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140-709: The cabinet was formed as part of the "Stability and Reform" coalition between the Party of Regions , Lytvyn Bloc and the Communist Party of Ukraine in the Verkhovna Rada , Ukraine 's parliament. The government was led by prime minister Mykola Azarov , who succeeded the ousted second Tymoshenko government led by ex-prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko . The Azarov government worked in cooperation with President Yanukovych. A November 2010 Razumkov Centre nationwide survey showed that only 13.2 percent of respondents fully supported

280-659: A letter to the Polish Sejm asking to recognize the Volhynian tragedy as a genocide. A total of 119 of those parliamentarians were members of Party of Regions, while other 23 were from the Communist Party of Ukraine . From November 2013, protests against Yanukovych's rule evolved into the largest democratic mass movement in Europe since 1989, known as Euromaidan which led to the Revolution of Dignity . Two main goals of Euromaidan were

420-492: A "Ministry of Science, Technologies and Innovation of Ukraine". On June 2, 2010, deputy-minister of Environmental Protection Bogdan Presner was sacked for accepting a bribe of $ 200,000 (he was sentenced to nine years in prison in October 2011). On June 17, 2010, Minister on Communal Living Oleksandr Popov (Party of Regions) was replaced by Yuriy Hivrich. On July 2, 2010, Minister of Environmental Protection Viktor Boyko (Bloc Lytvyn)

560-562: A 'multi-lingual talking shop'." Its development since its foundation shows how the European Union 's structures have evolved without a clear 'master plan'. Tom Reid of The Washington Post has said of the union that "nobody would have deliberately designed a government as complex and as redundant as the EU". Even the Parliament's three working locations , which have switched several times, are

700-548: A President or his Commission, but the threat to do so has produced concessions to Parliament on the Commission's composition or on policy commitments. As described above, when the Barroso Commission was put forward, the Parliament forced the proposal to be withdrawn and changed to be more acceptable to Parliament. That pressure was seen as an important sign by some of the evolving nature of the Parliament and its ability to make

840-548: A coalition violated the Ukrainian Constitution , former Minister of Internal Affairs Yuriy Lutsenko accused Yanukovych of "trying to buy members of parliament for a new coalition" ( President Viktor Yanukovych accused Lutsenko of badly handling the affairs at the Ministry of Internal Affairs before appointing Anatolii Mohyliov to Lutsenko's old position.) and Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc lawmaker Serhiy Mishchenko stated "that

980-559: A collaboration agreement in 2005 with Russia 's " United Russia ". American consultant Paul J. Manafort has advised the party and Yanukovych since 2005. In the parliamentary elections held on 26 March 2006, the party gained 32.14% of votes and won 186 (out of 450) seats in the Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian Parliament), forming the largest parliamentary group. On 6 July 2006, the Socialist Party of Ukraine abandoned

1120-772: A delegation from the European Parliament "If the decision of the Constitutional Court will be that the coalition was formed illegally, then I will take a decision on a snap election , I will never go down the path of breaching the constitution that is in force". The Constitutional Court reviewing the case late March 2010. On urgent matters the court rules within weeks but on matters deemed less urgent it can take months or even longer. On March 29, 2010, former premier and Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc leader Yulia Tymoshenko accused "Representatives of Yanukovych" of trying to bribe and blackmail Constitutional Court judges in order to get

1260-464: A great deal of indirect influence, through non-binding resolutions and committee hearings , as a "pan-European soapbox " with the ear of thousands of Brussels-based journalists . There is also an indirect effect on foreign policy ; the Parliament must approve all development grants, including those overseas. For example, the support for post-war Iraq reconstruction, or incentives for the cessation of Iranian nuclear development , must be supported by

1400-621: A merger of United Centre with the Party of Regions in March 2012. In October 2011 a cooperation agreement was signed in Astana between the Kazakhstani Nur Otan and the Party of Regions. In late 2011, the party's popularity dropped in opinion polls below 20%, mainly because the party was losing votes to the Communist Party of Ukraine . In April 2012, the top PR consultancy Burson-Marsteller

1540-668: A minister in this Cabinet. Mykola Zlochevsky was dismissed from the post of Ecology and Natural Resources Minister and appointed as the deputy secretary of the National Security and Defense Council on 20 April 2012. Eduard Stavytsky was appointed the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources on April 20, 2012. Mykola Azarov introduced the new minister to the Cabinet on April 23, 2012. On 20 November 2012, Viktor Baloha resigned as Ministers of Emergencies because he preferred to take in

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1680-541: A month, but sometimes there are additional sessions in Brussels, while the Parliament's committee meetings are held primarily in Brussels, Belgium. In practice, the Parliament works three weeks per month in Brussels and one week (four days) in Strasbourg. The Parliament, like the other EU institutions, was not designed in its current form when it first met on 10 September 1952. One of the oldest common institutions, it began as

1820-562: A new assignment for Shufrych and appointed him as the assistant to the secretary of the Council for National Security . Shufrych's duties were temporary assigned to Volodymyr Antonets till Mikhail Bolotskikh was appointed acting minister on July 23, 2010. Soon after the motion to overturn the 2004 Constitutional amendments was filed on July 14 by the representatives of the Azarov Government, Vasyl Tsushko , previously as an unaffiliated member of

1960-472: A new one under the name of Party of Regional Revival "Labor Solidarity of Ukraine". The co-leaders of the new political group became Valentyn Landyk , Petro Poroshenko , and Volodymyr Rybak . Also, shortly before the merger, the Party of Solidarity of Ukraine was completely abandoned by one of its key components, the Peasant Party of Ukraine , which dissolved its union with Solidarity. On February 21, 2001,

2100-511: A prime minister for the future opposition government (so called shadow government ), while the leader of the European Party Mykola Katerynchuk suggests not to rush and consolidate all possible political forces in a single formed opposition government. On March 31, 2010, all members of this government were named. It is headed by parliamentarian Serhiy Sobolev of Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko . Its vice premier, Volodymyr Stretovych,

2240-482: A result of various agreements or lack of agreements. Although most MEPs would prefer to be based just in Brussels, where it conducts the bulk of its work, at John Major 's 1992 Edinburgh summit , France engineered a treaty amendment whereby the European Parliament's official seat is in Strasbourg. The body was not mentioned in the original Schuman Declaration . It was assumed or hoped that difficulties with

