The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the 7th convocation (, ) was a convocation of the legislative branch of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's unicameral parliament. Its composition was based on the results of the 2012 parliamentary election. Half of the seats in the parliament were apportioned between the five winning parties based on the popular vote, while the other half was apportioned between 4 parties and 44 independents between 225 constituencies throughout the country. It first met in the capital Kyiv on December 12, 2012, and ended its session on November 27, 2014, after the 8th Verkhovna Rada began its first session.
Parliamentary work was virtually paralyzed the first months of 2013 because the opposition (UDAR, Fatherland, Freedom, others) blocked the podium and presidium seats on various days. According to a study conducted by Opora, deputies did not work for 53 days during the first hundred days in the 7th convocation.Study: MPs off for 53 days in first hundred days of current parliament, Interfax-Ukraine (22 March 2013)
Major events
December 2012 – February 2013 December 12, 2012. Election of presidium, establishing parliamentary factions, establishing and assigning of committee, PACE Ukraine delegation, other. December 13, 2012. Confirming on the Presidential appointment of Mykola Azarov as the Prime Minister of Ukraine February 5, 2013. Parliamentary 2nd session did not start as the "opposition" (UDAR, Fatherland, Freedom, others) blocked the podium (tribune) and presidium seats in the protest of Rybak's actions and it demanded an end to the practice of deputies voting for non-present colleagues. Interview of Rybak by the parliamentary television (РИБАК СКАЗАВ, ЩО РАДА ЗАПРАЦЮЄ 19 ЛЮТОГО). Ukrayinska Pravda. 2013-2-6Klitschko: Opposition won't unblock parliamentary rostrum until its demands are satisfied, Kyiv Post (6 February 2013)UDAR MPs spend night at parliament, still blocking presidium and rostrum, Kyiv Post (6 February 2013)Oppositionists block work of parliament, demand individual voting, Kyiv Post (5 February 2013) Parliament was unblocked on 22 February 2013 after procedural measures had been implemented to prevent multiple voting.Parliament unblocked after Yanukovych televised claim (UPDATED), Kyiv Post (22 February 2013)THE SECOND SESSION OF THE VERKHOVNA RADA OF UKRAINE OF THE SEVENTH CONVOCATION HAS OPENED, Verkhovna Rada (22 February 2013) February 8, 2013. The Higher Administrative Court of Ukraine deprived United Centre member Pavlo Baloha (at the time a member of the Party of Regions parliamentary faction) and independent Oleksandr Dombrovsky of their deputy seats.Higher Administrative Court deprives two MPs of deputy seats, Kyiv Post (9 February 2013) ВИЩИЙ СУД ПОЗБАВИВ МАНДАТІВ ДВОХ ДЕПУТАТІВ Superior Court denied MANDATES two deputies, Ukrayinska Pravda (8 February 2013) The Court had established that the results in single-member districts number 11 (Vinnytsia Oblast; Dombrovsky) and number 71 (Zakarpattia Oblast; Baloha) during the October 2012 Ukrainian parliamentary election had been "unreliable". В опозиції ініціюють звільнення суддів ВАСУ The opposition initiated dismissal Vasu, Den (11 February 2013)
March 2013-April 2013 March 5, 2013. The Higher Administrative Court of Ukraine stripped Andrey Verevskiy (Party of Regions) of his seat in parliament because he simultaneously was parliamentary deputy and headed a commercial entity.Court strips lawmaker Verevsky of his seat in parliament, Kyiv Post (5 March 2013) March 5, 2013. Members of Fatherland blocked the podium (tribune) and presidium seats in the protest of Chairman Rybak's inquiry to the Higher Administrative Court of Ukraine on depriving Serhiy Vlasenko (Fatherland) of his seat in parliament.Batkivschyna again blocks parliament's work, Interfax-Ukraine (5 March 2013) Parliament was unblocked on 19 March 2013.Opposition stops blocking parliament, plenary sitting begins, Interfax-Ukraine (19 March 2013) March 6, 2013. The Higher Administrative Court of Ukraine stripped Serhiy Vlasenko (Fatherland) of his seat in parliament because he practiced advocacy and was a people's deputy at the same time.Court deprives Vlasenko of parliamentary mandate, Interfax-Ukraine (6 March 2013) March 19, 2013. Party of Regions parliamentary leader Oleksandr Yefremov accused deputies from Svoboda of being neo-fascists after they booed a speech he made in Russian, which provoked a physical altercation to erupt between the two sides. March 29, 2013. Party of Regions members started to gather signatures for dismissal of Ruslan Koshulynsky from the position of parliamentary vice-speaker.Regions are collecting signatures for dismissal of the Svoboda's vice-speaker. Ukrayinska Pravda. March 29, 2013 According to one of the Party of Regions members, Inna Bohoslovska it is done due to the fact that Svoboda is a neo-fascist party.Party of Regions wants to fire Koshulynsky, because it considers him a neo-fascist. Ukrayinska Pravda. March 30, 2013 April 3, 2013. Parliamentary session did not start as the "opposition" (UDAR, Fatherland, Freedom, others) blocked the podium (tribune) and presidium seats; they had three demands:Opposition blocks speaker's rostrum, puts forward three demands , Ukrinform (3 April 2013)Opposition lawmakers block rostrum and presidium of VRU, UNIAN (3 April 2013) Calling mayoral elections in Kyiv Repealing pension reform Considering the resignation of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. April 4, 2013. With