The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has at first reading approved in principle a government bill on the National Police (No. 2822).
A total of 284 MPs supported the respective bill during the plenary sitting on May 21.
When presenting the bill at a sitting of the profile committee on May 13, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said that according to the bill the Interior Ministry should be a civil formation, including the National Police, National Guard, border troops, Emergency Situations Service, Migration Service and the service center of the Interior Ministry.
Avakov said the bill offers the interior agencies the chance to become demilitarized, to cut the number of their staff and reach the European norm – 223 policemen per 10,000 citizens.
The bill also proposes that the ministry’s staff should undergo new assessment tests.
During the sitting the parliamentarians said the bill on the national police and other bills related to reforming the Interior Ministry could be considered at the next plenary session from May 19 to 22.