2380-619: A ruling that legitimates the coalition and the government. This was denied by Yanukovych's Party of Regions . On April 8, 2010, the Constitutional Court ruled that the coalition supporting the Azarov government in parliament had been formed legally. The shadow government called the Constitutional Court ruling "cynical, hypocritical, and illegal". The Azarov government stated that it will fight corruption. However several of its members are assigned to two or more government positions, and, of course, are paid for them. That fact reflects direct disregard for

2520-498: A second official language in Ukraine, moving towards a pro-Russian foreign policy, and increasing social spending. It also advocated a regionalist ideology, and many members supported making Ukraine a federation . The Party of Regions moved into opposition after Viktor Yanukovych, its chosen candidate, lost the 2004 presidential election. Yanukovych first claimed an electoral victory, but strong allegations of electoral fraud triggered

2660-528: A series of events commonly known as the Orange Revolution . In the re-run of the presidential election ordered by the country's Supreme Court , Viktor Yanukovych lost the election to Viktor Yushchenko . The Party claimed to be a victim of a political persecution campaign organized by the new government, in part because Borys Kolesnykov , the head of the regional party branch and the Donetsk regional council,

2800-420: A ten-minute-long hearing of the bill which consisted of a report by the finance minister and the head of the parliament's budget committee. The Verkhovna Rada 2010 budget was not presented at a parliament meeting, but approved on May 14, 2010. According to former president Victor Yushchenko the March 9, 2010 parliamentary amendment that made it possible for individual members of a parliamentary faction to join

2940-484: A text, which they do (or not) through successive readings up to a maximum of three. In its first reading, Parliament may send amendments to the Council which can either adopt the text with those amendments or send back a "common position". That position may either be approved by Parliament, or it may reject the text by an absolute majority , causing it to fail, or it may adopt further amendments, also by an absolute majority. If

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3080-401: Is 16, and Greece , where it is 17. The European Parliament has legislative power in that the adoption of EU legislation normally requires its approval, and that of the Council, in what amounts to a bicameral legislature. However, it does not formally possess the right of initiative (i.e. the right to formally initiate the legislative procedure) in the way that most national parliaments of

3220-605: Is an instrument which is applicable to a particular person or group. Institutions may also issue recommendations and opinions which are merely non-binding, declarations. The Parliament and the Council are also the Union's budgetary authority since the Budgetary Treaties of the 1970s and the Lisbon Treaty . The EU budget is subject to a form of the ordinary legislative procedure with a single reading giving Parliament power over

3360-533: Is seen as the birth of the modern European Parliament, with Parliament's 50 years celebrations being held in March 2008 rather than 2002. The three communities merged their remaining organs as the European Communities in 1967, and the body's name was changed to the current "European Parliament" in 1962. In 1970 the Parliament was granted power over areas of the Communities' budget , which were expanded to

3500-469: The 2010 Crimean parliamentary election (where it won over 70% of the seats). It was the only party that won representatives in all Ukrainian oblasts where elections were held, and it won the most votes in all but four of those oblasts (the four oblasts where it did not were situated in Western Ukraine ). In Crimea , particularly in 2010–2014, the Party of Regions was nicknamed " Makedonians " because

3640-526: The 2014 parliamentary elections ; the party deemed the election as lacking legitimacy because the residents of the Donbas could not vote in the election. Many individual members of Party of Regions ended up as candidates of the Opposition Bloc . As of 2024, the Party of Regions has not participated in elections since the 2012 Ukrainian parliamentary election . By the summer of 2015, most representatives of

3780-527: The 2020 local elections , former Party of Regions members ran mainly as candidates of the Opposition Platform — For Life , Opposition Bloc , Kernes Bloc — Successful Kharkiv , Trust Deeds and Servant of the People parties. European Parliament The European Parliament ( EP ) is one of the two legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions . Together with

3920-564: The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe . The liberals gave support after Barroso gave them a number of concessions; the liberals previously joined the socialists' call for a delayed vote (the EPP had wanted to approve Barroso in July of that year). Once Barroso put forward the candidates for his next Commission, another case of MEPs opposing a particular nominee arose. Bulgarian nominee Rumiana Jeleva

4060-546: The Bolkestein directive in 2006. In practice, most legislation is adopted at the first reading stage after the Parliament and the Council, having set out their initial positions, then negotiate a compromise text. These negotiations take place in so-called "trilogue" meetings, in which the Commission is also present. In a few areas, special legislative procedures apply. These include justice and home affairs, budget and taxation, and certain aspects of other policy areas, such as

4200-579: The Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). It was a consultative assembly of 78 appointed parliamentarians drawn from the national parliaments of member states, having no legislative powers. The change since its foundation was highlighted by Professor David Farrell of the University of Manchester : "For much of its life, the European Parliament could have been justly labelled

4340-566: The Constitution of Ukraine . Some of the members do not even qualify to the assigned positions either as in case with Valeriy Khoroshkovskiy who was elected to the Supreme Council of Justice. Some of the members of the government received their government assignments without a basic knowledge of the state language as in case with the Minister of Internal Affairs Mohyliov. The President Yanukovych gave him two months (until August 2010) to learn

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4480-713: The Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it adopts European legislation, following a proposal by the European Commission . The Parliament is composed of 720 members (MEPs), after the June 2024 European elections, from a previous 705 MEPs. It represents the second-largest democratic electorate in the world (after the Parliament of India ), with an electorate of around 375 million eligible voters in 2024. Since 1979,

4620-459: The Donetsk Oblast . The Cabinet was (also at the time of its installation) Europe's only government that has no female members in its composition till Raisa Bohatyryova was appointed Minister of Healthcare and Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine on 14 February 2012. It was the first Ukrainian government without a female minister. As of May 21, 2010, the Cabinet stated it was planning to create

4760-554: The European Council in 1992. It stated the Parliament would retain its formal seat in Strasbourg, where twelve sessions a year would be held, but with all other parliamentary activity in Brussels. This two-seat arrangement was contested by the Parliament, but was later enshrined in the Treaty of Amsterdam . To this day the institution's locations are a source of contention. The Parliament gained more powers from successive revisions of

4900-564: The High Representative . MEPs did not manage to get everything they demanded. However, they got broader financial control over the new body. In December 2017, Politico denounced the insufficient racial diversity among Members of the European Parliament. The subsequent news coverage contributed to create the Brussels So White movement to campaign to rectify this situation. On gender balance, some 37 percent of MEPs were women in

