The current authorities continue to ignore their duty to protect Ukraine from the armed aggression. This was stated during a speech from the rostrum of the Verkhovna Rada by the chairman of the UKROP political council, MP Taras Batenko.
“During the fourth year of aggression of the Russian Federation, our authorities continue to stubbornly ignore their constitutional duty to protect Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. They offer to the society half-measures and PR-actions instead of concrete decisions,” stressed the parliamentarian.
In the opinion of the MP, one of the effective mechanisms for protection of Ukraine could be the draft law No. 7163 “On the peculiarities of state policy on ensuring Ukraine’s state sovereignty over the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions”.
During preparation for the second reading a number of important amendments were made to the document. In particular, the UKROP’s proposal on abolition of the Law “On creation of a free economic zone “Crimea” and on the peculiarities of economic activity in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine” was taken into account.
Besides the provision on criminal liability of the participants of the armed aggression against Ukraine was included in the draft law, and this also meets the position of the “Ukrainian Association of Patriots”.
In addition, during finalization the first article of the document, which contains political and legal assessment of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation and its participation in the occupation administrations, was specified. And the obligations of the invader country and part of the rights of Ukrainian citizens become more detailed.
However the bill may hurt parliamentarism, considers Taras Batenko. On the one hand, the document essentially restricts the rights of the Verkhovna Rada, and on the other hand – it significantly broadens the opportunities of the president and partly of the executive branch of government.
“The wide rights and opportunities, given to the president bypassing the Constitution, may be used not only for the purpose of organizing defense and countering the armed aggression, but also for interfering in political processes in the country and for mass violations of human rights,” stressed the UKROP member.
According to him, the relevant provision should be excluded from the bill on de-occupation.
In addition, UKROP demands to prohibit trade with ORDLO and provide for the same approaches of the state to the occupied territories of Donetsk, Luhansk regions and to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.
Besides, the main amendment of UKROP regarding the rupture of diplomatic relations with the aggressor should be also taken into account in the document.
“If the MPs support these amendments, we are ready to vote for it. But if they are rejected, we do not intend to vote for unprincipled legislative initiatives of the authorities, which cannot change the situation either on the frontline or in the state as a whole,” summed up Taras Batenko.
