Lawmakers stripped off ‘immunity’ in Ukraine

Bloomberg

Ukraine revoked the immunity from prosecution long enjoyed by lawmakers, part of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s efforts to stamp out corruption.
Parliament voted for a constitutional amendment placing its members on the same legal footing as other citizens, starting from January 1.
The bill was originally submitted in 2015 by ex-President Petro Poroshenko, but was sidelined until Zelenskiy’s ruling party revived it in an initial reading.
An explanatory note accompanying the bill on parliament’s website decried immunity as “unjustified” since it provides lawmakers with “guarantees of impunity.”
As the new administration pushes to curb graft and improve the business climate, parliament is also set hold a preliminary vote on legislation giving Zelenskiy more sway over the country’s anti-corruption agencies.
Separately, the assembly will discuss whether to streamline the number of deputies to 300 from 450, and to set up a fully proportional electoral system.