The Verkhovna Rada of the seventh convocation, Ukraine's parliament, has held its first formal sitting.
Acting Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov, acting ministers,
representatives of the Central Election Commission, the Constitutional
Court, diplomats, and newly elected parliamentarians attended the event.
Members of the oppositional parties chanted “Shame!” when the
chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of the sixth convocation, Volodymyr
Lytvyn, announced Mykola Azarov.
The newly elected parliamentarians took an oath of people’s deputy.
The senior people’s deputy of the new parliament, Yukhym Zviahilsky
(born in 1933) read aloud the text of the oath on behalf of the MPs. The
rest of parliamentarians remained at their seats.
The national anthem of Ukraine was played after the oath taking ceremony.
A break was announced in the sitting until 1200, so that the new
parliamentarians could sign the text of the oath and receive their
parliamentary identification cards and voting cards.
