The Ukrainian Parliament passed the draft law on the State Budget for 2024 On October 19, the VRU adopted the national deputies’ conclusions and proposals to the draft law (#10000) on the State Budget for the coming year in the first reading. Among the key indicators, the amount of the revenues to UAH is 1,746.3 billion, the amount of the expenditures to UAH is 3,308.9 billion, and the marginal volume of the deficit in the amount of UAH is 1,593.6 billion. The next step is preparing the document by the Government of Ukraine based on MPs’ conclusions and proposals. The final parliamentary vote on the draft law on the State Budget is expected on November 20, 2023.
Ukraine’s Parliament adopted several laws at its plenary meeting on October 17, 2023
In the first reading:
Parliament adopted the law on tax inspections (№10016-д). According to the text, the list of planned documentary tax audits is expanded starting from November 1.
In the second reading,
-Strengthened financial monitoring on the politically exposed people (№9269д)
The main innovation: instead of three years after leaving the job, top officials (PEP) will have lifetime PEP status.
The draft law was one of the IMF requirements. It is also the last step for the start of negotiations on Ukraine's membership in the EU.
Parliament didn’t support the law transferring funds from income taxes to the state budget (№10037).
The draft law in the first reading prescribed that from October 1, 2023, to December 31, 2024, funds from taxes of the categories defined by the draft law would be credited to the special fund of the State Budget of Ukraine. 50% will be directed to the Administration of the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine and another 50 % to the Ministry of Strategic Industries of Ukraine.
VRU Speaker Stefanchuk: Verkhovna Rada has implemented all recommendations to start EU membership negotiations.
VRU Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk announced that the Verkhovna Rada has successfully implemented all the recommendations of the European Commission for the start of negotiations on joining the EU. He mentioned that a formal evaluation of these efforts will be provided in the coming days. The European Commission had presented seven proposals for enacting laws necessary for Ukraine's EU integration. "The Verkhovna Rada voted the last legislative act on the so-called PEPs (politically exposed persons)," Stefanchuk said. According to him, negotiations will occur after Ukraine receives a written assessment of the work done. Stefanchuk thinks that by late 2023, the European Council will decide to initiate negotiations regarding Ukraine's full membership within the European Union.
USAID RADA: Next Generation presented its Legislation Index quality of the VRU’s 9th secession of the current convocation.
On October 16, Program conducted the presentation of the results of its Index of the Quality of Legislation. 32 VRU staffers, experts, and MPs participated in the presentation. M. Tepliuk, Deputy Head of the VRU Secretariat, noted that evaluations of the legislative process are useful because they allow us to see other factors, the consideration of which will contribute to improving the quality of the legislative process in Ukraine. The overall result for the 9th session of the VRU is 3,03. The detailed results of the Index can be found on the website. RANG strengthened the capacities of Ukraine’s Human Rights Office representatives in approximation to EU legislation in Ukraine. On October 17-19, RANG completed the training sessions for the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Office representatives by conducting a training on approximation to EU legislation in Ukraine: practical aspects for the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. 20 participants joined the event. As a result, the group got acquainted with the legal system of the EU and the integration acquis, requirements, and procedures for joining the EU. The participants were provided with the understanding and formation of practical skills in adapting the legislation of Ukraine to the provisions of the EU acquis, including writing draft acts aimed at adopting various types of acts of EU law, impact assessment, and drawing up compliance tables. RANG will continue to support Ukrainian oversight institutions.
Program helped PEC arrange lessons in Lviv and Chernivtsi for 1897 students
On October 17, Program helped PEC staff facilitate three live lessons in Chernivtsi at the Lyceums #7, #11, and #15 for the schoolchildren of the 8-11 grades. During the lesson, the participants had an opportunity to learn how the VRU operates, how MPs work, the specifics of developing and adopting laws, and the challenges for the VRU during wartime. Each participant also received a brochure providing basic information about the VRU and a key timeline on the history of Ukrainian parliamentarism. Altogether, 342 schoolchildren participated in these parliamentary lessons (150, 136, and 56 in each Lyceum). On October 17, a live event was also conducted for the Bukovinian State Medical University students. The event was focused on the major parliamentary topics: VRU structure and main responsibilities, MPs responsibilities, specifics of developing and adopting laws, and challenges for the VRU during wartime. In the second part, the students had the opportunity to become parliamentarians while modeling the VRU plenary session. Interactive activities during the session were conducted using Mentimeter. Altogether, 150 students took part in the event. On October 18, another live event for university students was held at the Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University. Students majoring in international relations, politics and law improved their knowledge of VRU structure and main responsibilities, MPs responsibilities, specifics of developing and adopting laws, and challenges for the VRU during wartime. The students also had the opportunity to become parliamentarians representing coalition, opposition, and parliamentary committees, as well as representatives of international organizations such as the UN and UNICEF, while modeling the VRU plenary session. Interactive activities during the session were conducted using Mentimeter. Altogether, 322 students took part in the event. On October 18, similar events for school children were held in the two Chernivtsi Centers friendly to children, youth, and families - 34 and 15 kids participated in the live lesson, respectively. On October 20, similar events were held for the university students of the Lviv Polytechnic University, Ivan Franko Lviv National University, and Ukrainian Catholic University, where 220, 200, and 78 students participated. On October 19, there were similar events for school children of the Lviv Lyceum “Hrono” and Lyceum #75, with 85 and 211 participants, respectively. On October 20, the events were held for 143 Lviv School # 90 kids. The total number of school children and university students participating in the live parliamentary lessons/events in 3 days in two cities amounts to 1377 persons.
