Rights and obligations of Ukrainian people.

Chapter II assures human and civil rights, freedoms and duties. It states that every person has the right to the free development of the personality on the one hand and has obligations before society on the other hand. Citizens of Ukraine have equal Constitutional rights and freedoms and are equal before law irrespective of race, color of skin, political and other beliefs, gender, position, place of residence, language, religion or other circumstances. The articles of this chapter guarantee the rights to life, personal inviolability and the inviolability of dwelling, noninterference in private and family life, free choice of residence, work, rest, education, social security, housing, health protection, medical care and medical insurance, legal assistance, a safe and healthy environment.

But there are no rights without duties. They are to observe the laws, to respect state symbols, to defend our Motherland, its independence and territorial integrity, to pay taxes and so on. No person may damage the environment, cultural heritage.

5 Верховна Рада – вищий законодавчий орган України. Основні функції.

The parliament-the Verkhovna Rada is the only body of the legislative power in Ukraine. There are 450 people’s deputies who are elected for a term of five years on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot.

In order to be elected as a deputy, a person must be a citizen of Ukraine, must be at least 21 years of age and have the right to vote, and must be resided in the territory of Ukraine for no less than the previous five years. Successive elections of the Verkhovna Rada take place on last Sunday of the last month of the last year of the term of the parliament.

The Verkhovna Rada works on a session basis. Regular sessions of the Verkhovna Rada are commenced each year on the first Tuesday of February and on the first Tuesday of September.

The Verkhovna Rada elects the Chairman from its membership, the First Deputy and Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada. The Chairman conducts meetings of the Verkhovna Rada and organizes its work.

The Verkhovna Rada’s main function is making laws. Law drafting work is performed by its Committees. Among the other functions of the parliament are: to amend the Constitution, to call for elections of the President of Ukraine, to hear annual messages of the President on the domestic and foreign situation of the country, to determine the principles of domestic and foreign policy, to approve national programmes of economic, scientific and technical, social, national and cultural development, and the protection of the environment, to remove the President from office, to give consent for the appointment of the Prime Minister by the President, to perform oversight of the activity of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, to declare war and to conclude peace upon the President’s proposal, etc. The right of legislation initiative belongs to the President of Ukraine, People’s Deputies of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers.

The Verkhovna Rada adopts the State Budget for the period from January 1 to December 31 and controls the execution of it. The monetary unit of Ukraine is the Hryvnia. Providing for stability of currency

6 Вищий орган виконавчої влади України