The Verkhovna Rada and Legislation

[GingeOrCringe]

The Verkhovna Rada (Верхо́вна Ра́да Украї́ни, or just the Rada), is the unicameral parliament of Ukraine. As the sole legislative body, the Rada determines domestic and foreign policy, adopts laws, approves the state budget, designates presidential elections, appoints the Prime Minister and 1/3 of the Constitutional Court, and appoints or confirms other officials. It may introduce Constitutional amendments, impeach the president, declare war and peace, and ratify and denounce international treaties.

Legislation will be published here, along with a record of the votes.

 

[GingeOrCringe]

Ratification of the Resolution on International Diplomacy

A bill to ensure the Republic of Ukraine’s compliance with the Resolution on International Diplomacy passed 9/1996 by the Global Assembly, to ensure the safety and comfort of foreign diplomatic personnel within the Republic of Ukraine, and to foster friendly relations with other sovereign states.

The People of the Republic of Ukraine do enact as follows:​

Section 1) The Republic of Ukraine will hereby ratify the the Resolution on International Diplomacy passed 9/1996 by the Global Assembly, with the following amendments:

a) An amendment to “Article 5 Persona Non Grata, Subsection I” shall read as follows: Persona Non Grata have 48 hours, rather than the 24 hours designated by the Global Assembly, to leave the Republic of Ukraine once the Foreign Ministry (or equivalent) of their homeland has been informed. After this time (48 hours) expires, the Persona Non Grata no longer has diplomatic immunity.

b) An amendment to “Article 5 Persona Non Grata, Section b” shall read as follows: If the Republic of Ukraine declares five (5) people from the same state Persona Non Grata within a 24 hour period, then all subsequent individuals from that country who are declared Persona Non Grata within the next 24 hours shall be granted an additional 42 hours (a total of 64 hours) to be able to leave the Republic of Ukraine.

c) A new “Subsection b.” shall be added to "Article 1 Diplomatic Missions, Section 4” and it shall read as follows: The Republic of Ukraine shall require that building inspections be offered to all embassies every two (2) years. This is the responsibility of Ukraine’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development. Embassies have the right to deny entry for building inspectors. In the case of denied entry, inspectors must obtain written or electronic documentation that embassy personnel willfully refused the offer.

d) A new "Subsection d.” shall be added to “Article 1 Diplomatic Missions, Section 3,” it shall read as follows: The Republic of Ukraine shall require that fire-safety inspections be offered to all embassies every two (2) years. This is the responsibility of Ukraine’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development. Embassies have the right to deny access to fire-safety inspectors. In the case of denied entry, inspectors must obtain written or electronic documentation that embassy personnel willfully refused the offer.

Section 2: This bill is effective upon passage and approval by the Verkohna Rada.

Voting Record​

382 Yay
40 Nay
28 Abstain or Absent

Bill has passed.

 

[GingeOrCringe]

Private/Encrypted

A closed session would be held to discuss the Temporary Emergency Admittance Agreement. With Romanian aggression already thwarted, many argued 'nay.' Others who were in favor of greater military cooperation with Russia voted against the TEA Agreement as it stood. Any future contract, they argued, would require more detail and more opportunity to propose amendments. The narrow window to debate and vote was what ultimately killed the bill.

Notable 'yay' votes included Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych and Peoples Deputy Borys Dotsenko (the only member of the Verkhovna Rada defense committee who remained in favor). Peoples Deputy Serhiy Azarov and Peoples Deputy Stanislav Turchynov, both originally from Donbas, composed the other two 'yay' votes.

All 26 Peoples Deputies of the communist party remained absent, as did one member of the Tymoshenko Bloc, Pavlo Salamatin. He was reportedly out with flu like symptoms, but in reality he simply did not feel like going into work.

Temporary Emergency Admittance Agreement​

Purpose:

Considering the present and active offenses of Romanian aggression; Considering Romanian threats of violence and cultural eradication against the Moldovan people; Considering Romanian threats of violence against the people of Ukraine; Given the mutual bond of fraternal fealty between the Russian and Ukrainian peoples; Given the responsibility of each country to preserve the peace in East Slavia as well as the rest of the world, the Russian Federation and Republic of Ukraine agree as follows:

Implementation:

Article 1
Armed-forces units under the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation will be granted admittance into the Republic of Ukraine in order to subdue Romanian hostilities. Russian armed forces will be allowed in Ukraine for up to twelve (12) days unless the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approves additional time allowances.

