The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine`s parliament, has failed to find the needed number of votes to apply to the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) for the introduction of personal sanctions against former high-ranking officials, including disgraced ex-President Viktor Yanukovych, and businessmen, according to an UNIAN correspondent.
Corresponding draft resolution No. 5350 on measures to protect the national interests, national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and to counteract terrorist activity scored a mere 202 votes with 226 necessary for taking a positive decision on Thursday.
The Opposition Bloc parliamentary faction, the Volya Narodu and Vidrodzhennia groups did not vote at all.
Only 65 members from two mainstream parliamentary factions – the Petro Poroshenko Bloc and the People`s Front – voted for the resolution.
What is more, the parliament rejected Parliament Speaker Andriy Parubiy`s motion to revisit the issue. Only 214 lawmakers voted for this.
Parubiy said he was bewildered and did not know why the Ukrainian parliament had not supported the need to introduce personal sanctions against Yanukovych and his allies.
The draft resolution proposed the approval and submission of proposals to the NSDC as for the introduction of personal sanctions for the creation of real and/or potential threats to national interests, national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and collaboration with terrorists.
After the enactment of the NSDC decision on the sanctions, Ukraine`s Ministry of Foreign Affairs was expected to inform respective authorities of the European Union, the United States and other states about it, suggesting the introduction of similar sanctions.
The NSDC was supposed to elaborate procedures for the enactment of special economic and other restrictive measures (sanctions) against Yanukovych and his accomplices.
The draft resolution had a list of 21 individuals who were to be sanctioned, namely Viktor Yanukovych and his son Oleksandr Yanukovych, former prime minister Mykola Azarov and his son Oleksiy Azarov, ex-Interior Minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko, former prosecutor general Viktor Pshonka and his son Artem Pshonka, former head of the presidential administration Andriy Kliuyev and his brother, former MP Serhiy Kliuyev.
On the list were also former first vice prime minister Serhiy Arbuzov, former tax minister Oleksandr Klymenko, former energy minister Eduard Stavytsky, former agriculture Minister Serhiy Prysiazhniuk, former education minister Dmytro Tabachnyk, and former health minister Raisa Bohatyriova.
Businessman and former MP from the Party of Regions Yuriy Ivaniushchenko, and two energy tycoons Dmytro Firtash and Serhiy Kurchenko were also listed.
