On Jan. 13 Ukrainian parliament held its first meeting in 2015. The lawmakers passed in the first reading two bills that facilitate more transparent and independent judicial system, in compliance with the requirements of the European Union.
The parlaiment also adopted two addresses concerning the cases of two Ukrainian political prisoners held in Russia – military pilot Nadiya Savchenko and film producer Oleg Sentsov.
Meanwhile, a scandal erupted after several members of
the Verkhovna Rada said that changes had been illegally made to Ukraine’s 2015
budget after it was passed on Dec. 29.
