Ukraine parliament rejects bill that enables prosecution reform

Ukraine’s parliament rejected on April 21 a motion to include in its daily agenda a bill that would have amended the requirements for Ukraine’s prosecutor general to enable Yuriy Lutsenko to become a candidate. Only 177 MPs voted in favor out of a 226-vote majority needed. The bill would have eliminated the need for the prosecutor general to have a law degree or work experience in a legal profession, both of which are lacked by Lutsenko, whose most relevant experience is having served as Ukraine’s interior minister for two years. Lutsenko is currently the parliamentary faction head of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc.

The same bill would have also delayed the April 26 launch of the Qualifications Disciplinary Commission and Prosecutors Council, which will be formed form the current leadership of the prosecutor general’s office. These two bodies will have the exclusive ability to determine personnel appointments and dismissals to all the key posts in the prosecutor’s office, he told reporters, adding that he won’t accept the post under such conditions.

Zenon Zawada: It’s startling that MPs – particularly with the pro-Western opposition forces – haven’t taken any action against the two obstructionist prosecution bodies being launched, especially considering just how important reforms to the prosecutor general’s office are for Western leaders. Such action could have involved voting in favor of the bill introduced on April 21. It’s possible the president’s rivals were waiting for the scandal to explode before turning it into a political football.

President Poroshenko created a win-win situation for himself with this bill. If approved, it would have enabled him to appoint Lutsenko, who would have been a compliant official. If rejected, he controls the office through the newly launched obstructionist bodies. Activists mentioned that a vote on the bill could prevent their launch, but it looks like a long battle is ahead, which could involve the West.

The key question with all the machinations surrounding the prosecutor’s office is just how long Poroshenko thinks he can resist reforms before the West simply turns its back on him. Apparently, he thinks he can keep this game going for a long time. But former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Steven Pifer recently indicated that won’t be possible.

It’s also worth noting that important April 21 vote – which the president himself reportedly said was “urgent” – could not muster a parliamentary majority in support. As of this morning, only 222 MPs were officially registered in the two factions making up the de facto coalition, or four short of the needed majority.