Ukrainian parliament passes constitutional amendments on decentralization at first reading

13:26, 31.08.2015 1 min read

The Verkhovna Rada has passed the presidential bill on amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine on decentralization at first reading.

A draft resolution on the preliminary approval of the bill was supported by 265 out of the 368 MPs present in the session hall on Monday.

Verkhovna Rada Speaker Volodymyr Groysman closed the parliamentary session immediately after the resolution was adopted.

As reported, the adoption of constitutional amendments is envisaged in the Minsk agreements. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko put forward a bill on amending the constitution which foresees that the special procedure of local government in some areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions is to be defined by a separate law.

In the current session, which was not closed in July, the parliament needed 226 votes to pass the bill at first reading. Now, the Verkhovna Rada needs at least 300 votes for the final adoption of the bill on amendments to the constitution during the next session.