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Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says he believes that Ukrainian Members of Parliament (MPs) do not need absolute parliamentary immunity, but they should be safeguarded against prosecution for their political position, according to an UNIAN correspondent.
"I decided not to wait until lawmakers demonstrate their constitutional initiative and introduced draft amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine to abolish parliamentary immunity. The Verkhovna Rada honestly voted for this draft law, for its submission to the Constitutional Court, but later they became very busy and had no time to consider this draft law," he said at a meeting with National Anti-Corruption Bureau personnel on Tuesday.
"They thought that if it had not been considered at that session, it would have disappeared. I am very happy that the Verkhovna Rada adopted amendments to the [parliament's rules and] regulations. This convocation of MPs should consider the amendments to the Constitution in first and second readings," Poroshenko said and stressed that this draft law had got positive conclusion of the Constitutional Court.
"Today the ball is on the Verkhovna Rada's court, but this needs the public's involvement and public pressure," he said.
"So, MPs do not need absolute parliamentary immunity, but they should be protected from prosecution for their political position, for their activity in parliament," he added.