Petro Poroshenko.Photo: slovoidilo.
Important decision on Petro Poroshenko
29 January 2025, Kyiv – The Regulatory Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has supported the initiative to temporarily suspend MP Petro Poroshenko from participating in parliamentary sessions. The decision was made following a series of incidents in the parliamentary hall, as well as escalating political disputes between factions, Time Ukraine Israel reports, citing Ukrinform.
Rationale for the initiative
According to the initiator of the appeal to the Regulatory Committee, one of the MPs, the events leading to the proposed suspension began with the recent vote to recall Yuriy Boyko from the Human Rights Committee. During this vote, some MPs, including Poroshenko, were absent from their desks, leading to the failure of the initiative. This provoked serious criticism from political opponents, who blamed Poroshenko and his faction for this miscalculation.
Inappropriate language and sexual discrimination
At the same time, the situation escalated after Poroshenko addressed a colleague from the Servant of the People faction, Yevhenia Kravchuk, at a parliamentary meeting, using a sexually hateful expression. This was seen as an unethical and sexist statement, which was the main reason for the appeal to the Regulatory Committee.
Obscene behaviour and conflict in parliament
The incident was not limited to hateful words. After Kravchuk published information about the voting results on social media, Poroshenko, according to witnesses, allowed himself to be foul-mouthed at his colleague. The situation escalated again when a fight almost broke out between MPs at a parliamentary session. Poroshenko’s failure to apologise led to 39 MPs signing a statement to the Regulatory Committee demanding that the issue of the fifth president’s removal be considered.
Committee’s position and next steps
The Committee on Regulations, after a thorough discussion, decided to support the initiative to suspend Poroshenko for six months. Six MPs voted in favour, three abstained, and one voted against. However, this step is not final – the final decision is to be made at the plenary session of the Verkhovna Rada.
Response of the European Solidarity faction
Representatives of the European Solidarity faction, to which Poroshenko belongs, strongly opposed the committee’s decision. The faction’s co-chair, Iryna Gerashchenko, said in her statements that the actions of the parliamentary majority were an attempt to create a parliamentary crisis and undermine Ukraine’s European integration process. She also emphasised the lack of reasoning behind the initiative.
Political implications
For his part, MP Rostyslav Pavlenko said that the attack on European Solidarity leader Petro Poroshenko undermines public confidence in parliament, especially among the military, and could lead to further political disputes. The Servant of the People faction has also been criticised for not having enough votes during important votes, raising doubts about the effectiveness of the parliament.
Forecast for the future
Now the decision on Poroshenko’s suspension must be submitted to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. If the MP apologises to his colleagues for his remarks, this could influence the outcome of the vote at the plenary session.
