The Verkhovna Rada Committee on the Organisation of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning has recommended that Parliament adopt, both as a basis and in full, the updated version of the draft law “On Ensuring the Legitimacy of Local Councils under Martial Law” (No. 14405). The document is intended to propose a mechanism that will ensure the continued functioning of councils in communities during martial law.

The Minister for Communities, Territories and Internally Displaced Persons of Ukraine Vitalii Bezgin announced this.

The Minister stated that the text of the draft law had been finalised after additional consultations with Members of Parliament, including representatives of the parliamentary majority and the opposition.

The key change applies to the conditions for invoking the special mechanism for the council’s functioning. Whilst the initial version provided that the council would be deemed quorate if at least half of its total membership were present, the updated version proposes a different approach: the mechanism may be invoked when the council comprises no more than half, but no fewer than one-third, of its members.

Provisions relating to Article 4 of the Law of Ukraine “On the Legal Regime of Martial Law” were also removed from the draft.

‘The state urgently needs a mechanism to maintain the functioning of small communities during wartime,’ noted Vitalii Bezgin.

The Minister expressed his hope that the Verkhovna Rada would consider the draft law as early as next week.