5040-624: The Ministry of Justice registered the newly established Party of Regional Revival "Labour Solidarity of Ukraine". On March 3, 2001, at the 3rd Party Congress, the party changed its name to Party of Regions. At the congress Mykola Azarov , who at that time was chairman of the State Tax Administration of Ukraine , was elected the party leader but soon resigned in December 2001. Azarov was replaced by his deputy and at that time Vice Prime Minister Volodymyr Semynozhenko . In an interview with

5180-403: The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine in her place while Oleksandr Anischenko lost his job as health minister. On 22 February 2012, Khoroshkovsky was reshuffled to First Vice Prime Minister-Minister and dismissed as finance minister Yuriy Kolobov was appointed finance minister on 28 February 2012. On 9 March 2012 President Yanukovych stated he wanted Petro Poroshenko to work in

5320-531: The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe or Pan-African Parliament which are appointed. After that first election, the parliament held its first session on 17 July 1979, electing Simone Veil MEP as its president. Veil was also the first female president of the Parliament since it was formed as the Common Assembly. As an elected body, the Parliament began to draft proposals addressing

5460-657: The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), Patriots for Europe (PfE), the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR), and Renew Europe (Renew). The last EU-wide election was held in 2024 . The Parliament's headquarters are officially in Strasbourg , France, and has its administrative offices in Luxembourg City . Plenary sessions are normally held in Strasbourg for four days

5600-531: The Ukrainian parliament terminated the powers of Ukrainian Member of Parliament (MP) Yanukovych, in his place #179 on the electoral list of the Party of Regions at the 2007 early parliamentary elections . Tamara Yehorenko was registered as an MP by the Central Election Commission of Ukraine on 26 February. On 3 March, Ukrainian President Yanukovych suspended his membership in the Party — Yanukovych

5740-447: The Ukrainian parliament voted to impeach the honorary chairman of the Party of Regions, Viktor Yanukovych, as President of Ukraine. Out of the 38 PoR deputies present, 36 voted in favor of ousting Yanukovych, while two did not take part in the vote. Simultaneously, both Yanukovych and former Prime Minister Mykola Azarov fled to Russia . In a written statement the next day, the party denounced Yanukovych, stating they "strongly condemn

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5880-663: The chairman of the Russian State Duma . On September 25, 2014, the Central Investigation Administration of the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs opened a criminal case against those deputies, charging them with infringement on the territorial integrity of Ukraine. The Ukrainian press claimed that during the days around the February 2014 Ukrainian revolution , several party members called for

6020-407: The presidential election of 1999 . On 17 November 2000, the 3rd Extraordinary Party Congress adopted the merger of five political parties, For Beautiful Ukraine (led by Leonid Chernovetsky ), All-Ukrainian Party of Pensioners (A. Kapusta), Party of Labor (Valentyn Landyk), Party of Solidarity of Ukraine ( Petro Poroshenko ), and Party of Regional Revival of Ukraine ( Volodymyr Rybak ), into

6160-681: The special parliamentary elections held in September 2007. In the 2006 Crimean parliamentary election , the Party of Regions was part of the For Yanukovych! election bloc . On 19 January 2007, Yevhen Kushnaryov , a high-ranking member of the Party of Regions, died in Izium as a result of an accidental gunshot wound received while hunting. In mid-2007, the Ukrainian Republican Party and Labour Ukraine merged into and became part of

6300-584: The " Orange Coalition " between Our Ukraine and the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc following the failure of each bloc to reach agreement on the formation of a governing coalition. On 10 July 2006, a new parliamentary majority called the "anti-crisis coalition", led by the Party of Regions and including the Socialist Party and the Communist Party , was formed, nominating Viktor Yanukovych to the post of prime minister. The coalition remained in office until

6440-426: The 1980s, before it was given any formal right to veto their appointment. Since it became an elected body, the membership of the European Parliament has expanded when new nations have joined (the membership was also adjusted upwards in 1994 after German reunification ). Following this, the Treaty of Nice imposed a cap on the number of members to be elected: 732, later raised to 751 by the Treaty of Lisbon . Like

6580-524: The 1992 Treaty of Maastricht , the Member States gave the Parliament the right to approve or reject an incoming Commission. In the 1997 Treaty of Amsterdam , they gave it the right to approve or reject an incoming President of the Commission. In 2004, following the largest trans-national election in history, the European Council proposed as Commission President a candidate, José Manuel Barroso , from

6720-437: The 1st Party Congress took place, which adopted the electoral party list and platform for the next elections. On 13 January 1998, a parliamentary faction was created in the parliament of Ukraine . It was known as the Party of Regional Revival of Ukraine and was headed by Gennadiy Samofalov . During the 1998 parliamentary elections , the Party of Regional Revival of Ukraine won 0.90% of the votes. A single party representative

6860-550: The 2014-19 Parliament and 40 percent in the 2019-24 Parliament, a greater proposition than in most national Parliaments in Member States In January 2019, MEPs supported proposals to boost opportunities for women and tackle sexual harassment in the European Parliament. In 2022, four people were arrested because of corruption. This came to be known as the Qatar corruption scandal at the European Parliament . In October 2023,

7000-574: The 225 constituencies); this sum gave them a total of 187 seats and 41.56% of the 450 seats in the Ukrainian Parliament . The party had lost about 2 million voters compared with the previous election . On 12 December 2012 the party formed a parliamentary faction of 210 deputies. At least 18 Party of Regions deputies have criminal ties, according to Hennadiy Moskal , deputy head of Parliament's Committee on Organized Crime and Corruption. In June 2013, 148 people's deputies of Ukraine signed

7140-567: The Azarov Government while 45 percent stated they did not. Its composition was reshuffled by Yanukovych early in 2012. On December 3, 2012, the government became a caretaker government after Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovich accepted the resignation of prime minister Mykola Azarov and his government following the 28 October 2012 parliamentary election . A number of government members, including Prime Minister Azarov, were elected to parliament in that election. In order to get these parliamentary mandates they were obliged to submit documents on

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7280-473: The BYuT were still ongoing in late May 2008. In early June talks to build a national unity government to address the economic crisis collapsed, and Yulia Tymoshenko accused Yanukovych of betrayal, saying: "He unilaterally, without warning anyone, quit the negotiation process, making a loud political statement, killing the merger and the chances for Ukraine." In September 2009 Member of Parliament Vasyl Kiselev

