Reanimation package of reforms > News > Statements > The RPR Coalition Calls on the President to Sign the Law No. 11321 on the Openness of the Verkhovna Rada
On March 20, 2025, two months have passed since the law No. 11321 was submitted to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy for signature.
Article 94 of the Constitution of Ukraine stipulates that “the President of Ukraine shall sign the law within fifteen days after receiving it.” The article also clearly states: “If the President of Ukraine does not return the law for reconsideration within the established period, the law shall be deemed approved by the President of Ukraine and shall be signed and officially promulgated.”
The law provides for:
The delay in signing this law has negative consequences. For example, on March 5, the Verkhovna Rada Law Enforcement Committee adopted amendments to draft law No. 10311 in a closed session. In particular, they allow the National Guard to mark “violators during mass riots” with paint or other means and to warn participants in such riots about the use of coercion (including firearms) during a large number of people “through loudspeakers, information boards or other technical means,” which could lead to excessive use of force against civilians. Such parliamentary initiatives pose high risks to society and should be communicated to the public before they are adopted.
Earlier, it was only thanks to MPs who were members of the same committee that it became known that MP Artem Dmytruk, who was suspected in a criminal case and put on the international wanted list, participated and voted in the committee’s meeting after illegally traveling abroad.
In contrast, there are cases that demonstrate that videos of committee meetings are a valuable source of information about the work of MPs. For example, the recent publication of a video from a meeting of the Committee on Regulations and Deputy Ethics revealed that MP Nestor Shufrych, who is suspected of treason, was sending an appeal from the pre-trial detention center. In this appeal, he asked to register a draft law on the protection of the rights of national minorities.
In addition, thanks to the publication of a video from the meetings of the Verkhovna Rada Environmental Policy Committee, we learned about another fugitive MP from the Dovira group, Serhiy Shakhov, who has been wanted for more than a year, but is included in the parliamentary committee meetings and votes.
According to an analysis by the Chesno Movement, nine committees do not publish videos of their meetings at all, and another nine do so only partially.
The law received a favorable review from the Council of Europe, which noted that it “is a significant step forward in ensuring the rights of journalists and media workers.” The law was also supported by international organizations that protect the rights of journalists, such as Reporters Without Borders, the European Center for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), and the European Federation of Journalists.
If the draft law is not signed, it may be perceived as the Presidential Office’s desire to directly conceal information about the work on the draft laws in the Verkhovna Rada. At the same time, the laws and initiatives adopted by the Verkhovna Rada affect the lives of every citizen, and therefore Ukrainians should have the right to learn about legislative initiatives at the stage of their preparation in order to be able to provide feedback to the parliament and influence its decisions within the framework of their constitutional rights.
It is important that open broadcasts of parliamentary committee meetings are a standard for all civilized countries, as they provide access to information about future laws at the stage when citizens can influence the final text of the law.
In view of the above, we urge the President to sign Law No. 11321 as soon as possible.
The statement is signed by:
