Ukraine parliament opens fall session

The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, opened its first session of the fall yesterday. The meeting lasted all of 20 minutes, according to Kommersant, before devolving into accusations among politicians and grandstanding.

Brad Wells: The October parliamentary election will continue to overshadow the operation of the Rada this fall. We expect a mostly populist agenda this fall and heavy bickering among political parties as they attempt to make last minute plays for votes and put themselves in the best possible light. As a result, there is not expected to be any major legislation coming up until yearend.