7420-597: The British would be resolved to allow the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to perform legislative tasks. A separate Assembly was introduced during negotiations on the Treaty as an institution to counterbalance and monitor the executive while providing democratic legitimacy. The wording of the ECSC Treaty demonstrated leaders' desire for more than a normal consultative assembly by allowing for direct election and using

7560-459: The Commission , and is further tasked with approving (or rejecting) the appointment of the Commission as a whole. It can subsequently force the current Commission to resign by adopting a motion of censure . The president of the European Parliament is the body's speaker and presides over the multi-party chamber. The five largest political groups are the European People's Party Group (EPP),

7700-418: The Commission accountable, rather than being a rubber stamp for candidates. Furthermore, in voting on the Commission, MEPs also vote along party lines, rather than national lines, despite frequent pressure from national governments on their MEPs. This cohesion and willingness to use the Parliament's power ensured greater attention from national leaders, other institutions and the public – reversing

7840-522: The Commission's powers but did agree to respond within three months. Most requests are already responded to positively. During the setting up of the European External Action Service (EEAS), Parliament used its control over the EU budget to influence the shape of the EEAS. MEPs had aimed at getting greater oversight over the EEAS by linking it to the Commission and having political deputies to

7980-465: The Commission; and the right to question members of those institutions (e.g. "Commission Question Time " every Tuesday). Regarding written and oral questions, MEPs voted in July 2008 to limit questions to those within the EU's mandate and ban offensive or personal questions. The Parliament also has other powers of general supervision, mainly granted by the Maastricht Treaty . The Parliament has

8120-495: The Constitutional Court rules the amendments unconstitutional the format of the Ukrainian parliamentary coalition will remain unchanged because "the Constitutional Court's ruling becomes valid on the day of its announcement, not yesterday or the day before yesterday" and the Constitutional Court's ruling will apply only to measures intended to establish a new coalition in Ukraine in the future. On March 26, 2010, President Yanukovych told

8260-490: The Council does not approve these, then a " Conciliation Committee " is formed. The committee is composed of the Council members plus an equal number of MEPs who seek to agree a compromise. Once a position is agreed, it has to be approved by Parliament, by a simple majority. This is also aided by Parliament's mandate as the only directly democratic institution, which has given it leeway to have greater control over legislation than other institutions, for example over its changes to

8400-421: The Council has the power in some intergovernmental matters). In Community matters , this is a power uniquely reserved for the European Commission (the executive). Therefore, while Parliament can amend and reject legislation, to make a proposal for legislation, it needs the Commission to draft a bill before anything can become law. The value of a right of initiative has anyway been questioned by noting that in

8540-427: The Crimean Prime Ministers Vasyl Dzharty and Anatolii Mohyliov were associated with the " Makiivka - Donetsk clan." In September 2010, the party was planning to sign a memorandum on cooperation with China 's Communist Party . On 14 October 2010, the Party of Regions formed a cooperative arrangement with the Socialists and Democrats European parliamentary group . During Yanukovych's presidency, both he and

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8680-401: The EU treaties, notably through the extension of the ordinary legislative procedure (originally called the codecision procedure), and the right to approve international agreements through the consent procedure. In 1999, the Parliament forced the resignation of the Santer Commission . The Parliament had refused to approve the Community budget over allegations of fraud and mis-management in

8820-520: The EU's Commission-led international negotiations and have a right to information on agreements. Parliament did not secure an explicit vote over the appointment of delegation heads and special representatives for foreign policy, but it was agreed that they will appear before parliament after they have been appointed by the High Representative . Parliament wanted a pledge from the Commission that it would automatically put forward legislation when parliament requests. Barroso considered this an infringement on

8960-446: The European Commission. A notable example was on the Bolkestein directive in 2006, when the Parliament voted by a large majority for over 400 amendments that changed the fundamental principle of the law. The Financial Times described it in the following terms: That is where the European parliament has suddenly come into its own. It marks another shift in power between the three central EU institutions. Last week's vote suggests that

9100-427: The European Council having to make its proposal to Parliament in light of the results of the European elections. Barroso gained the support of the European Council for a second term and secured majority support from the Parliament in September 2009. Parliament voted 382 votes in favour and 219 votes against (117 abstentions) with support of the European People's Party , European Conservatives and Reformists Party and

9240-456: The Ministry of Revenue and Duties Olexander Klimenko , former Energy Minister Eduard Stavitskyi , ex-governor of the Donetsk region Andrew Shishatskiy , and Valery Konovalyuk . On 7 April 2014, the political council of the party also expelled Sergiy Tigipko , Oleh Tsariov , and Yuriy Boiko from the party. Mykhailo Dobkin was the Party of Regions' candidate in the snap presidential election of 25 May 2014 , and received only 3 percent of

9380-399: The Parliament adopted a resolution to condemn "Hamas' despicable terrorist attacks against Israel". The Parliament and Council have been compared to the two chambers of a bicameral legislature. However, there are some differences from national legislatures ; for example, neither the Parliament nor the Council have the power of legislative initiative (except for the fact that

9520-441: The Parliament has been directly elected every five years by the citizens of the European Union through universal suffrage . Voter turnout in parliamentary elections decreased each time after 1979 until 2019 , when voter turnout increased by eight percentage points, and rose above 50% for the first time since 1994 . The voting age is 18 in all EU member states except for Malta , Belgium , Austria and Germany , where it

9660-435: The Parliament. Parliamentary support was also required for the transatlantic passenger data-sharing deal with the United States. Finally, Parliament holds a non-binding vote on new EU treaties but cannot veto it. However, when Parliament threatened to vote down the Nice Treaty, the Belgian and Italian Parliaments said that if it did so, they would veto the treaty on the European Parliament's behalf. With each new treaty,

9800-427: The Party of Regions faction in March 2010 a draft law on the judiciary and a new criminal procedural code was shelved and the introduction of anti-corruption legislation was pushed back from April 2010 to January 2011 by the Verkhovna Rada. On November 30, 2010, Yanukovych vetoed a new tax code made by the Azarov Government and earlier approved by the Verkhovna Rada but protested against in rallies across Ukraine (one of

9940-422: The Party of Regions faction in October 2010. In March 2011 five more former BYuT deputies joined the faction. By late November 2012 the Party of Regions faction consisted of 195 lawmakers (20 more than the 175 elected in September 2007). During the 2010 Ukrainian local elections , the party won majorities on most regional and city councils as well as most of the mayoralties (except in Western Ukraine), and in

