Cassettes Hamper Lawmaking

Ukraine could have come closer to the European Union and stated that its legislative system complied with European legal standards had it not been for the political scandal, which has hindered parliament from passing some important strategic legislative codes, First Deputy Speaker of Verkhovna Rada Viktor Medvedchuk, said on December 28 when receiving a European Business Association delegation. An UNIAN correspondent quotes Mr. Medvedchuk as saying that the people’s deputies failed to pass a series of important laws scheduled for December 2000 and January 2001 because of the political turmoil raised by the cassette scandal and Heorhy Gongadze case.

Mr. Medvedchuk considers that parliament has come back to normal lawmaking, which is evidenced by the passage of over 60% of the bills agreed upon. In his view, “the reform parliament has restored its effectiveness and begins to work in a normal legal way.” The vice speaker is convinced that the people’s deputies will display sufficient wisdom to pass the strategic laws before the next parliamentary elections in March 2002.