- Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada
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Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
Голова Верховної Ради України
Verkhovna Rada buildingAppointer Parliament by secret ballot Term length Resignation, dismissal or new convocation of parliament. Inaugural holder Mykhailo Burmystenko,
January 30, 1937Formation Constitution of the Ukrainian SSR of July 25, 1938 Succession First Website chairman.rada.gov.ua The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (Ukrainian: Голова Верховної Ради України) is the speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's unicameral parliament. The speaker presides over the parliament and its procedures. They are elected by secret ballot from the parliament's deputy ranks.[1] The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada is the first in order of succession for the office of President of Ukraine pending the president's inability to govern or impeachment from office.
The office of Chairman has existed since the ratification of the Constitution of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic on January 30, 1937. Mykhailo Burmystenko, who was appointed on January 30, 1937, was the inaugural holder of the office. There have been 18 Chairmen of the Verkhovna Rada since then. Volodymyr Lytvyn is the current chairman since being confirmed on December 9, 2008[2][3] after the dismissal of Arseniy Yatsenyuk[4] on November 12, 2008.[5][6]
Contents
Mission and authority
According to Article 88 of the Ukrainian Constitution, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada is allowed to:[1]
- preside over meetings of parliament;
- organize work of the Verkhovna Rada and coordinate its activities;
- sign and promulgate acts adopted by the Verkhovna Rada;
- represent the parliament in relation with other bodies of state power of Ukraine and with the bodies of power of other states;
- organize the work of the staff of the parliament.
The chairman is also allowed to call special sessions of parliament,[7] enact bills vetoed by the president only when the Verkhovna Rada votes to overcome the veto by a two-thirds majority, and participate in meetings of the National Security and Defence Council.[8]
The chairman and his two assistants (deputy chairmen) cannot head factions of deputies.[9]
Head of state
The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada is the first in the order of succession, becoming the next head of state with limited authority while new presidential elections are conducted.[10] Actions not allowed to be performed by the acting president include:[10]
- disbanding the parliament;
- appointing or submitting candidates for parliamentary approval of government posts;
- granting military ranks or state orders;
- exercising the right of pardon.
No provisions for presidential succession are included in case both the president's and chairman's positions are vacant.
List of chairmen
The following table includes the Chairmen of Verkhovna Rada (since 1991), the Chairmen of Supreme Soviet of Ukrainian SSR (1938–1991):
Volodymyr Lytvyn, chairman of the fourth and sixth convocations.
Arseniy Yatsenyuk, chairman of the sixth convocation.
Oleksandr Moroz, chairman of the second and fifth convocation.Ukraine 
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Lytvyn Bloc December 9, 2008 Incumbent 6 (17) Replaced (acting) chairman Oleksandr Lavrynovych (acting since November 12, 2008) Arseniy Yatsenyuk Our Ukraine-People's Self-Defense Bloc December 4, 2007[4] November 12, 2008[5][6] Resignation announced September 17.[11] Dismissed Nov. 12.[12] Oleksandr Moroz Socialist July 6, 2006[13] 2007 5 (16) Volodymyr Lytvyn For United Ukraine May 28, 2002[14] May 25, 2006 4 (15) Ivan Plyushch Independent February 1, 2000 May 14, 2002 3 (14) Oleksandr Tkachenko Communist July 7, 1998[15] January 21, 2000 Dismissed for violating parliamentary regulations. Oleksandr Moroz Socialist May 18, 1994[16] May 12, 1998 2 (13) Ivan Plyushch Independent December 5, 1991[17] May 11, 1994 1 (12) Leonid Kravchuk Communist (Bolsheviks) July 23, 1990[18] December 5, 1991 Resigned as a result of election as President. Volodymyr Ivashko June 4, 1990[19] July 9, 1990[20] Resigned as when elected to the Politburo of the CPSU. Platon Kostiuk 1985 June 4, 1990 11 Kostiantyn Sytnyk 1980 1985 10 Mykhailo Bilyi 1972 1980 8-9 Oleksandr Korniychuk 1959 1972 4-7 Pavlo Tychyna 1953 1959 3 Oleksandr Korniychuk 1947 1953 2 Mykhailo Burmystenko July 25, 1938 September 9, 1941 1 (suspended due to Second World War) Special state privileges
All former speakers of the Verkhovna Rada received special state privileges. After the completion of their tenure, former speakers are provided with cabinets in the parliament's building, an official government car and an adviser and an aide at the state expense.[21]
The respective decree #296 was signed by Volodymyr Lytvyn as early as on June 7, 2006 – a month before he was dismissed from the post of Parliament's Speaker. After three years since its adoption, Verkhovna Rada officials kept silent about the law, after which it was made public by an article in the DELO newspaper in mid-May 2009.[21]
References and footnotes
- ^ a b "Article 88". Wikisource. http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Ukraine#Article_88. Retrieved 2007-10-11.
