Parliament removes disgraced MP Yuriy Boyko from committee role
Source: Yaroslav Zheleznyak
On December 19, Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada voted to remove MP Yuriy Boyko from his position on the parliamentary committee for human rights, de-occupation, and reintegration of temporarily occupied territories after the lawmaker who is often called out over his past links to pro-Russian party and Victor Yanukovych.
While an initial vote on December 18 fell short of passing in the parliament, the second attempt garnered votes of 258 MPs, which was sufficient to have him removed despite some tepid reaction from the ruling party lawmakers one of whom even defended Boyko during the session, urging colleagues not to vote for his removal.
Boyko found himself in the center of a scandal earlier this week after a video on social media showed him railing against what he called “restrictions on people speaking Russian and attempt to tear down historical monuments”.
“Our radicals have followed the same path—tearing down monuments, renaming cities, banning people from speaking their native language, and preventing them from attending their chosen churches. This violence continues today,” said Boyko .
After his comments drew a public outrcy, he backtracked on his claims saying he was referring to Petro Poroshenko’s policies.
In response, the European Solidarity faction led by Poroshenko demanded Boyko and other MPs from the banned Opposition Platform—For Life (OPFL) party be stripped of their mandates.
Amendments to Ukraine’s enforcement proceedings legislation, initiated by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, have entered into force. Among other measures, the reform provides for the automated lifting of attachments on bank accounts immediately after debts in enforcement proceedings have been fully settled. The main practical benefit for citizens is the complete elimination of the need to contact an enforcement officer in person and wait for paper decisions once the debt has been paid.
The 157th Separate Mechanized Brigade has received another batch of supplies as part of Rinat Akhmetov’s Steel Front military initiative. This time, the military received seven quad bikes and four mobile shower and bath units.
In my previous column, I wrote about social innovations in Ukraine. Those innovations are part of civic resilience and the democratization of security, which Europe is paying close attention to right now. The EU is trying to work out how to spread responsibility for its own security across society as a whole, rather than leaving it to institutions alone. It is looking for concrete ways to bring ordinary people into the work of defense and resistance.
Petro Poroshenko’s lawyers have appealed to the High Anti-Corruption Court demanding that NABU be obligated to register proceedings regarding the fact of exerting influence on the court and to recognize Petro Poroshenko as a victim in the case of the Deputy Head of the Office of the President, Iryna Mudra, due to her pressure on Supreme Court judges who were considering a lawsuit to overturn sanctions.
Internationally recognized brands and financial institutions should direct capital to Ukraine now, not waiting for the hostilities to end. This was emphasized by Rinat Akhmetov, president of FC Shakhtar, during a working visit to UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, where he met with UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin.