Today, the martial law introduced at the behest of Petro Poroshenko a month ago in ten regions of Ukraine has ceased to have effect.

From the very beginning, my fellow members of the party and the Opposition Bloc faction in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and I myself sharply criticized the martial law regime. We consider it as a PR-action of the President and as an attempt to cancel or postpone the 2019 presidential election in Ukraine.

Thanks to the perseverance and civic stance of MPs, including those from the Opposition Bloc, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine did not support Petro Poroshenko’s initial idea to impose martial law throughout the country for a period of 60 days, which in itself deprived the political technology of any meaning.

However, today, after 30 days and after the formal repeal of the martial law in certain regions of Ukraine, we demand from the President and the National Security and Defence Council a response to a number of questions that have arisen.

First, the authorities must report on what they have made to free the 24 sailors who have become hostages of big political games.

Secondly, the introduction of martial law provides for a set of measures aimed at protecting the territorial integrity of the country and enhancing its defence capability. How many real attempts of military aggression from the Russian Federation they managed to stop or prevent within the specified period?

Thirdly, to what extent was the country's defence capability improved, and in what forms is this expressed? Can we talk about strengthening the army through new weapons, new technologies and new ways of repelling possible aggression? Moreover, how much additional resources have been spent for the implementation of the martial law?

Fourthly, what are the economic consequences of the martial law? What losses did the state budget of Ukraine incur due to the decision of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine of 25 November 2018? How much have major budget revenue-generating companies lost? How much less currency earnings have been received and to what extent have the tax revenues to the budget decreased?

My colleagues and I demand the immediate creation of a Temporary Investigation Commission of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to receive answers to these and other questions, as well as to establish the truth regarding the events of 25-26 November, which led to the imposition of the martial law.

We assume that for the sake of sham games aimed at postponing the elections and raising the rating of Petro Poroshenko many officials went for abuse of office and official misconduct, for which they must be brought to account.

The Temporary Investigation Commission of the Verkhovna Rada should come clear in this process so that further on no one has any desire to use extreme methods of protecting the national interests for political purposes.