As of today, 88 MPs, have published lists of their assistant-consultants, and 16 have refused to provide such information. All the other haven't provided any feedback at all.
Civil Network OPORA has appealed to MPs requesting to publish lists of their assistants and indicate the form of their employment. OPORA is receiving answers with information about assistants for one month and a half.
In most cases, the rejection is based on the protection of personal data of assistants. Such reason was indicated in answers from Volodymyr Rybak (Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine), Yevhen Kartashov (Party of Regions), Vitalina Dzoz (Party of Regions), Ruslan Martsinkiv (Svoboda), Ivan Fursin (Party of Regions), Viktor Butkivskyi (Party of Regions), Mykola Katerynchuk (Fatherland), Yurii Boiarskyi (Party of Regions) and Yevhen Melnyk(Svoboda). Tetiana Donets has provided the number of her assistants, but hasn't given their name, referring to the fact that they didn't agree to share their personal information.
Behavior of Andrii Mokhnyk from the Svoboda faction was quite inconsequent. During interview with the TVi correspondent, the MP has kindly provided phone numbers of his two assistants in front of the camera. However, during the conversation on one of these numbers, the assistant of Mokhnyk has informed us, that she is not allowed to promulgate information about MP's assistants, as long as they haven't given their consent. At the same time, she has sent information about herself via e-mail. In response to OPORA's request, the MP has expressed gratitude for an appeal for collaboration in order to estimate efficiency of parliamentary activities. However, he has noticed: "...the will to draw the level of parliamentarism in Ukraine closer to international standards, particularly of MP's law-making activities, work in committees, commissions, factions, and with the voters, has nothing to do with gathering information about assistant-consultants, as long as it contradicts to the Law of Ukraine on the Protection of Personal Data."
Mykola Dzyha (the Party of Regions) has answered, that this information is confidential, and can't be provided in accordance with the Article 22 (1.2) of the Law of Ukraine on Access to Public Information. However, the MP has mentioned that the rejection may be appealed to the court according to the Code of Administrative Procedure of Ukraine.
Volodymyr Makieienko (the Party of Regions), Head of the Committee on Rules of Parliamentary Procedure, has in February answered by phone, that he has more important things to do, and is overloaded, because "it is quite difficult to work with Mr. Pyshnyi" (First Deputy head of this committee.
"Don't worry, we'll send you everything"
Bohdan Beniuk (Svoboda) has informed that he can't decide whether to share information about his assistants or not, and we should appeal to the party's political council with this request.
Another two members of the Party of Regions, Mykhailo Chechetov and Nestor Shufrych promised to answer the request and failed to keep their promise. First Deputy Head of the faction Chechetov has informed by phone: "Don't worry, we'll send you everything." And ended the call. The assistant of Nestor Shufrych has put a lot of questions regarding our purpose of gathering information, and even promised few times to provide the data. However, OPORA hasn't received the answer to request since February.
Civil Network OPORA hopes that MPs, which haven't answered our request to promulgate information about assistants, will follow the example of their colleagues which have provided such information. Non-publicity of information about assistants of parliamentary members cannot be considered acceptable practice.
Читати більше матеріалів на цю тему:
