The Rada approved a bill to strengthen oversight of the State Bureau of Investigation, the Prosecutor General's Office, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the National Police
On September 17, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approved in the first reading Bill No. 14130, which provides for strengthened parliamentary oversight of the activities of law enforcement agencies and the prosecutor’s office. The bill received 240 votes in favor.
The bill proposes changes regarding the State Bureau of Investigations, the prosecutor’s office, the Bureau of Economic Security, and the National Police.
The purpose of the bill is to clarify the mechanisms for heads of certain law enforcement agencies to report to the Verkhovna Rada, as well as to introduce separate reporting requirements regarding the investigation of cases of torture, other ill-treatment, and the protection of victims.
In particular, the State Bureau of Investigations’ written report on its activities for the previous year must include information on investigations into cases of torture, other ill-treatment of individuals, and the protection of victims.
Similar requirements are proposed for the Office of the Prosecutor General. The Prosecutor General’s annual report to the Verkhovna Rada must separately include information on such investigations and the protection of victims.
The changes also apply to the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine.
The draft bill provides for extending the rules governing parliamentary review of reports and briefings by state bodies and officials to the Director of the Bureau of Economic Security. Specifically, this refers to the review of the Director’s report on the Bureau’s activities for the previous calendar year.
With regard to the National Police of Ukraine, it is proposed to expand the oversight powers of the parliamentary committee responsible for matters related to the organization and activities of police agencies.
The committee will be able to review, in closed sessions, reports from the National Police leadership on current issues and high-profile events.
A separate section of the document is devoted to the investigation of torture and other forms of ill-treatment.
If the bill is adopted, parliamentary oversight will include information not only on the progress of relevant investigations but also on the protection of victims of such acts.
After passing the first reading, Bill No. 14130 must undergo further review and consideration by Parliament before it can be finally adopted.
Bill No. 14130 was adopted in principle with 240 votes.
As a reminder, the National Commission for State Regulation in the Energy and Utilities Sectors had previously introduced systematic monitoring of centralized water supply and wastewater treatment companies.
