Civil Network OPORA continues informing you about observation results of MPs' constituency activities. OPORA's observers are mostly focused on adherence to Law requirements concerning personal reception of citizens, their work in the district, functioning of receptions etc.
This report covers activities of three majoritarian MPs in Sumy oblast: Oleh Medunytsia (SMD #157), Oleksandrs Suhoniak (SMD #158), and Andrii Derkach (SMD #159).
MP Oleh Medunytsia has often visited the district in May and actively communicated with the voters. The MP participates in public events and cooperates with local self-government bodies and local state authorities. MP's public reception is duly functioning on a regular basis: Sumy citizens can file an appeal concerning their issues here, which are later sent to assistants to Oleh Medunytsia for further response. The MP is usually reporting on his parliamentary activities each month in the TV program Time for MPs (Deputatskyi Chas) broadcasted on Sumy Oblast State Television. On 25 May 2015, MP Oleh Medunytsia has published his appeal to the Prosecutor in Sumy oblast and Chief of Oblast Police Department demanding to reopen a criminal case concerning illegal disposal of pesticides in the city of Shostka in 2009–2010. In May 2015, MP Oleh Medunytsia has registered four draft laws developed in cooperation with other MPs. However, similarly to the previous months, he didn't file any parliamentary inquiries in May 2015. (You can find detailed information about the SMD #157 at: rada.oporaua.org)
MP Oleksandr Suhoniak wasn't very active in his constituency in May 2015. The MP was undergoing hospital treatment on the last week of May and, therefore, he didn't have any citizen reception days, and didn't participate in any public events. Addressing social protection of voters in his constituency, Oleksandr Suhoniak has applied to the President of Ukraine P. Poroshenko asking to verify the validity of new tariffs for housing and communal services. However, there is no other information about other attempts to solve local problems on the central level. As for his participation in public events, the MP was present on the opening of a Monument to the Victims of the Soviet Repressions on the Memory Day for Political Repression Victims in Sumy city on 17 May. As long as there were no considerable occasions for coverage in May, local media didn't provide any information about activities of the MP in Parliament or constituency. Only on his Facebook page, the MP aired his opinion on topical issues and bills. (You can find detailed information about the SMD #158 at: rada.oporaua.org)
Activities of MP Andrii Derkach in his constituency in May 2015 predominantly depended on the situation there. For example, he has paid 2 visits to the district: he has congratulated all war veterans and joined a hike organized by the Courage club on the eve of Victory Day; on 15 May, the MP visited the city of Shostka and Shostynskyi raion where he had personally assessed how the ecology was influenced by chemicals spilled on street roads on 30 April; he has also participated in a meeting of Shostka City Council. This very resonant incident stirred public activeness of the MP, and he applied to the President of Ukraine concerning a need to solve this problem. Local media have broadly covered public events participated by the MP and draft laws developed by him (including those demanding withdrawal of ministers). Thus, the voters were well informed about activities of the MP and his presence in the constituency. Functioning of MP's public receptions is well systematized: citizens can file an appeal concerning their issues here, which are later sent to assistant to Andrii Derkach for further response. However, the MP didn't hold any meetings with voters and didn't receive voters personally in May, what is contrary to the current legislation (a duty to receive voters personally on voter reception days scheduled by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine). (You can find detailed information about the SMD #159 at: rada.oporaua.org)