Those were the coolest five years of my life.
Now the excitement from service to Ukraine is changing gradually to forgotten adrenaline from the new challenges.
Those who knew me before my work in parliament would confirm that I always joked about lawyers. Previously, I considered this profession too boring and monotonous. I have to admit, I was wrong! God has a sense of humor and I had an opportunity to become a legislator.
In response to this challenge, I have succeeded in becoming the author of 33 adopted bills in various fields.
I have been studying and working as a green economist for 10 years, therefore I have organically supported the development of green generation, energy efficiency, energy co-operatives, electricity, and environmental protection. Thanks to our joint efforts, Ukrainians now can buy the cheapest electric cars, earn money on energy service contracts and strengthen the country’s energy security.
I never forgot where I came from, and that I became a lawmaker due to pro-Ukrainian rallies in Donetsk. Therefore, I am proud of the support of internal refugees, displaced universities, the adoption of the Law “On Mine Action in Ukraine.” Each year, thanks to our initiatives, 1,500-2,000 schoolchildren from the Donbas and Crimea are moving to a mine-free area and propaganda-free territory under a simplified procedure.
I am proud that I often managed to unite ideological adversaries, and my bills were backed by representatives of all factions and groups.
I anticipate that those bills that haven’t been considered by this Verkhovna Rada convocation will be adopted by the following: the energy ombudsman, the energy modernization of industrial enterprises, the further development of electromobility, the electoral rights of settlers, and many others. We will pass all the work we’ve done for further realization.
We have developed many bills independently with my coolest team of assistants. We have implemented European directives into Ukrainian legislation. We have introduced more than 700 amendments in 67 bills, most of which have been taken into account. And how many cool results were achieved with activists, government officials, experts, and business. I would never have reached the figure of 22 percent of the adopted bills from the registered ones if not for the support of civil society. This is one of the best results among the opposition lawmakers.
Without this support, I would never have been able to rank in the top 10 lawmakers-reformers, make it to the list of New Technocrats of Ukrainian Politics and 25 Most Honest Lawmakers of the Verkhovna Rada.
We also have created an inter-parliamentary group Green Energy for Change, which has been promoting ecological, environmental and climate issues. Funded from the Government of Sweden together with UNDP in Ukraine, we raised the consciousness of lawmakers and Ukrainians. This will give its results, even if this issue was not a priority during the war.
I have gained an incredible experience of parliamentary diplomacy. We have studied the experience of Colombia and Northern Ireland in resolving many years of bloody conflicts. I represented Ukraine at the highest level in numerous forums. I have the privilege of meeting and talking with two former, current and future prime ministers of the United Kingdom, U.S. Vice President, prime minister of Canada, king of Spain, and many other top officials and parliamentarians, whom I have previously seen only on TV.
To describe everything I learned about Ukrainian politics, I will write memoirs one day. But in my 36 years, I haven’t collected enough information for a bestseller. Now I turn this page, and I plan interesting plots of new cool sections of my future book.
Now I plan to finally read something from that pile of books that have been looking at me with reproach for the last five years.
I will keep filming my Green Drive electronics blogs and promote green and environmentally friendly development in Ukraine. I will drink gallons of coffee and something stronger with people that are interesting to me. Now you can write and call, and don’t be afraid to distract me from state affairs.
I want to party with my best team and finally relax with my family – I owe them so much of my attention over the years. Thank you to my Euro-optimist colleagues who have become my true friends outside the Verkhovna Rada.
I also want to thank Batkivshchyna Party and Yulia Tymoshenko for their experience, advice, criticism and joint activities. This is the only party that has been in Ukrainian politics for 20 years and is serving the state interests despite any political configurations.
Thanks to everyone who supported and were worried about us. My gratitude to people is endless. I congratulate all lawmakers on a fantastic victory and wish them to do good work for the development of the Ukrainian state! I wish you luck and hope this Verkhovna Rada convocation will be better than the previous, but worse than the next one.
Alex (Oleksiy) Ryabchyn is a Ukrainian lawmaker with Batkivshchyna Party. He is leaving parliament as the newly-elected lawmakers are about to take oath in late August or early September.
This op-ed was originally published in Ukrainian. It is translated and republished with permission.
