLS methodology.
Program arranged an exhibition in the VRU premises dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the Holodomor genocide of the Ukrainian people. On November 25, the exhibition of more than 30 pictures was opened and it was dedicated to countries that recognized the Holodomor as a genocide. The exhibition was installed for the visit of the parliamentary delegations that visited Ukraine's Parliament on the Holodomor Memorial Day.
On December 1, RANG will hold a public discussion on the utilization of white and green papers (books) as an integral component of implementing the Law on Law-Making Activity. Having provided expert support in drafting the aforementioned law, RANG continues to assist the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (VRU) in adapting the necessary methodologies. The event will feature a presentation on foreign experiences, followed by a discussion with VRU staffers and government representatives.
On December 5, RANG will present research on the experience of energy efficiency policy in the EU. This research, developed by WFD experts, is a component of the post-legislative scrutiny conducted in the program's second year. The presentation will take place during a session of the special committee's working group dedicated to enhancing legislation in the energy efficiency sector. This event provides an invaluable opportunity to share insights and findings that can help contribute to the ongoing legislative refinement efforts in this crucial area.