Penalties for collaborators

Draft bill #9137 of March 22, 2023

Cosponsors: a group of MPs from the Servant of the People faction.

Who is affected: MPs of the VI and VII convocations, voters, and government bodies.

Summary of the bill:

• MPs of the VI and VII convocations will be prohibited from taking positions in government bodies if they supported:
  • the Kharkiv agreements
  • “dictatorship laws” of January 16, 2014
• candidates for public service and other positions in government bodies will have to submit a statement that they have not supported the Kharkiv agreements and dictatorship laws
• the bill will come into force on June 1, 2023.

What’s right: MPs who supported harmful draft bills will not be eligible to serve in government bodies.

What’s wrong: the bill does not provide a justification for why the proposed restrictions are introduced now. The Kharkiv agreements and dictatorship laws were adopted 13 and 9 years ago. If the bill is adopted, it will be challenged in court.

Alternative solution: collaborators and traitors should be punished for the crimes they committed. Lustration is not the appropriate alternative.