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Today, the rate of representation by parliamentarians is approximately 10 MPs per 1 million Ukrainians, while in European countries it stands higher: 14 – in France, 15 – in Poland, 16 – in Italy etc. In addition, the quantitative composition of the Ukrainian parliament (450 MPs) is also far from the highest rate compared to neighbouring countries.

The goal of saving budget funds is, of course, a noble one. However, I believe that the primary task of the parliament as a representative body is to maintain access of the Ukrainian people to governing of the state. Especially in the context of unreasonably high salaries of executive officials and officials of state-run enterprises.

In my opinion, before making amendments to the Constitution, it would also be necessary to cut the minimum number of MPs required for a constitutional representation or constitutional appeal. Otherwise, it will be much more difficult to collect 45 signatures of parliamentarians with a one and a half times fewer number of MPs in the downsized Verkhovna Rada, which means that our voters will be limited in their rights.

In the sixth year of the armed conflict, when tens of millions of Ukrainians are waiting for decisions from the parliament for termination of the war and getting out of poverty, the Verkhovna Rada is busy with overtly lobbist draft laws, which is unacceptable for a civilized state.

On Thursday, again without prior discussion, the parliament supported in the first reading draft law No. 2285-d "On state regulation of activities in the organization and conduct of gambling."

What do we, as a country, show to the world with such a decision? That the income of casino owners is more important for us than overcoming the humanitarian crisis and restoring our state sovereignty.

In a situation where 80% of citizens consider the war and poverty to be their main troubles and expect the authorities to focus on solving these particular problems, and where only 11% of Ukrainians support the legalization of gambling, the authorities must give an answer to society why their priorities are so radically far from public demands.

Today, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the new edition of the Law "On Complete General Secondary Education" in its second reading. The Law again failed to implement the recommendations of the Venice Commission, although the government promised to take them into account. At the same time, the Law reproduces the provisions on the language of studies, which earlier elicited criticism of the Council of Europe.

Now only the peoples named the indigenous ones in the draft Law, primarily the Crimean Tatars, will be able to receive full secondary education in their native language. National minorities whose languages are the official languages of the EU will be able to study in their native language from 20 to 60% of the education period.

Yet, Russian-speaking and bilingual Ukrainians will find themselves in the most difficult situation: they, along with Russians, are said to be equal to “other national minorities” and will be able to study Russian in schools only within 20% of the study time. It is precisely this discrimination that the Venice Commission drew attention to.
 

The expiring 2019 was a year of new hopes for all of us. Firstly, because the “party of war", which had been keeping Ukraine hostage to its voluntaristic, nationalistic policy of hostility and theft for five years, suffered a crushing defeat in the presidential and parliamentary elections. And secondly, the peace-building process finally moved forward from the dead centre. We received a real chance for peace and the return of the Donbas to Ukraine.

The Normandy Summit (between Ukraine, France, Germany and Russia) in Paris on 9 December 2019 is an important turning point. The four leaders agreed on the implementation of the Minsk Agreements and put their signatures under the Normandy Group's general communiqué, the first document of the Group for the years of the war. Thus, all the clauses of these agreements have been re-confirmed and legitimized once again. It also means that the signatories of the Paris Communiqué not only declare, but also take their personal responsibility, on behalf of their states and peoples, for the establishment of peace in Ukraine. Such a result of the Paris negotiations is an undoubted success for each participant, and for all the countries. In addition, it is a personal success of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who fulfils the will of millions of citizens of Ukraine – the will to peace.