USAID RADA: Next Generation (RANG) Activity presented training programs to strengthen VRU Secretariat institutional capacities. On October 23, RANG helped the VRU Committee on State Building facilitate the round table on professional training of public servants during Ukraine’s integration into the EU, bringing together key stakeholders, including Ukraine’s National Agency on Civil Service, EU4PAR2, DOBRE, U-LEAD with Europe. More than 40 MPs, representatives of the Government of Ukraine, the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine, EU Delegation to Ukraine, SIGMA (Support for Improvement in Governance and Management), public authorities, as well as representatives of All-Ukrainian associations of local self-government bodies and NGOs, participated in a round table. RANG COP Igor Kogut stressed that RANG strengthened the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine’s Secretariat's institutional capacity and trained MPs’ teams. Specifically, RANG has developed 14 training sessions for VRU, including those to Ukraine’s legislation approximation to EU Law. RANG has been working on developing the Research Service of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and its coaching potential to ensure high-quality professional training for parliamentary representatives. In 2021-2023, RANG trained more than 1500 public servants and MPs. The event helped gather proposals, which can be included in legislation amendments on public service in the context of Ukraine’s integration with the EU, and organized study trips to the parliaments of Austria, the Czech Republic, and Croatia to familiarize participants with their European integration experiences. The proposals presented during the event will make possible amendments to the current legislation on public service in the context of Ukraine’s integration with the EU.
Program completed a series of 8 training sessions for the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Office representatives.
Program held the training series upon a request from the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Office and aimed to strengthen the institutional capacity of parliamentary oversight bodies. The training covered the following topics: citizensparticipation in the work of the parliament and the legislative process. Advocacy, Committees of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Parliamentary oversight, Public policy analysis, Full policy cycle, and oversight; Approximation of Ukrainian legislation to EU law: practical aspects for the Verkhovna Rada. The training was conducted in an interactive format, and some workshops were offline, so the employees of the Ombudsman's Office had the opportunity to strengthen their team and create a networking platform.RANG will continue to conduct training for parliamentary oversight institutions and other representatives of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to ensure their regular professional growth and strengthen the parliaments institutional capacity.
Program-supported interns helped VRU Research Service (RSVRU) complete 34 information and analytical materials and attended 152 hours of professional training. On October 26, RANG conducted a meeting dedicated to completing the internship program in the RSVRU. For 6 months, RANG supported the three interns who worked in the RSVRU and assisted in developing the analytical notes. RSVRU Interns participated in lectures and training provided by RANG, took part in public events of the RSVRU, Conducted independent research of the legal framework and other materials related to the work of Ukraine’s Parliament, attended meetings with the Ukrainian MPs, Performed tasks under the control of the internship supervisor. As a result, the interns attended 152 hours of training, prepared 34 information and analytical materials, 4 lectures were delivered to the interns, and one meeting with MP was conducted.
USAID RADA: Next Generation facilitated the launch of the special learning for the VRU Secretariat to make the VRU website more interactive and easier for voters. RANG ensured the start of the four-month training for two employees of the Computerized Department of the VRU Secretariat on developing the server-side scripting language PHP PRO level framework. The course will allow VRU employees to develop and improve the VRU's websites and electronic services. As a result of this training, if the VRU site is improved, voters will contact the parliament more quickly as the websites of the parliament and VRU committees will become more accessible to citizens. Thus, this training will allow us to improve and introduce new electronic services of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, such as the system of electronic document circulation, electronic database of draft laws, remote work, and others.
Program helped PEC arrange the second lesson within the course on civic education for school students of 9-11 grades and for University students of 1-3 years. On October 26, PEC, in cooperation with RANG partner AEPD, conducted the second lesson within the course on civic education for school students of 9-11 grades and University students of 1-3 years. The lesson was dedicated to the organization of state authority and local self-government. The course will be conducted each Friday from October to December. Participants will get the knowledge on how to manage the country and influence important decisions, increase their knowledge of law and civic education, understanding of politics, human and child rights, get knowledge about the activities of the VRU and its processes, explore the practical mechanism of interaction with MPs and parliament. During the second lesson, we will consider the organization of state power and local self-government.