Parliament moves on Association Agreement draft laws
On Thursday 5 September the Verkhovna Rada began consideration of a number of draft laws needed for the signing of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. It passed the first of the laws introduced by the Cabinet of Ministers on amendments to the Penal Code. Three other draft laws were passed in their first reading.
The law passed concerns prisoners. The law, on regulating certain issues to do with prisoners; conditions, was apparently a requirement (among many others still not enforced) for signing the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement.
The law on prisoners’ conditions finally regulates the issue of mobile telephones, as well as procedure for sending prisoners for medical treatment. Another important area is regulation of the granting of long-term visits, including in order to register marriage.
One of the bills passed in its first reading concerned customs tariffs.
MPs are scheduled to vote on 6 bills this week on the list of bills required for European integration. With the law passed on Thursday, as well as the resolution on scheduling the re-elections in problem areas, there was a considerable majority with both government and opposition MPs voting for the bills.
From the BBC Ukrainian Service’s report