10080-465: The Party of Regions formed the parliamentary opposition. On 13 March 2009, Victor Yanukovych stated the Party of Regions was ready to unite into a coalition with its archrivals the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc (BYuT). He noted: "We are ready to unite, but only on the base of the program on struggle with crisis". The previous day, the deputy leader of the Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko faction, Andriy Portnov, said that

10220-517: The Party of Regions were accused of trying to create a "controlled democracy" in Ukraine and of trying to "destroy" the main opposition party BYuT to do so, but both denied those charges. In August 2011 Strong Ukraine and People's Party announced that both parties aimed to merge with the Party of Regions. The merger between People's Party and Party of Regions did not materialise, but Strong Ukraine and Party of Regions merged on 17 March 2012. Former Strong Ukraine leader Serhiy Tyhypko

10360-468: The Party of Regions. In the parliamentary elections held on 30 September 2007, the party won 175 seats (losing 11 seats) out of 450 seats with 34.37% of the total national vote. The party received the highest number of votes, with a swing of +2.23% in comparison to the 2006 vote. Following the formation of a governing coalition between Our Ukraine and the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc and the election of Yulia Tymoshenko as prime minister on 18 December 2007,

10500-530: The President according to the treaties. Following the approval of the Commission President, the members of the Commission are proposed by the President in accord with the member states. Each Commissioner comes before a relevant parliamentary committee hearing covering the proposed portfolio. They are then, as a body, approved or rejected by the Parliament. In practice, the Parliament has never voted against

10640-623: The Protection of the Population from the Chernobyl disaster . According to Baloha this did not mean his party would join the coalition. Early 2010 United Centre had rejected any possibility of joining a parliamentary coalition with the Communist Party of Ukraine . Another mayor reshuffle took place in December 2010, which reduced the number of ministers This was part of an administrative reform set in motion by Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych with

10780-692: The Regions Party, [and] I represent the BYuT. It's time to join efforts for the benefit of the country." On 30 March 2009, Victor Yanukovych stated he did not believe in the possibility of forming a coalition with the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc in the current parliament. At the same time, he added that "it would be necessary to agree on main issues" concerning amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine involving local self-government reform, judicial reform and clear division of authority among President, government and parliament. According to Yanukovych, talks with

10920-620: The Solidarity party became part of the Viktor Yushchenko Bloc Our Ukraine during the 2002 parliamentary elections. During the Ukrainian parliamentary election the party was a member of the For United Ukraine electoral bloc . It was then led by Volodymyr Semynozhenko . From 21 November 2002 until 7 December 2004, Viktor Yanukovych was Prime Minister of Ukraine . At a congress held on 19 April 2003, Yanukovych

11060-588: The Verkhovna Rada had shown to the average citizen a bad example of how to violate the country's laws and Constitution". Yushchenko did send a letter to Yanukovych with a request to veto the law on March 10. Yanukovych signed the law nevertheless. 56 lawmakers filed a challenge to the law who made these amendments possible on March 11, 2010, at the Constitutional Court of Ukraine . On March 16, 2010, Minister of Justice Oleksandr Lavrynovych stated that even if

11200-609: The aim to reduce the number of civil servants in Ukraine. (see below Yanukovych Administration Reform) A number of deputy ministers were dismissed early April 2011. Minister of Health Zynoviy Mytnyk was dismissed on May 17, 2011, because he had "failed to properly organize the work of the ministry"; Oleksandr Anishchenko was appointed for the post on May 24, 2010. Anatolii Mohyliov was replaced as Minister of Internal Affairs by Vitaliy Zakharchenko in November 2011. Minister of Finance Fedir Yaroshenko resigned on 18 January 2012, and

11340-491: The closure of strategic state programs, pressure on small and middle business and a return to stagnation and the absence of any reforms". According to a February 2010 poll by the Kyiv Gorshenin Institute of Management Issues most Ukrainians wanted not a politician for prime minister but "a professional premier, who will implement unpopular reforms". Ukraine's state budget for 2010 was adopted by parliament after

11480-471: The commission. The two main parties took on a government-opposition dynamic for the first time during the crisis which ended in the Commission resigning en masse, the first of any forced resignation, in the face of an impending censure from the Parliament. The Parliament had always had the right to dismiss the European Commission in a vote of censure, but it initially had no role in its appointment. In

11620-413: The criminal orders that led to human victims, an empty state treasury, huge debts, shame before the eyes of the Ukrainian people and the entire world." On 24 February 2014, faction leader Oleksandr Yefremov declared that the party was moving into the opposition. 77 of its MPs had left the faction in the preceding days. On 25 February 2014, Anatoliy Kinakh and 32 other mostly former PoR deputies created

11760-474: The deputies were "lured away" from those other factions by pressure, and analysts claimed most of them had nothing to do with the new party. Nine out of seventeen members of the faction had their political and business roots in the Donetsk region . In July 2002 the party had a faction of 24 people (one deputy left the faction later). On 20 March 2001, Solidarity announced it would "be as a single bloc". Eventually

11900-444: The directly elected MEPs, in spite of their multitude of ideological, national and historical allegiances, have started to coalesce as a serious and effective EU institution, just as enlargement has greatly complicated negotiations inside both the Council and Commission. In 2007, for the first time, Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini included Parliament in talks on the second Schengen Information System even though, in this field at

12040-592: The disintegration of Ukraine and for a union with the Russian Federation . News outlets claimed that Oleksandr Yefremov , leader of the Ukrainian parliamentary faction, was in full support of these proposed actions, and that Vladimir Konstantinov , chairman of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea went to Luhansk to support these actions. On 14 September 2014, the Party of Regions officially announced their choice not to participate in

12180-411: The dismissal from their previous job to the Central Election Commission within 20 days after the election (by December 3). On 9 December 2012, Yanukovych nominated Azarov for a new term as prime minister. This nomination was approved by parliament on 13 December 2012. On 24 December 2012, the second Azarov government was appointed by President Yanukovych. In January 2013, President Yanukovych stated

12320-432: The entire budget (before 2009, its influence was limited to certain areas) on an equal footing to the Council. If there is a disagreement between them, it is taken to a conciliation committee as it is for legislative proposals. If the joint conciliation text is not approved by the Council, the Parliament may adopt the budget definitively, but only by a three-fifths majority. The Parliament is also responsible for discharging