the blocking the podium (tribune) and presidium seats continuing pro-government legislators left the official parliament hall and voted to approve to routine pieces of legislation in a nearby building (6-8 vulytsia Bankova); according to them (chairman of parliamentary regulations committee and participants of the Bankova meeting) "the sitting of the parliament could be held in another place if legislators want".Opposition continues to block session hall of Verkhovna Rada, Interfax-Ukraine (4 April 2013)Regions Party to come to premises of Verkhovna Rada at Hrushevskoho Street on Friday, Interfax-Ukraine (4 April 2013)Parliamentary majority decides to hold session outside Verkhovna Rada, to vote showing hands, Interfax-Ukraine (4 April 2013) Party of Regions stated 244 deputies (in the 450-seat parliament) supported the move, but the opposition insists that number was 182. The last time the parliament split into two and held two sessions on two different premises was in 2000.Ukraine parliament moves building amid opposition blockade , GlobalPost (4 April 2013) One of the opposition leaders Oleh Tyahnybok pointed out to the fact that the decision to conduct a session beyond the premises of Verkhovna Rada building should be first adopted in the parliament building, citing the parliamentary regulations. Opposition also claimed that none of its representatives were allowed to attend the session at Bankova. Tyahnybok: Insurgents will be punished. YouTube Svoboda channelChuhunnikov: At the meeting Regionals and Communists there are only 169 deputies. UDAR YouTube channer. April 4, 2013. Batkivschyna legislators Oleh Kanivets, Vitaliy Nemylostyvy, Roman Stadniychuk and Ihor Skosar wrote statements to Verkhovna Rada Chairman Volodymyr Rybak with an applications to withdraw from the Batkivschyna faction. Later that day (only) Nemylostyvy and Stadniychuk confirm this while Kanivets and Skosar insisted that they are still the members of the Batkivschyna faction the press service of Batkivschyna party reported.MPs Nemylostyvy, Stadniychuk confirm their withdrawal from Batkivschyna faction, Interfax-Ukraine (4 April 2013)Three MPs revoke statements on quitting Batkivschyna, Interfax-Ukraine (4 April 2013) Again later that day Kanivets and Skosar released a manifesto statement they did made "the only possible decision – to leave the ranks of the faction" because (Batkivschyna faction leader)Ukraine's united opposition discussing formation of single party, Kyiv Post (7 December 2012)Five factions, including Communist Party, registered in parliament, Kyiv Post (12 December 2012) Arseniy Yatsenyuk "is leading to an intraparty split and is a politically corrupt man, who dreams of becoming a national leader."MPs Kanivets, Skosar say they quit Batkivschyna due to reluctance to participate in Yatseniuk's 'show', Interfax-Ukraine (4 April 2013) April 5, 2013. Parliament did not start its session, as it was still blocked; the next plenary session of the parliament is scheduled for April 16.Opposition leaves Rada session hall, Interfax-Ukraine (5 April 2013) April 11, 2013. Leaders of opposition factions, Yatsenyuk (Fatherland), Vitali Klitschko (UDAR) and Oleh Tyahnybok (Freedom) are due to appear in the Holosiyivsky District Court of Kyiv under a lawsuit filed by citizen Vira Ivanova due to the blocking of the Verkhovna Rada.Opposition leaders summoned to court due to blocking of parliament, Interfax-Ukraine (5 April 2013) Кличка, Яценюка і Тягнибока викликають до суду за блокування Klitschko, Yatsenuk and Tiagnybok summoned to court for blocking, Ukrayinska Pravda (5 April 2013)
June 2013 – September 2013 June 6, 2013. The opposition blocked the parliaments presidium seats until President Viktor Yanukovych reports his annual address to parliament personally in parliament (he had sent a written report). Опозиція заблокувала трибуну мінімум до понеділка The opposition blocked the rostrum until at least Monday, Ukrayinska Pravda (6 June 2013) Янукович з радістю прийшов би в Раду, якби не обструкція Yanukovych happy to come to Parliament, if not obstruction, Ukrayinska Pravda (6 June 2013) July 7, 2013. Pavlo Baloha and Oleksandr Dombrovsky mandates were officially cancelled., Ukrinform (3 July 2013) September 3, 2013 (opening session of the Verkhovna Rada after the summer recess). President Yanukovych urged parliament to adopt laws so that Ukraine will meet the European Union (EU) criteria so Ukraine and the EU can formally sign an Association Agreement in November 2013.Ukrainian president asks for laws to be passed to facilitate EU association agreement , Euronews (3 September 2013)Ukraine leader urges pro-Europe drive despite Kremlin pressure, Reuters (3 September 2013) September 5, 2013. The Verkhovna Rada itself set the date of the 7 re-elections to 15 December 2013.Rada schedules reelection in troubled districts for December 15, The Ukrainian Week (5 September 2013) September 12, 2013. The Higher Administrative Court of Ukraine deprived Rodina Party member Ihor Markov (at the time a member of the Party of Regions parliamentary faction) of his deputy seats.Court strips MP Ihor Markov of his mandate, Interfax-Ukraine (12 September 2013) The Court had established that the results in single-member districts number 133 (Odesa)Former deputy says pro-presidential party run by bullies, Kyiv Post (16 September 2013) had been "unreliable".
Leadership
The parliament's chairman, first deputy, and deputy are all unaffiliated people's deputies according to parliamentary procedure.