The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has resumed its work after being blocked for 3 weeks. After long negotiations between leaders of factions and few minutes after the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych has informed that the Rada is unblocked in the live television program Dialogue with the Country, opposition factions have unblocked the speaker's rostrum and presidium of Ukrainian parliament.
As a result of negotiations, regulations concerning personal voting standards in the Law of Ukraine "On the rules of procedure of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine" were amended. Leaders of the factions have agreed, that the VRU head shall announce the list of all absent MPs during the opening of a plenary sitting, and in case non-personal voting is detected, the card of absent MP should be removed and the voting is to be repeated. It was also announced, that the Parliament is going to order a new voting system developed by specialists, which will fully secure personal voting standards.
After the UDAR and the Fatherland parties have unblocked the rostrum and presidium, Volodymyr Rybak has opened the II session of the Verkhovna Rada of the VII convocation, and announced names of all absent MPs. The agenda included two issued to be considered: amendments to the rules of procedure and the statement on the European integration of Ukraine. After these issues were considered, the VRU Head has closed the sitting.
The Head of the Party of Regions Oleksandr Yefremov has informed during his briefing: "I don't understand what for they needed to block the Rada. The Party of Regions proposed a similar decision on the very first day the parliament was blocked." Mr. Yefremov also emphasized, that certain amendments have already been introduced to the rules of procedure of the parliament, which provide sanctions for neglect of duty by MPs and for blocking the rostrum, including deprivation of mandate for similar offenses.
Opposition leaders Arsenii Yatseniuk, Oleh Tiahnybok and Vitalii Klychko declared that it was a victory of the opposition and all Ukrainian people. "We made the government reckon with the opposition – for the first time in the history of Ukrainian parliamentarism. It's a little step towards the victory", – said Vitalii Klychko. Oleh Tiahnybok has stated: "It's not the best alternative, but we are on our way to the victory".
