We call on the President to sign Law No. 11321 on Verkhovna Rada transparency

As of March 20, 2025, two months have passed since Law No. 11321 was submitted to President Volodymyr Zelenskyi for signature.

Article 94 of the Constitution of Ukraine states that “the President of Ukraine signs the law within fifteen days of receiving it.” The article also clearly states: “In the event that the President of Ukraine has not returned a law for repeat consideration within the established term, the law is deemed to be approved by the President of Ukraine and shall be signed and officially promulgated.”

This law in particular provides for: 

• broadcast of sessions of Verkhovna Rada committees; 
• the possibility of access, including online, for journalists and civil society representatives to committee meetings of the Verkhovna Rada; 
• committees to publish information at least 24 hours in advance about session times and planned agenda items on their websites.

The delay in signing this law has harmful consequences. For example, on March 5, the Verkhovna Rada’s Law Enforcement Committee adopted amendments to draft law No. 10311 behind closed doors. In particular, they allow National Guard members to mark “violators during mass riots” with paint or other means and to warn participants about the use of coercion, including firearms, when targeting large groups—“using loudspeakers, information boards, or other technical means.” This could lead to excessive use of force against civilians. Such parliamentary initiatives pose significant risks to society and should be publicly discussed before adoption.

Previously, it became known—thanks only to MPs from the same committee—that MP Artem Dmytruk, who is a suspect in a criminal case and has been placed on the international wanted list, participated and voted in a committee meeting after illegally fleeing abroad. 

Conversely, some cases show that videos of committee meetings serve as a valuable source of information on MPs’ activities. For example, a recently published video from a meeting of the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Parliamentary Ethics and Administration of Verkhovna Rada’s Work revealed that MP Nestor Shufrych, who is suspected of high treason, sent an appeal from pre-trial detention. In this appeal, he requested the registration of a draft law on protecting the rights of national minorities. 

In addition, a published video from the Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management revealed that another MP, Serhii Shakhov—a fugitive from the Trust Group who has been wanted for over a year—participated in a parliamentary committee meeting and voted.

According to an analysis by the CHESNO Movement, nine committees do not publish videos of their meetings at all, while another nine do so only partially.

The law received a positive review from the Council of Europe, which noted that it “represents a significant step forward in ensuring the rights of journalists and media professionals.” The law was also supported by international organizations that protect journalists’ rights, including Reporters Without Borders, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), and the European Federation of Journalists.

If the draft law is not signed, it may be seen as the Presidential Office’s attempt to conceal information about the Verkhovna Rada’s work on draft laws. Laws and initiatives adopted by the Verkhovna Rada impact every citizen’s life. Therefore, Ukrainians should have the right to learn about legislative initiatives during their preparation, allowing them to provide feedback to Parliament and monitor its decisions within their constitutional rights. 

Open broadcasts of parliamentary committee meetings are a standard practice in all civilized countries, as they ensure access to information about future laws at a stage when citizens can still influence the final text.

Given this, we urge the President to sign Law No. 11321 without delay.

1. Anti-Corruption Action Center
2. CHESNO Movement
3. All-Ukrainian Association “Automaidan” 
4. Institute of Mass Information (IMI)
5. Detector Media 
6. Suspilne Ukrainian Public Broadcasting Company
7. Bihus.Info
8. Slidstvo.Info
9. Transparency International Ukraine
10. DEJURE Foundation
11. Anti-Corruption Research and Education Center in Ukraine (ACREC)
12. Kharkiv Anti-Corruption Center
13. Anti-corruption center “MEZHA”
14. Anti-Corruption Headquarters
15. Public Control Platform 
16. StateWatch
17. Center for Joint Actions NGO
18. Institute of Legislative Ideas (ILI)
19. Network for Protection of National Interest ANTS
20. Fiscal Policy Research Center