12460-519: The fiscal aspects of environmental policy. In these areas, the Council or Parliament decide law alone after consulting the other (or with its consent). There are different types of European Union law#Legislation . The strongest act is a regulation , an act or law which is directly applicable in its entirety. Then there are directives which bind member states to certain goals which they must achieve. They do this through their own laws and hence have room to manoeuvre in deciding upon them. A decision

12600-480: The functioning of the EU. For example, in 1984, inspired by its previous work on the Political Community, it drafted the "draft Treaty establishing the European Union" (also known as the 'Spinelli Plan' after its rapporteur Altiero Spinelli MEP). Although it was not adopted, many ideas were later taken up in other treaties. Furthermore, the Parliament began holding votes on proposed Commission Presidents from

12740-424: The government "has not completely fulfilled the assigned tasks on ensuring the introduction of reform and economic growth. This led to the fact that the results in 2012 were much worse than expected". Azarov's immediate predecessor Yulia Tymoshenko stated on the day the cabinet was elected "this government is completely made up of Ukrainian oligarchs"; she predicted the cabinet actions would lead to "megacorruption,

12880-399: The government on the post of economic development and trade minister. Poroshenko was appointed economic development and trade minister of Ukraine by Yanukovych on 23 March 2012. Vice Prime Minister ( Minister of Social Policy ) Serhii Tihipko became a member of Party of Regions when that party merged with his former party Strong Ukraine on 17 March 2012; Strong Ukraine thus had no longer

13020-560: The government, was elected the leader of the Socialist Party of Ukraine (extra parliamentarian party, non-coalition) on July 24, 2010. On October 13, 2010, President Yanukovych sacked two deputy prime ministers (Viktor Slauta and Volodymyr Sivkovich). The sackings were the first case when Yanukovych used the powers granted to him by this month's constitutional court ruling when 2004 constitutional amendments were overturned. On November 12, 2010, President Yanukovych appointed Viktor Baloha ( United Centre ) Minister of Emergencies and Minister of

13160-490: The head of the Luhansk Region State Administration, Valeriy Holenko. The Party of Regions endorsed Viktor Yanukovych as their candidate for the 2010 presidential election . The party intended to create a new coalition in the Verkhovna Rada and form a new government if Yanukovych won the 2010 presidential elections. Yanukovych was elected President of Ukraine on 7 February 2010. On 19 February

13300-559: The implementation of previous budgets based on the annual report of the European Court of Auditors . It has refused to grant discharge only twice, in 1984 and in 1998. On the latter occasion it led to the resignation of the Santer Commission ; highlighting how the discharge power gives Parliament a great deal of power over the Commission. Parliament also makes extensive use of its budgetary, and other powers, elsewhere; for example in

13440-435: The institution such as more speaking time for rapporteurs, increased committee co-operation and other efficiency reforms. The Lisbon Treaty came into force on 1 December 2009, granting Parliament powers over the entire EU budget , making Parliament's legislative powers equal to the Council's in nearly all areas and describing Parliament's vote on an incoming Commission President Commission President as an "election", with

13580-528: The issue of a uniform voting systems to be decided at a later date. For its sessions the assembly, and later the parliament, until 1999 convened in the same premises as the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe : the House of Europe until 1977, and the Palace of Europe until 1999. In 1979, its members were directly elected for the first time . This sets it apart from similar institutions such as those of

13720-480: The language. On March 16, eight parliamentarian parties signed an application for the establishment of an association of opposing political forces to the ruling Azarov government. Among the eight opposition parties are All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland" , Rukh , European Party of Ukraine , People's Self-Defense , Reforms and Order Party , Motherland Defenders Party , Christian-Democratic Union , and Ukrainian Social-Democratic Party . Tymoshenko immediately nominated

13860-521: The largest party in Ukraine between 2006 and 2014. Since the Revolution of Dignity , the party has not competed in elections and members have slowly dispersed; the last election in which the party participated was the 2012 Ukrainian parliamentary election . The best-known former party members are former Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and former President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych ; both fled to Russia in February 2014 after Euromaidan . The Ukrainian Eighth Administrative Court of Appeal banned

14000-575: The largest political party (the EPP). The Parliament approved him by 431 votes to 251. However, when it came to the vote on the Commission as a whole, MEPs raised doubts about some of the nominees following their performance in the public hearings of them conducted by Parliament's committees. Most notably, the Civil Liberties committee rejected Rocco Buttiglione for the post of Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security over his views on homosexuality. That

14140-452: The largest protests since the 2004 Orange Revolution ). Yanukovych signed a new Tax Code on December 3, 2010. in an (Ukraine's) economy analysis of March 2014 The Economist claims that poor economic policies by the Azarov Government had weakened the state's finances. On December 9, 2010, the President of Ukraine reloaded a new government. According to the decree, the number of ministries

14280-411: The member states do, as the right of initiative is a prerogative of the European Commission. Nonetheless, the Parliament and the Council each have the right to request the Commission to initiate the legislative procedure and put forward a proposal. The Parliament is, in protocol terms, the "first institution" of the European Union (mentioned first in its treaties and having ceremonial precedence over

14420-457: The national legislatures of the member states 85% of initiatives introduced without executive support fail to become law. Yet it has been argued by former Parliament president Hans-Gert Pöttering that as the Parliament does have the right to ask the Commission to draft such legislation, and as the Commission is following Parliament's proposals more and more Parliament does have a de facto right of legislative initiative. The Parliament also has

14560-408: The newspaper Den ( Ukrainian : День ) on 6 March 2001, Azarov said that he agreed to become the chairman for a brief period "until the party nominated a leader who will claim the office of the President of Ukraine in 2004". In December 2001 the Party of Regions member Ihor Yushchko was appointed Minister of Finance of Ukraine. On 21 March 2001, the Ministry of Justice re-registered the party under

14700-491: The number 939 with the older date of registration. On 23 May 2001, the party signed an agreement of partnership and cooperation with the party Labour Ukraine ( Serhiy Tihipko ), and on 7 June 2001, with the Agrarian Party of Ukraine . "Regions of Ukraine" was the parliamentary wing of the Party of Regions and was created at the end of March 2001 after several deputies defected from their original faction. Critics claimed

