Verkhovna Rada prepares for difficult fall session (09/10/00)

Verkhovna Rada prepares for difficult fall session

by Roman Woronowycz
Kyiv Press Bureau

KYIV - Ukraine's lawmakers are predicting a difficult but historic fall session for the Verkhovna Rada, one that, should it meet the targets set by the leadership, will considerably transform Ukraine's legal structure and the look of the legislative process as well.

"This session will be a very difficult but important session," said Leonid Kravchuk, one of the Parliament's leading lawmakers.

Mr. Kravchuk and 392 other members of a legislature that counts 445 national deputies returned to work on September 5, after a six-week summer recess.

They return to many of the matters they left behind in mid-July. This time, however, the aim is to resolve the problems and move forward. The lawmakers have set an ambitious agenda, which, among other things aims to pass several comprehensive packages that have remained stuck in the drafting or debating stages for several sessions. If passed, however, they would establish the foundation for a general legal framework for Ukraine. The packages include tax, land, criminal and civil codes. The bills are not only controversial but so complicated that many deputies had refused to vote on them because they are hard to comprehend.

The government has asked that the tax code become one of the first items that the reconvened Parliament addresses. Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ivan Pliusch read a statement by President Leonid Kuchma who asked that the lawmakers make adoption of a new tax code a priority. Mr. Kuchma noted that the current unfair, contradictory and vague tax laws on the books have led to a situation in which the government is owed 15 billion hrv.

The Yuschenko government and President Kuchma have called for a new tax code before the 2001 budget is presented to the Parliament. Without it, government leaders say they cannot accurately forecast next year's revenues.

During a press conference the day before the opening of the new session, Mr. Pliusch said it was unrealistic to expect that a new tax code would be approved before the lawmakers begin the final budget review process, which must begin by October 10 in accordance with Ukrainian law. He said the government should begin developing the new budget based on the old revenue collection data, not only because time is short but also because a majority of lawmakers do not see the necessity of waiting for a new code.

The budget, which the government is scheduled to submit by September 15, will be the first test of unity and strength for the majority coalition, which got the Parliament moving after two years of bitter feuding between politically polarized forces when it was formed at the beginning of this year. Although many politicians continue to believe that this year's budget process finally may move smoothly because domestic revenues have picked up considerably, there is reason to believe that difficult decisions will have to be made again.

The government recently announced it would ask ministers to make 5 percent cuts in their remaining 2000 budgets. The cuts are necessary because the government has failed to receive nearly $1.5 billion in international funding, chiefly from the International Monetary Fund, that it had budgeted into this year's financial plan. The move portends that the government will impose more cuts in the budget it presents to Parliament on September 15, which will displease many lawmakers.

After the budget issues are finally resolved, the lawmakers plan to turn their attention to what will indisputably cause the parliamentary cauldron to boil: implementation of the April national referendum. Mr. Pliusch downplayed any possible difficulties on getting a two-thirds majority (300 votes) to pass the second reading of the bill and amend the Constitution, which would remove lawmakers' immunity from criminal prosecution; reduce the number of parliamentary seats from the current 450 to 300, extend presidential power to dismiss the Rada and create a bicameral Parliament.

Mr. Pliusch said the national deputies must understand that they are not being asked whether they approve the changes to the Constitution - the voters decided that in April, he explained. The lawmakers are tasked merely with developing the instrument by which the changes will occur.

"The question is how to do it so that it will be done according to the letter of the law and so that there will be no complaints from the people, political leaders or European society," said Mr. Pliusch.

He added, however, that he doesn't believe a bicameral parliament will appear in Ukraine any time soon after it is approved because 38 separate statutes of the Constitution must be amended before the change can take place.

Mr. Pliusch said he believes that, while the upcoming session will be contentious, it will not be paralyzed by conflict as have other earlier ones. He did admit, however, that he could not entirely rule out that possibility. He also said that, while he believed that President Kuchma would stick to his word that he will not prematurely dismiss the Parliament before the March 2001 elections, that option remains.

"If we can't maintain a majority and the Parliament will not be able to carry out its primary functions, if it doesn't work, then these words could quickly change and something else could occur," said the Rada chairman.

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