MPs discuss legislative agenda in final week before lockdown

The five heads of Ukraine’s parliamentary factions met
with speaker Dmytro Razumkov on Dec. 14 to discuss this week’s agenda, as
reported by MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak on his Telegram channel. Specifically, they
discussed the 2021 budget, the annually approved law on the special status of
Donbas, personnel appointments and the schedule during the January nationwide
lockdown. That evening, Zhelezniak confirmed the budget committee approved the
final draft of the 2021 state budget, making it ready for review by parliament.

Meanwhile, The People’s Servant faction planned to
meet the evening of Dec. 14 to discuss the bills its MPs plan to review this
week, said MP Oleksandr Kachura on his Telegram channel. Besides the 2021
budget, they planned to review bills creating a Bureau of Economic Safety,
combatting corruption, issuing citations against judges, creating investment
nannies, reducing value-added taxes for agricultural producers, on information
necessary for declarations, on strengthening the authority of the Anti-Monopoly
Committee and the president’s proposals to the “On electronic communications”
bill. Personnel issues may also be discussed, he said.

People’s Servant party head Oleksandr Korniyenko
confirmed that parliament would spend the Jan. 11-22 period working in
committees. Parliament will then return to session between Jan. 25 and 29,
possibly to review those bills that are not approved this week, he said.

Zenon Zawada: The
parliamentary agenda meeting didn’t include bills to restore Ukraine’s
anti-corruption infrastructure (undermined by the scandalous Oct. 27
constitutional court ruling), while they were on the agenda of The People’s
Servant MPs. At this point, there’s no urgent need to approve the legislation
before the week’s end, but it would serve as a symbolic gesture to approve at
least one measure, signaling that it’s a priority for parliament.

The only other legislation that is critical on a
national scale this week is the 2021 budget. We expect the debates to start
today and the bill will be approved this week.