14840-491: The other EU institutions), and shares equal legislative and budgetary powers with the Council (except on a few issues where special legislative procedures apply). It likewise has equal control over the EU budget . Ultimately, the European Commission, which serves as the executive branch of the EU, is accountable to Parliament. In particular, Parliament can decide whether or not to approve the European Council's nominee for President of

14980-407: The other institutions, the Parliament's seat was not yet fixed. The provisional arrangements placed Parliament in Strasbourg , while the Commission and Council had their seats in Brussels. In 1985 the Parliament, wishing to be closer to these institutions, built a second chamber in Brussels and moved some of its work there despite protests from some states. A final agreement was eventually reached by

15120-434: The parliamentary faction Economic Development . On 28 March 2014, Yanukovych asked the Party of Regions to exclude him. The next day, at a party congress, the party nominated Mykhailo Dobkin as its presidential candidate for the 2014 Ukrainian presidential election . The congress expelled many former leaders from the party including Yanukovych, Azarov, former First Deputy Prime Minister Serhiy Arbuzov , ex-chairman of

15260-464: The party in 2014 had become members of Opposition Bloc , Revival or Our Land . Others continued their political careers in other parties (mostly Petro Poroshenko Bloc ). According to Ukrainian media research from February 2016, 22% of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc representatives in regional councils and 12% of the party's parliamentary deputies were former members of the Party of Regions. In

15400-507: The party on 21 February 2023. The founding congress of the Party of Regional Revival of Ukraine (the predecessor of the Party of Regions) was held on 26 October 1997 in Kyiv . The first leader of the party was mayor of Donetsk , Volodymyr Rybak . On 6 November 1997, the Party of Regional Revival of Ukraine was registered at the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice, and on the 27th of that month

15540-517: The power to set up a Committee of Inquiry, for example over mad cow disease or CIA detention flights – the former led to the creation of the European veterinary agency . The Parliament can call other institutions to answer questions and if necessary to take them to court if they break EU law or treaties. Furthermore, it has powers over the appointment of the members of the Court of Auditors and

15680-493: The powers of the Parliament, in terms of its role in the Union's legislative procedures , have expanded. The procedure which has slowly become dominant is the " ordinary legislative procedure " (previously named "codecision procedure"), which provides an equal footing between Parliament and Council. In particular, under the procedure, the Commission presents a proposal to Parliament and the Council which can only become law if both agree on

15820-425: The previous decline in turnout for the Parliament's elections. The Parliament also has the power to censure the Commission by a two-thirds majority which will force the resignation of the entire Commission from office. As with approval, this power has never been explicitly used, but when faced with such a vote, the Santer Commission then resigned of their own accord . There are other control instruments, such as:

15960-551: The removal of President Yanukovych and the calling of snap elections . In late January 2014, the party's symbol and activities were banned in the Chernivtsi , Ternopil , and Ivano-Frankivsk regions, although there was no legal basis for these bans, since in Ukraine only a court can ban the activities of a political force. The Party of Regions faction in Zhytomyr announced its dissolution on 19 February 2014. On 22 February 2014,

16100-470: The requirement of Commission to submit reports to the Parliament and answer written and oral questions from MEPs; the requirement of the President-in-office of the Council to present its programme at the start of their presidency ; the obligation on the President of the European Council to report to Parliament after each of its meetings; the right of MEPs to make requests for legislation and policy to

16240-443: The seat in the Ukrainian Parliament he had won in the October 2012 Ukrainian parliamentary election . The aims of the cabinet are: Other priorities of the government are the preparations for expected flooding, preparations for spring agricultural work and the improvement of medical services . In order to increase state revenues with at least Hryvnya 10 billion the government is planning to step up privatization in 2010. Led by

16380-515: The setting up of the European External Action Service , Parliament had a de facto veto over its design as it has to approve the budgetary and staff changes. The President of the European Commission is proposed by the European Council on the basis of the European elections to Parliament. That proposal has to be approved by the Parliament (by a majority of members of the Parliament) who thereby "elect"

16520-519: The structure of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine . Note, Tihipko even though is a leader of the Strong Ukraine party, he was elected to Cabinet as unaffiliated. Strong Ukraine in Verkhovna Rada is not an independent party. The same goes with Vasyl Tsushko who was a former member of the Socialist Party of Ukraine at the time of his appointment (he became the leader of that party in July 2010); Tsushko

16660-518: The term "representatives of the people". Its early importance was highlighted when the Assembly was given the task of drawing up the draft treaty to establish a European Political Community . By this document, the Ad Hoc Assembly was established on 13 September 1952 with extra members, but after the failure of the negotiated and proposed European Defence Community (French parliament veto), the project

16800-406: The time, MEPs only needed to be consulted on parts of the package. After that experiment, Frattini indicated he would like to include Parliament in all justice and criminal matters, informally pre-empting the new powers they were due to gain in 2009 as part of the Treaty of Lisbon . Between 2007 and 2009, a special working group on parliamentary reform implemented a series of changes to modernise

16940-406: The union of his political force with the Party of Regions was highly improbable, but that it could be possible after the next Ukrainian presidential elections . Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko stated on 17 March 2009 that her bloc was ready to join efforts with the Party of Regions to pass certain bills in the Ukrainian parliament (Verkhovna Rada). Tymoshenko said, "You are a representative of

17080-518: The vote. On 3 June 2014, another twenty Party of Regions deputies left the party's parliamentary faction. Including this change, the faction's strength was reduced from 210 deputies (at its highest point on 12 December 2012) to 80 deputies by 6 June 2014. As a result, it became the second biggest faction in parliament after the 85 member-strong Batkivshchyna faction. On 2 July 2014, the 32 member-strong new parliamentary faction For Peace and Stability , composed mostly of former Party of Regions MPs,

17220-472: The whole budget in 1975. Under the Rome Treaties, the Parliament should have become elected. However, the Council was required to agree a uniform voting system beforehand, which it failed to do. The Parliament threatened to take the Council to the European Court of Justice ; this led to a compromise whereby the Council would agree to elections, but with each Member State using its own electoral system, leaving

17360-409: Was appointed on quote of the Communist Party . The Cabinet originally consisted of 29 ministers, four more than the previous government , but has since been trimmed down. At the time of installation the Cabinet contained the highest number of ministers in Europe, and ranked second in Europe in terms of the number of its vice premiers. 8 out of the original 29 Cabinet members were born in Donetsk and

