Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has enacted the repeal of a number of laws passed by the Verkhovna Rada on January 16, according to a statement posted on the president's Web site on Friday.

As reported, the Verkhovna Rada Ukrainian at an extraordinary session on January 28 canceled nine laws adopted on January 16.

The MPs cancelled a law introducing amendments to the law on the judicial system and the status of judges and procedural laws regarding additional measures on protecting the safety of citizens, drafted by Party of Regions MPs Volodymyr Oliynyk and Vadym Kolesnichenko, as well as the law introducing amendments to the Verkhovna Rada's rules of procedure, which simplifies the procedure for granting consent for the criminal prosecution, detention or arrest of MPs who committed a crime.

In addition, they cancelled the law introducing penalties for administrative offenses in the field of road safety recorded automatically, the law on penalties for administrative violations committed during football matches, and the law introducing amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code concerning criminal proceedings in absentia.

The MPs also voted for the cancellation of the law on the exemption from criminal responsibility of participants in peaceful rallies that occurred from November 21 to December 26, 2013, the law introducing amendments to the law of Ukraine on free legal assistance regarding the postponement of the entry into force of the provisions of clause 6, section VI "Final and Transitional Provisions," and the law introducing penalties for the desecration of graves of World War II participants comes into force on the day following the day of its publication.

They also cancelled the law introducing amendments to the Tax Code regarding the exemption of natural gas imports to Ukraine from VAT, which was suspended in late 2013.

According to the president's Web site, Yanukovych also signed four bills the Verkhovna Rada adopted on January 28 to replace the repealed January 16 laws.

In particular, the president signed the law introducing amendments to Article 197 of the Tax Code of Ukraine regarding the exemption of natural gas imports to Ukraine from VAT, the law introducing amendments to the law of Ukraine on free legal assistance regarding the postponement of the entry into force of the provisions of clause 6, section VI "Final and Transitional Provisions," the law amending the Criminal Code in terms of the responsibility for the denial or justification of crimes committed by the Nazis and their henchmen, and the law introducing penalties for the desecration of graves of World War II participants.