On March 15, Verkhovna Rada adopted over 20 bills on reducing fuel prices, directing excess profits from gas production to defense, supporting the National Police, and increasing the number of border guards. A new system of work of the parliament and the government and committees was built. All legislative initiatives are worked out in advance; Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk announced live at a briefing following the Verkhovna Rada session.
“There was Verkhovna Rada session… We considered 21 bills regulating social relations and life under martial law,” he announced.
According to the Chairman of Verkhovna Rada, some MPs came today to the parliament from the frontlines, but “there were about 340 members in the hall if I am not mistaken.”
The chairman thanked all the faction leaders because all decisions were made by the constitutional majority, from 330 to 340 votes.
According to him, Verkhovna Rada extended the martial law by 30 days and also passed economic laws for “the new system of filling the budget.”
One of the main bills “concerned lifting the excise tax and VAT from fuel” to reduce the prices. Also, the bill on “directing the excess profit from rent for gas on country’s defense” was passed. Also, the laws on “supporting the National Police and border service” were adopted.
"We have adopted a whole block of projects… Today, for the first time in the history of Ukraine's independence, we see a unique unity of parliament. Because we have built a system of parliamentary decision-making. Before the session, in 3-4-5 days, we work out together with the government and committees, legislative initiatives, which we unanimously agree to," he said.
Stefanchuk stressed that all legislative "initiatives as a basis and in general we accept in the hall. Everyone votes… Each bill receives a constitutional majority. This is a unique case of unity… Everyone has left their political views."
At the same time, the MP from “Holos” fraction, Yaroslav Zhelezniak, wrote on his Telegram that “during the war, we are not leaving the main building in the center of Kyiv. There were 345 MPs. All the fractions. As always, we started with the anthem.” Zhelezniak announced the voting results for each bill on the agenda:
№7168 - an extension of martial law in Ukraine. It lasts until April 25, 2022 (343 votes)
№7137d - additional tax incentives to support the business during the war. Including abolition of fuel taxation and introduction of preferential treatment for entrepreneurs (2% of turnover). Operates during martial law and state of emergency. In total, more than 40 novelties (340 votes)
№7151 - recognition of members of the territorial defense forces as war veterans (344 votes)
№7140-1 - simplification of the option of exemption from military service for persons with disabilities and persons caring for persons with disabilities and sick children (344 votes)
№6384-1 - specifics of budgeting of the judicial system (344 votes)
№7147 - specifics of activity and additional powers of the police in martial law (343 votes)
№7145 - consolidation of the concept of "combat immunity" - legal protection of military command, servicemen, territorial defense forces, law enforcement officers (344 votes)
№7149 - the possibility of revoking a restraint measure or individual’s detention for the conscription for military service (341 votes)
№7133 - state guarantees that under martial law, teachers are not fired; they are guaranteed salaries and other guarantees. There are also state guarantees for the organization of the educational process in the form that is safest for human life and health. Partial transfer of power from the Ministry of Education to the сivil–military administrations (341 votes)
№7143 - granting additional powers to the State Judicial Administration of Ukraine in the absence of the authorized staff of the Supreme Council of Justice (343 votes)
№7154 - suspension of enforcement actions collected by the Russian Federation or persons associated with the aggressor state (343 votes)
№7152 - the creation of backup copies of state information resources and information protection under martial law (345 votes)
№7130 - the law on military chaplaincy. It now enters into force effective immediately (340 votes)
№7144 - simplification of environmental legislation to eliminate the consequences of armed aggression and hostilities during and after martial law (345 votes)
№7161 - increase in the special period of the total number of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine by 7000 servicemen (344 votes)
№7166 - specifics of the government's management of the budget under martial law (345 votes)
№7167 - increase by 67 bn hryvniа military expenditures, redistribution of state guarantees within the limits of the state-guaranteed debt, and restriction of the use of the road fund (342 votes)
№7160 - liberalization of labor legislation under martial law (344 votes)
№7148 - an increase in the efficiency of criminal proceedings against cybercrime and other criminal offenses related to computer data (343 votes)
№7157 - the extension of the Law of Ukraine "On Ensuring the Rights and Freedoms of Citizens and the Legal Regime in the Temporarily Occupied Territory of Ukraine" to the territories which the Russian Federation temporarily occupied since the beginning of the war (341 votes)
№7038d - increase in rent for gas production during martial law and state of emergency (270 votes) "We also instructed (335 votes "for") the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada to immediately sign the adopted bills and send them to the President," the MP added.
The day before, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggested that the Verkhovna Rada extend the martial law for another 30 days from March 24. The bill stipulates that “the martial law in Ukraine is extended from 5.30 a.m. 26 March 2022 for a period of 30 days.”