Article 2 A
Under this agreement, Russian military personnel shall be permitted to travel through the Republic of Ukraine unharassed. The Russian Federation shall not target, attack, or otherwise harm Ukrainian institutions or Ukrainian persons.

Article 2 B
Ukrainian law enforcement agencies shall inform the proper Russian authorities present if a member of the Russian military has or is suspected of committing a crime beyond their deployment site. The Russian Federation shall assist in the suspect’s arrest. In turn, Ukrainian law enforcement shall provide assistance in the arrest of persons who have committed a crime or who are suspected of committing a crime against Russian military personnel who are temporarily located within Ukraine.

Article 3
The Republic of Ukraine shall offer and make available the use of its state hospitals, should Russian military personnel require medical aid and comfort.

Article 4
The Russian Federation recognizes the right of the Republic of Ukraine to expel foreign armed-forces from its borders at anytime.

Article 5 A
Both the Republic of Ukraine and the Russian Federation agree to enter talks for a permanent non-aggression pact and mutual defense treaty within six (6) months from the signing of this temporary agreement.

Article 5 B
The Republic of Ukraine will submit this temporary emergency admittance agreement to the Verkhovna Rada within three (3) days. Within nine (9) days of the signing of this treaty the Verkhovna Rada will vote to approve or reject the agreement. The Verkhovna Rada may introduce reasonable amendments to said agreement. The Russian Federation will be notified of the bill's progress.

Article 6 A
The Russian Federation shall keep the Republic of Ukraine informed on military operations and activity within the Republic of Ukraine's borders. The Russian Federation recognizes the Republic of Ukraine's right to assign Ukrainian officers to Russian military units within Ukraine's borders for oversight. The Republic of Ukraine recognizes Ukrainian officers hold no command over Russian military personnel, except in the case of violations of Ukrainian law within Ukraine's borders.

Article 6 B
Article 6 A of this document shall be clarified further by the Verkhovna Rada. Russian and Ukrainian authorities agree to work together to address any violations of Ukrainian law should they be committed by Russian military personnel.

Enforcement:

Article 6
The parties agree to convene and discuss any perceived violations of this document with each other as the first step for enforcement. The parties agree that this document will be enforceable with the International Court of Justice. The parties agree that violations of this document found by the International Court of Justice will result in a $5,000,000,000 fine penalty payable by the offender to the harmed party.

Legality:

Article 7
The Russian Federation and the Republic of Ukraine hereby bind themselves to the terms of this document. Each signatory asserts that they have the authority under the laws of their state to sign this document and to enforce it.

Voting Record​

4 Yay
417 Nay
27 Abstained or Absent

Bill Rejected, August 1997.

 

[GingeOrCringe]

Youth Alcohol and Drug Use Response Act​

Purpose
Given the prevalence of alcohol and drug use in the Republic of Ukraine, given the need to protect and assist individuals suffering from alcoholism and/or drug addiction, given the high percentage of crimes which are committed by individuals under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, and given the need to protect and assist individuals who are most vulnerable in our society—including minors and children—the Verkhovna Rada of the Republic of Ukraine hereby enacts the following points as national law:

Section 1: Medical Amnesty in the Case of Alcohol Consumption
I. Medical amnesty provides an exemption from prosecution for the following:

II. A minor (under the age of 18) who, after consuming alcohol, voluntarily presents themselves to a health facility or agency for treatment or observation, including but not limited to medical examination and treatment for any condition as a result of sexual assault.

III. Any minor (under the age of 18) who accompanied an individual who, after consuming alcohol, voluntarily presented themselves to a health facility or agency for treatment or observation, including but not limited to medical examination and treatment for any condition as a result of sexual assault.

IV. Any minor (under the age of 18) who initiated contact with law enforcement or emergency medical services personnel for the purpose of obtaining medical assistance in connection with a legitimate health care concern.

