Deputies of the civil party “Pora” appeal to all deputies of local councils with a proposal to voluntarily renounce the additional rights acquired in connection with the signing of the law “On Amendments to the Law ‘On the Status of Deputies of Local Councils’,” which forgives the granting of immunity to deputies of all levels. This was reported on Monday at a press conference by Andriy Yusov, a member of the political council of “Pora,” according to a correspondent of «proUA».
Yusov noted that as of today, three members of “Pora” who are deputies of city councils in several regions have written statements addressed to President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko stating that they publicly renounce the immunity acquired in connection with the signing of the corresponding law. These are Lviv City Council deputy Vitaliy Zahalny, Cherkasy City Council deputy Pavlo Karas, and Lutsk City Council deputy Anton Sosnovsky.
At the same time, Yusov emphasized that the renunciation of deputy immunity by the three above-mentioned deputies is only the “beginning of a campaign.” He noted that as of today, 300 people who belong to “Pora” are deputies of various levels. Yusov assured that throughout Ukraine, members of the “Pora” party who are deputies of the respective councils will write statements renouncing immunity.
Yusov noted that the signed law will lead to the practical “degradation of state power and local self-government through the dominance of corruption and the virtual absence of mechanisms to combat it.” In addition, according to him, there is a threat that people with criminal backgrounds will enter local self-government bodies and will hide behind deputy immunity.
According to him, as of today, according to “Pora” information, former head of the Central Election Commission Serhiy Kivalov is holding talks with the “Regions of Ukraine” party to head the list of this party in the 2006 elections to the Odesa city council. This information will be verified by members of “Pora” in the near future.
In addition, according to Yusov, as of today, thanks to the signed law, people accused of corruption will avoid responsibility. In particular, this is former Odesa mayor Ruslan Bodelan, who is currently a city council deputy, as well as former head of the Zakarpattia regional state administration Ivan Rizak. Yusov also noted that today, in connection with the signing of the law, it would be possible to “disband the police and leave only the juvenile affairs department, since only they do not have the right to run for office.”
As Yusov reported, “Pora” will exert “public pressure” on the Verkhovna Rada so that it adopts a decision to repeal the previously adopted law. In turn, member of the political council of “Pora” Yevhen Zolotaryov noted that throughout Ukraine, party tents will be set up where citizens’ signatures will be collected for the abolition of deputy immunity.