The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk took part in the forum ‘Ukraine 2024. Independence’ forum.
During the event, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk focused primarily on the decisions adopted by the Ukrainian Parliament and the areas that will be given attention in the future.
“In 2024, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted, in particular, laws on improving the work of the BES of Ukraine and on lobbying, on simplifying the procedure for granting persons the status of combatants and on restoring them to their former military rank during martial law, on the use of English in Ukraine and on protecting the constitutional order in the field of religious organisations,” said Ruslan Stefanchuk.
He added that this year, the vast majority of laws were adopted, most of which concerned the most important areas of the country's life, including assistance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, economic and budgetary processes, support for the social sphere, and European integration.
At the same time, the Speaker of the Parliament of Ukraine noted that from the beginning of September, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine will be immersed in the budget process. The Parliament also faces the task of adopting European integration bills.
“A separate area is the consolidation of the international parliamentary community in defending Ukraine against the aggressor and ensuring further defence, financial and political assistance,’ said the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, adding that in this regard it is important to expand the geography of parliamentary diplomacy and cooperate with the countries of the Global South.
The Speaker of the Parliament of Ukraine also emphasised the importance of parliamentary support for the implementation of the Peace Formula of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi. In particular, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is concerned with the fifth point of the Formula – the implementation of the UN Charter and the restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity and world order. “We are doing everything to unite the world parliamentarism around the implementation. We will continue to do so at the next inter-parliamentary meetings,” said Ruslan Stefanchuk.
In addition, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine noted the importance of continuing another initiative of the President of Ukraine – the work of the International Crimea Platform. He noted that this year the Third Parliamentary Summit of the International Crimea Platform will be held: “The interest in Ukraine continues to be extremely high, and Ukraine will exercise its rights under the UN Charter.”
According to Ruslan Stefanchuk, another important issue that the Parliament of Ukraine has taken on is the recognition of the Holodomor as genocide against the Ukrainian people by the parliaments of other countries. He informed that in a little over a year, the number of parliaments that have adopted this decision has more than doubled: “We will continue to do this in order to bring to the general level with appropriate legal decisions against those who committed this crime against Ukraine.”
Finally, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine focused on cooperation with the European Parliament. In particular, an agreement was signed last year with the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, which, among other things, provides for the opening of branches of the European Parliament's representation in Ukraine. “And also, the opening of a representative office of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in the European Parliament to further synchronise our approaches. After all, it is the Parliament of Ukraine that has a very big responsibility in terms of adopting relevant legislation, synchronising and adapting Ukrainian legislation to the European one.”