- ^ "Rada Elects Volodymyr Lytvyn As Speaker". Ukrainian News Agency. December 9, 2008. http://www.ukranews.com/eng/article/167887.htmll.
- ^ "Lytvyn elected as Speaker of Ukrainian parliament". UNIAN. December 9, 2008. http://www.unian.net/eng/news/news-289127.html.
- ^ a b Laws of Ukraine. Order of Verkhovna Rada No. 5-VI: On the Head of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Passed on 2007-12-04. (Ukrainian)
- ^ a b "Rada Dismisses Yatseniuk". Ukrainian News Agency. November 12, 2008. http://www.ukranews.com/eng/article/162408.html.
- ^ a b "President Yuschenko: Dismissal Of Yatseniuk Aimed Against Stabilization Of Situation In Country". Ukrainian News Agency. November 12, 2008. http://www.ukranews.com/eng/article/162539.html.
- ^ "Article 83". Wikisource. http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Ukraine#Article_83. Retrieved 2007-10-11.
- ^ "Article 107". Wikisource. http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Ukraine#Article_107. Retrieved 2007-10-11.
- ^ Rada amends regulations of its activities, Kyiv Post (October 8, 2010)
- ^ a b "Article 112". Wikisource. http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Ukraine#Article_112. Retrieved 2007-10-11.
- ^ Yatsenyuk sent in his resignation from post of Speaker of VR
- ^ "Ukraine's assembly sacks chairman, ally of president". Reuters. Kyiv Post. November 12, 2008. http://www.kyivpost.com/nation/30851. Retrieved 2008-11-13.
- ^ Laws of Ukraine. Order of Verkhovna Rada No. 7-V: On the Head of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Passed on 2006-07-06. (Ukrainian)
- ^ Laws of Ukraine. Order of Verkhovna Rada No. 10-IV: On the Head of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Passed on 2002-05-28. (Ukrainian)
- ^ Laws of Ukraine. Order of Verkhovna Rada No. 31-XIV: On the Head of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Passed on 1998-07-07. (Ukrainian)
- ^ Laws of Ukraine. Order of Verkhovna Rada No. 14/94-ВР: On the Head of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Passed on 1994-05-18. (Ukrainian)
- ^ Laws of Ukraine. Order of Verkhovna Rada No. 1930-XII: On the Head of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Passed on 1991-12-05. (Ukrainian)
- ^ Laws of Ukraine. Order of Verkhovna Rada No. 63-XII: On the Head of the Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR. Passed on 1990-07-23. (Ukrainian)
- ^ Laws of Ukraine. Order of Verkhovna Rada No. 11-XII: On the Head of the Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR. Passed on 1990-06-04. (Ukrainian)
- ^ Ivan Plyushch was Acting Chairman July 9,1990 – July 23, 1990
- ^ a b Lytvyn makes himself well-provided till end of life, UNIAN (May 15, 2009)
External links
- "Official website of the Chairman". Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. http://chairman.rada.gov.ua/.
Categories:- Verkhovna Rada
- Politics of Ukraine
- Legislative speakers
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