OU-PSD proposes all MPs pay for damage done to parliament on April 27

The Our Ukraine-People's Self-Defense (OU-PSD) faction in parliament has proposed that all lawmakers jointly pay for the damage done to the property of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, at a plenary session on April 27, 2010.

The proposal is stipulated in the OU-PSD's draft memorandum on ensuring the requirements of the parliament's rules of procedure and norms of deputy ethics in the work of the Verkhovna Rada. OU-PSD proposed that the Verkhovna Rada's leadership and heads of all factions sign the memorandum.

"The collection of funds [to pay for the damage] should be organized through parliamentary factions, proportionally to the number of factions," the document says.

The proposed draft memorandum obliges the speaker, his deputies, and heads of parliamentary factions to ensure the observance by lawmakers of the requirements of deputies ethics, take measures to prevent non-parliamentary forms of political confrontation, and maintain a political dialog in a civilized manner according to the procedures set in the parliament's regulations.

On April 27, 2010, Ukrainian parliament ratified an agreement between Ukraine and Russia on the prolongation of the Russia's Black Sea Fleet basing in Ukraine.

The voting took place in the atmosphere of extreme tension in the session hall. When the plenary meeting began, eggs were hurled at the presidium, and Lytvyn had to take shelter under umbrellas. After that, several smoke bombs were set off in the hall and opposition and coalition MPs brawled in the parliament hall.