Section 2: Medical Amnesty in the Case of Drug Consumption
I. The medical amnesty law provides an exemption from prosecution for the following:

II. Any individual who voluntarily seeks medical assistance for themselves as a result of an overdose of any controlled or illicit substance, including a prescription drug when the amount of the drug possessed is sufficient only for personal use.

III. Any individual who accompanies or procures medical assistance for another individual as a result of an overdose of any controlled or illicit substance, including a prescription drug when the amount of the drug possessed is sufficient only for personal use.

IV. Any individual who as a result of an overdose of any controlled or illicit substance, including a prescription drug when the amount of the drug possessed is sufficient only for personal use, is presented for medical assistance by a third party.

Section 3: Alcohol Consumption on the Campuses of State Owned Schools
I. Alcohol consumption within the dormitories of state owned schools is prohibited.

II. The consumption of drinks containing 36% alcohol by volume or greater on the campus of state owned schools is prohibited.

III. The consumption of drinks containing 20% alcohol by volume or greater on the campus of state owned schools by undergraduate students is prohibited.

IV. State owned schools are required to include information on the Youth Alcohol and Drug Use Response Act in their student orientation programs.

Voting Record​

217 Yay
104 Nay
32 Abstained or Absent

Bill passed, September 1997.

​

 

[GingeOrCringe]

Federal Rehabilitation Center Funding Grants and Anti-Drunk Driving Campaign​

Purpose
Given the prevalence of alcohol and drug use in the Republic of Ukraine, given the need to protect and assist individuals suffering from alcoholism and/or drug addiction, given the high percentage of crimes which are committed by individuals under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, the Verkhovna Rada of the Republic of Ukraine hereby enacts the following points as national law:

Section 1: Funding for Rehabilitation Centers
I. Special grants will be distributed for the improvement and funding of non-government owned alcohol and drug rehabilitation centers. The grants available will add up to a total of $700,000,000 USD and be distributed to rehabilitation centers which meet all the following requirements:

A. Rehabilitation centers must have at least one (1) medical doctor employed and present on the premise of their establishment while patients are present. Rehabilitation centers must have a ratio of at least one (1) registered nurse per every ten (10) patients. Rehabilitation centers must have a ratio of at least one (1) certified psychologist or more per every twelve (12) patients.

B. Rehabilitation centers with in-patient programs must meet the same health and safety standards set forth for medical facilities under Ukrainian law.

C. Rehabilitation centers who provide free or discounted treatment to military personnel, military veterans, and immediate family (parents, children, spouse, and siblings) and dependents of active military personnel.

D. The money from these grants must go directly towards patient care. Rehabilitation centers may only apply once a year for these grants.

II. Grants will be provided primarily to rehabilitation centers who provide free or discounted treatment for patients at or below the poverty line.

III. The $700,000,000 USD will be distributed within the 1997 calendar year. Another $700,000,000 USD may be distributed within 1998 or future years according to the discretion of the Verkhovna Rada

Section 2: Rehabilitation in Prisons
I. A total of $500,000,000 USD will be distributed to prisons in the cities of Kyiv, Odessa, and Kharkiv to provide alcohol and substance abuse recovery programs to inmates so that they might improve their lives upon their release from prison and abstain from reoffending.

II. Prison substance and alcohol recovery programs must have at least one (1) medical doctor or more available for every twenty-five (25) inmates in the program. These doctors must be available to inmates at least four (4) days out of the week. At least one (1) certified psychologist must be available for every twenty-five (25) inmates at least four (4) days of the week. Grant money must go directly towards patient care.

III. The $500,000,000 USD will be distributed within the 1997 calendar year. Another $500,000,000 USD may be distributed within 1998 or future years according to the discretion of the Verkhovna Rada.

Section 3: Advertisement and Knowledge Distribution Campaign
I. $2,500,000 USD will be designated for the design and distribution of anti-drunk driving materials.

II. All liquor stores, bars, and alcohol serving establishments must have the phone numbers for local taxi-cab companies listed for patrons and prominently displayed on or near establishment exits.

III. A total of $4,000,000 USD will be offered to taxi companies in the cities of Kyiv, Odessa, Kharkiv, and Lviv that offer free rides home on Christmas and Independence Day of 1997, and New Years of 1997-1998.

Voting Record​

221 Yay
100 Nay
32 Abstained or Absent

Bill passed, September 1997.