17500-506: Was arrested in April 2005 and charged with criminal extortion. The Party of Regions claimed this was an act of political repression, while the authorities believed that Kolesnykov had links to organized crime and his arrest was a purely criminal matter. The Council of Europe called the investigation "in full compliance with European standards". Kolesnykov has since been cleared of charges and released from pre-trial detention. The party signed

17640-532: Was barred by the Constitution from heading a political party — and handed over leadership in the party and in the parliamentary faction to Mykola Azarov . Nine days later Azarov handed it to Oleksandr Yefremov. On 11 March 2010, together with Bloc Lytvyn and Communist Party of Ukraine , the party joined the first Azarov Government . The Party of Regions elected Azarov as its new Chairman at its 12th congress on 23 April 2010. Seven extra deputies (four of whom were Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko (BYuT) members) joined

17780-598: Was dismissed on 7 February 2011, because "he had finally taken the side of the government". Arseniy Yatsenyuk formed another oppositional government in March 2010. On 8 August 2011 All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland" , Rukh , European Party of Ukraine , People's Self-Defense , Reforms and Order Party , Motherland Defenders Party , Civil Position and Front for Change formed the Dictatorship Resistance Committee "to better coordinate our efforts". On March 11, 2010, Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approved

17920-748: Was dropped. Instead, the European Economic Community and Euratom were established in 1958 by the Treaties of Rome . The Common Assembly was shared by all three communities (which had separate executives) and it renamed itself the European Parliamentary Assembly . The first meeting was held on 19 March 1958 having been set up in Luxembourg City, it elected Schuman as its president and on 13 May it rearranged itself to sit according to political ideology rather than nationality. This

18060-467: Was elected party leader, succeeding Semynozhenko. At that time, the party had 20 seats in parliament. The party shifted its political ideology to the left and became much more populist in nature before the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election and, as a result, Yanukovych won over a large part of the Communist party's electorate in eastern Ukraine. The party's stated platform included making Russian

18200-486: Was elected to the Ukrainian Parliament by winning one constituency in the regular elections. The party was among the top 10 in Chernivtsi and Donetsk Oblasts . Volodymyr Rybak was the winner of constituency number 45 in Donetsk Oblast. During the 2nd Party Congress that took place in two stages during the spring of 1999, the Party decided to support candidate Leonid Kuchma for the next presidential elections. It

18340-465: Was expelled from the party and the political council of the Party of Regions. Kiselev was expelled "for violation of provisions and demands of the charter of the Party of Regions and harming the reputation of the party." In September 2009 Mykola Azarov announced the creation of the Anti-Fascist Forum of Ukraine , the chairmen of which were Dmytro Shentsev (member of parliament for Kharkiv ) and

18480-547: Was forced to step down by Parliament due to concerns over her experience and financial interests. She only had the support of the EPP which began to retaliate on left wing candidates before Jeleva gave in and was replaced (setting back the final vote further). Before the final vote on the Commission, Parliament demanded a number of concessions as part of a future working agreement under the new Lisbon Treaty. The deal includes that Parliament's president will attend high level Commission meetings. Parliament will have an observer seat in

18620-499: Was formed. In the following months many former members of the Party of Regions became objects of the so-called "trash bucket challenge", where Ukrainian officials dumped images of the former PoR members into garbage bins and other trash containers. On September 17, 2014, amidst the ongoing war in Donbas , a group of 24 people's deputies of Ukraine from the Party of Regions and the Communist Party of Ukraine met with Sergey Naryshkin ,

18760-672: Was hired to represent the interests of the Party of Regions, "to help them communicate its activities as the governing party of Ukraine, as well as to help it explain better its position on the Yulia Tymoshenko case", as explained by Robert Mack, a senior manager at Burson-Marsteller. In the October 2012 parliamentary elections the party won 72 seats and 30% of the votes under party-list proportional representation (falling from 34% in 2007 and 32% in 2006 ) and another 115 by winning 115 simple-majority constituencies (it had competed in 204 of

18900-460: Was recommended that the candidate should include in his election campaign some of the Party of Regional Revival of Ukraine's policy proposals, including one on granting the Russian language official status. In the summer of 1999, the party entered the "Our choice – Leonid Kuchma" electoral bloc, consisting of 23 parties and led by Yevhen Kushnaryov , who endorsed incumbent President Leonid Kuchma in

19040-517: Was reduced from 20 to 16 and the number of cabinet employees (1,174 people at the time) is to be more than halved. Party of Regions The Party of Regions ( Ukrainian : Партія регіонів , romanized :  Partiia rehioniv , pronounced [ˈpɑrt⁽ʲ⁾ijɐ reɦiˈɔn⁽ʲ⁾iu̯] ; Russian : Партия регионов , romanized :  Partiya regionov ) is a banned pro-Russian political party in Ukraine formed in late 1997 that became

19180-480: Was replaced by Valeriy Khoroshkovsky the same day. Minister of Defence Mykhailo Yezhel was sacked by President Yanukovich on 8 February 2012, and replaced by Dmytro Salamatin the same day Raisa Bohatyryova was appointed Minister of Healthcare and Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine on 14 February 2012; she partly changed places with former First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine - Minister of Economic Development and Trade Andriy Klyuyev who became Secretary of

19320-459: Was replaced by Mykola Zlochevskiy and Vice Prime Minister Volodymyr Seminozhenko was fired by the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) the same day. A draft resolution proposing the dismissal of Semynozhenko was submitted by lawmaker Olha Bodnar of Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko . On July 10, 2010, Minister of Extraordinary Situations Nestor Shufrych was dismissed by Verkhovna Rada . For his dismissal voted 256 deputies. However Viktor Yanukovych found

19460-486: Was the first time the Parliament had ever opposed an incoming Commissioner and, despite Barroso's initial insistence upon Buttiglione, the Parliament forced Buttiglione to be withdrawn. A number of other Commissioners also had to be withdrawn or reassigned before Parliament voted to allow the Barroso Commission to take office. The Parliament also became more assertive in amending legislative proposals put forward by

19600-459: Was unanimously elected Party of Regions deputy chairman and member of the Party of Regions political council the same day. Party of Regions parliamentarian Olena Bondarenko had stated in early March 2012 that Party of Regions, Strong Ukraine party and "another party" planned to hold a unity congress on 17 March. No additional third party merged with the Party of Regions on 17 March 2012; according to Ukrainian media Tyhypko had personally prevented

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