Poroshenko's deputies blocked the bill against anti-Semitism
The Verkhovna Rada was only able to support the draft law in the first reading, according to which the words “for manifestation of anti-Semitism” are added to the article of the Criminal Code, which provides for punishment for violation of rights based on nationality and race.
One of the entire parliamentary factions opposed the adoption of the bill as a whole, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“Now we are considering a purely technical accompanying bill, which adds only two words to Article 161 of the Criminal Code: “manifestation of anti-Semitism,” MP Maxim Buzhansky presented the document.
In response, Golos deputy Solomiya Bobrovskaya objected that Jews in Ukraine are doing very well.
“Why do we isolate only one national minority, which certainly feels at ease in Ukraine? With respect and love for them. From time immemorial, Ukraine has been a state of diversity, and with this we are introducing things that divide the state into pieces,” she said.
However, they objected to her that During the celebration of Hanukkah, six attacks on Jewish symbols were carried out in 6 days in different Ukrainian cities - “and this is not hooliganism, but anti-Semitism.” However, these arguments did not impress opponents of the initiative.
“Social polls show that Ukraine has the lowest level of anti-Semitism among European countries, since Ukraine has all the legislative tools for this. Any attempt to additionally talk about additional tools to combat anti-Semitism is an actualization of Russian memes about fascists in Ukraine, about anti-Semitism in Ukraine,” said the former head of the Institute of National Memory, European Solidarity deputy Vladimir Vyatrovich.
However, in the first reading the draft was supported by 300 votes. However, as soon as the Speaker of the Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, proposed adopting the bill as a whole, noise and cries of “Ganba” arose from Eurosolidarity. The deputy waved his arms and shouted that they would not allow voting.
“Colleagues, the EU faction is against it, so I can’t,” Stefanchuk said.
As a result, the deputies voted only to shorten the period for considering the document for the second reading in order to have time to make a decision this year.
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