Rada to consider Poroshenko Donbas initiatives along with draft decree on occupied territories
KYIV. March 17 (Interfax) - The first deputy head of Petro Poroshenko Bloc's parliamentary faction, Ihor Kononenko, has said that Verkhovna Rada will consider the president's Donbas initiatives together with a draft decree recognizing parts of the Donbas and Luhansk regions as occupied territories,
The coalition factions found compromise on this matter, Kononenko said. "It was decided that Verkhovna Rada's draft decree recognizing parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as occupied territories will now be submitted in addition to the president's two initiatives," Kononenko told reporters on Tuesday.
Two other factions, Samopomich and Batkivshchyna, could also back these initiatives in this form, he said.
The Radical Party has taken a different stance, the parliamentarian said. "The Radical Party, the position of the party leader is this: they are ready to support the decree (recognizing parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as occupied territories) but will not support the bill (on the special self-governance regime in certain Donbas district)," Kononenko said.
The bill is now being readied and will be put on the Tuesday agenda, Verkhovna Rada Speaker Volodymyr Groisman said while opening a Tuesday opening. He also suggested fast-tracking the bill.