MPs use Tymoshenko impasse for own purposes
CHESNO
While media attention was concentrated on the working group supposed to be drawing up a draft law enabling Yulia Tymoshenko to leave for medical treatment abroad, MPs took the opportunity to allocate themselves even more public money.
Serhiy Andrushkho, journalist and activist of the CHESNO civic movement, Serhiy Andrushko closely monitors the activities of MPs in various committees. He writes on Ukrainska Pravda that the MPs in the regulations committee allocated themselves an extra 5 million UAH for their trips until the end of 2013. They also added an extra 475 thousand UAH so that while waiting at airports they can stay in the official delegation lounges and avoid standing in queues with ordinary Ukrainians (the ones funding their activities).
Andrushko was the only journalist present at the committee meeting and was twice asked to leave. He notes that as of Nov 11 there was no information about the relevant committee meeting on Nov 5.
The regulations committee was the only parliamentary committee which did not provide a copy of the minutes when asked by CHESNO which monitors politicians’ adherence (or otherwise) to basic core democratic values. The latter clearly include transparency and openness.