MP Names the Main Failure of the Verkhovna Rada over 35 Years of Independence

Over nine convocations, the Verkhovna Rada has not been able to implement an effective judicial reform in Ukraine. Member of Parliament Serhiy Sobolev, who has worked in the parliament since the very first convocation, called this the main failure of the Rada in the years of independence.

Sobolev spoke about this in an interview with Hlavkom.

The deputy noted that each convocation of the parliament left its mark on the country’s history. He assigns special significance to the Verkhovna Rada of the first convocation, which adopted decisions that laid the foundation for an independent Ukrainian state.

Among them, Sobolev highlighted the Declaration of State Sovereignty and the Act of Proclamation of Ukraine’s Independence. He called these documents the defining results of that parliament’s work.

According to the deputy, important state-building decisions were also made by the Verkhovna Rada of the second convocation. He attributed to its main achievements the adoption of the Constitution of Ukraine, the creation of its own Armed Forces, and the introduction of a national currency.

However, one task remained unresolved throughout all nine convocations: the creation of an effective system of justice.

“In my view, the complete failure of nine convocations is the lack of an effective judicial reform in Ukraine. If I’m not mistaken, over the last 35 years, lawmakers have passed as many as five judicial reforms!” Sobolev said.

The deputy also recalled Rada decisions that he evaluates negatively. In particular, he drew attention to a number of votes of the first convocation made under the influence of the so-called “Group 239” — the parliamentary majority, the backbone of which was the Communists.

Sobolev separately assessed the work of the current, ninth convocation of the Verkhovna Rada. In his view, it may hold a special place in the history of Ukrainian parliamentarism thanks to changes in electoral legislation.

One of the most progressive decisions of this convocation, the deputy considers the law on open electoral lists. In his view, electoral legislation may become one of the main results of the current parliament’s work.