• Українська
  • Русский
  • English
Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

“Soviet practice” is back again

MPs want Ukrainians to report on every step they make
29 May, 2012 - 00:00

The Ukrainian parliament has approved Bill No. 9289 which amends the law “On the Freedom of Movement and Free Choice of Residence in Ukraine.” The amendment introduces registration of the place where natural persons may be residing or sojourning. The bill was moved by the Party of Regions MP Volodymyr Oliinyk.

Under the bill, registration is mandatory for the people who stay for more than one month outside the administrative-territorial unit where they permanently reside, the people who have court-imposed material obligations, and those who have been drafted for compulsory military service or are taking part in a trial. By “registering the place of residence or sojourn” the bill means introducing information about the place of residence or sojourn, including the address of one place of residence or of a specialized social institution, a social care or security institution, or a military unit, into the documents envisaged by this law.

A Ukrainian citizen, a foreigner, or a stateless person, who resides permanently or temporarily in this country, is obliged to register his or her place of residence within 10 days after the arrival at the new place of residence. If the address of the place of residence has been changed, the individual must notify in writing the registration body within 10 days.

In other words, this is an attempt to force the Ukrainians to report to the authorities on every step they take. Where is then the freedom of movement within the limits of this country, which the Constitution of Ukraine guarantees to everybody? Where is observation of the right to protect one’s private life, which MPs usually recall when photographers or journalists spot an MP possessing a luxury item that costs an amount which the “servant of the people’s” modest salary makes it impossible to earn even in a year of work in parliament? Did the MPs perhaps forget about the rights of individuals in this document because they cared about improving the life of every Ukrainian right now? The Day asked Rostyslav KRAVETS, lawyer, senior partner of the law firm Kravets, Novak, and Partners, to comment on this.

“On the one hand, there should be a mechanism for tracking down a debtor, i.e., finding the place where the individual stays. But it is not worthwhile, in my view, to introduce mandatory registration of residence. The norms of the Soviet-era ‘propiska’ have long been outdated. There is a variety of ways to track down an individual – for example, with the help of taxation or financial control bodies. This is a common practice in Europe. And what the Ukrainian lawmakers are trying to railroad is a step towards Soviet practices. Under this law, even I, as a party to the trial (defense attorney), have no right to leave the city for more than three days without a written notification. This is absurd. On the whole, the document infringes the constitutional right of citizens to free movement across the territory of Ukraine.

“If the head of state approves the document which includes a clause on mandatory registration of the place of residence, the next step may be the increase of the apartment rental price. This will primarily apply to the apartments one has rented without signing a proper estate rental contract. In my view, this law will be of no effect because failure to observe it is punishable with a minimal fine.”

By Natalia BILOUSOVA, The Day
Rubric: