Poroshenko Bloc MPs stalled approval of anti-corruption court bill, activist says

Members of parliament belonging to the president’s
Poroshenko Bloc faction have stalled the review of amendments to legislation –
some required by Western institutions – creating an independent anti-corruption
court, Vitaliy Shabunin, the head of the AntiCorruption Action Centre, wrote on
his pravda.com.ua blog on May 10. The parliamentary committee on legal policy
and justice, headed by Poroshenko Bloc MP Ruslan Kniazevych, has yet to begin
discussing the amendments – numbering about 2,000 in total – in the five
committee meetings held since the legislation’s first reading passed on March
1, Shabunin pointed out. Nor has it even created a working group, he reported.
Kniazevych has been among the president’s trusted lawyers in the past, while 14
of the committee’s 32 members belong to the Poroshenko Bloc.

“Poroshenko’s lawyer clearly isn’t rushing, whether
it’s because he wasn’t informed about the president’s promises for the bill’s
quick approval, or whether Kniazevych is well aware about the insincerity of
such promises, which is more likely,” Shabunin wrote, referring to Kniazevych.
“Of course, the president can keep thinking that he is outsmarting everyone and
blame everything on the Verkhovna Rada. But it’s worth considering how quickly
MPs approved other bills that were advantageous for him.”

Recall, Western institutions criticized the
legislation approved by parliament creating the High Anti-Corruption Court,
demanding amendments to ensure it meet the standards set by the Council of
Europe. At the time, Parliamentary Speaker Andriy Parubiy assured the public
the necessary amendments would likely be approved by May. However, the
president has been much more reserved in his remarks, repeatedly warning that
any amendments must conform with Ukrainian legislation and that parliament will
ultimately be responsible.

At a May 10 press conference in Germany, Poroshenko
told journalists that parliament could end up approving his sponsored legislation
– which was criticized by Western authorities. “The bill is in parliament and I
am sure that parliament is capable of approving and supporting the proposals,
or the president’s bill that was submitted,” he said. Poroshenko indicated no
concern about delays in reviewing the amendments. “They found for themselves
work for at least a week,” he said, referring to the MPs reviewing them. “But
ultimately it’s exceptionally important that the law is approved in the nearest
future.”

Zenon Zawada: It does seem as though the president is creating a backup plan to
shift blame for the legislation’s failure on parliament, also taking into
account his remarks setting up the scenario. But we can’t imagine that he will
go to the extent of sabotaging legislation upon which Ukraine’s very future
statehood is dependent upon. So we still expect the legislation’s approval in
line with Western requirements. If that doesn’t happen and Ukraine fails to
qualify for the IMF loan tranche, we don’t think Poroshenko will succeed in
shifting the blame to parliament. In that scenario, we expect his poll ratings,
already collapsing, will be irreparably ruined.