Bill on abolition of parliamentary immunity passes first reading
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The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the 9th convocation adopted a bill on amendments to Article 80 of the Constitution of Ukraine (on parliamentary immunity) in the first reading.
A total of 363 lawmakers voted for the corresponding resolution No.1095 "On preliminary approval of the bill on amendments to Article 80 of the Constitution of Ukraine (on parliamentary immunity)”, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

The bill No. 7203 was registered in the Parliament of the 8th convocation by the fifth President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko. The bill stipulates to remove from Article 80 of the Constitution of Ukraine a provision which guarantees parliamentary immunity as well as the inability to hold members of parliament criminally liable, detain them or arrest without the consent of the Verkhovna Rada. Thus, Article 80 of the Constitution will only contain the norm that MPs are not legally responsible for the results of voting or speaking in the parliament and its bodies, except for responsibility for insult or defamation.

The law is expected to come into force on January 1, 2020.

As reported, on June 19, 2018, the Constitutional Court of Ukraine recognized constitutional bill No. 7203. However, the Verkhovna Rada of the 8th convocation did not put the bill on vote.