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Parliament

In accordance with the Constitution, the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) is the sole legislative organ of the country.

The name ‘Verkhovna Rada’ (lit. the Supreme Council) was initially used in the text of the Soviet Constitution of 1937. The existence of representative structures of power is an old political tradition in Ukraine regularly recommenced during the centuries. It was viche, a general assembly of people of a town or principality in the Kyivan Rus. Cossacks’ councils in the Sich of Zaporizhia that later existed as village and province moots. There was also the Central Rada of the Ukrainian People’s Republic during 1917 to 1918.

The Verkhovna Rada of independent Ukraine has started out on July 16, 1990. It is on this day the Supreme Council of the Ukrainian SSR of the 12th convocation had voted in favor of the Declaration of the Ukrainian state sovereignty. In accordance with the document, Article 6 of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic had been abrogated and separation of powers into legislative, executive and judiciary branches set the foundation of the machinery of government into motion.

From the time of unanimous backing by the Verkhovna Rada of the Act of Declaration of the Ukrainian Independence on August 24, 1991, the rebirth of the Parliament in new conditions began. In February of 2000 it adopted the decision to alter the numeration of convocation making the 12th convocation of the Parliament. It then operated on the permanent basis from 1990 until 1994 when it was named the First Convocation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

Parliamentary elections to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine were held thrice in 1994, 1998 and 2002, with deputies of the 1st and 2nd convocations being elected under majority system, while those of the 3rd and 4th convocation under the mixed system.

The latest elections to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine took place March 31, 2002, with 225 chosen at single member constituencies based on relative majority, while the remaining 225 parliamentarians were voted for an office under the lists of deputies from political parties and election blocks at multi-member national constituency as proportional representation.

Structure of the Legislative Body

In Ukraine, unicameral Parliament has been established and it is adequate to the constitutional government of the country as a unitary state.

Four hundred and fifty deputies comprise the Verkhovna Rada, and they are elected by secret ballot for four-year term through the general, equal and direct suffrage.

The Head of the Verkhovna Rada is chosen by secret voting of the deputies. The Head then presides over the Parliament with two Deputies which are also elected by legislators balloting on the proposal. In their activity, the Head of the Verkhovna Rada and the Deputies are assisted by the appropriate Secretariats.

The principal special agencies of the Verkhovna Rada are the Committees that perform law drafting. This Committee is designated to be major elaborator of a certain bill or draft. This committee generalizes and classifies the proposals, amendments and conclusions of other Committees preparing them for consideration by the Vekhovna Rada.

Within the scope of its power, the Verkhovna Rada is authorized to form special interim commissions for the preparation of issues and preliminary considerations.

The Verkhovna Rada may form interim investigating commissions to look into the matters of public interest that are subject to no less that one third of the constitutional composition of body voting in its favor.

On behalf of the Verkhovna Rada the Accounting Chamber is formed to audit the state budget expenditures.

Deputies

People’s deputies discharge their duties on a permanent basis. They are not allowed to have other representation mandate or be in government service.

The delegated power of the people’s deputies of Ukraine starts from the moment of taking the loyalty oath to Ukraine. The refusal to swear entails losing a deputy’s mandate.

People’s deputies are ensured parliamentary immunity.

Delegated Powers and Activities

The power to initiate legislation belongs to the President, people’s deputies, Cabinet of Ministers and National Bank of Ukraine.

The Verkhovna Rada comes into representative power subject to the two thirds of its constitutional composition having been elected, and operates in sessions, which regularly start on the first Tuesdays in February and September. The decisions of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine are adopted exclusively during its plenary meetings through personal voting by the people’s deputies.

The Parliament of Ukraine begins its activity with electing the Head, the First Deputy and the Deputy of the Head of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. It also approves the list of Committees that perform lawmaking.

The President of Ukraine signs the Laws adopted by the Verkhovna Rada and has the right to veto them.

The basic powers and tasks of the Verkhovna Rada are to introduce amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine, call an all-Ukrainian referendum on a set range of issues, enact legislation, adopt the State budget of Ukraine, to determine the principles of domestic and foreign policies, and to appoint elections of the President of Ukraine. They also have to accept the nomination of a Prime Minister by the President of Ukraine, declare the state of war, affirm the President’s decisions on the use of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations, adopt the State programs of economic, scientific and technical, social and national-cultural development, preservation of the environment, etc.

On the motion of not less than one third of the parliament, the Verkhovna Rada may take into consideration giving the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine responsibility and adopting a non-confidence vote by its constitutional majority.

In fulsome detail, the activity of the Verkhovna Rada, is given in Chapter IV of the Constitution of Ukraine that regulates it, as well as on the official site of the Ukrainian parliament (www.rada.gov.ua).