Verkhovna Rada Chairman Volodymyr Rybak opened a parliament meeting on Tuesday morning despite the blocked rostrum and presidium.

A total of 256 lawmakers registered for the meeting.

The speaker said in the session hall that most MPs wanted to work. Rybak also said that the draft state budget for 2014 was to be considered in parliament on Thursday, December 19.

"We will consider the draft state budget for 2014 in the session hall on Thursday," he added.

He said that before considering the draft state budget, he would offer MPs a draft resolution on the review of the draft budget under a shortened procedure.

Rybak said that there had already been a case in the history of the Ukrainian parliament when the budget was adopted under a shortened procedure.

"That happened when Arseniy Yatseniuk served as Verkhovna Rada chairman," he said.

Rybak then closed the parliament meeting.