Ukrainian parliament passes impeachment law

A total of 245 MPs voted in favor of the document at a parliament meeting on Tuesday, with the required minimum being 226 votes, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

Bill No. 1012 on the special procedure for removing the president of Ukraine from office (impeachment) provides that the Verkhovna Rada may remove the president from office by impeachment only in the case of treason or other crime. The impeachment procedure will be initiated by a constitutional majority of people's deputies.

After the decision on charges against the president is made, the Verkhovna Rada will appeal to the Constitutional Court (for an opinion on the constitutionality of the procedure of investigation and the consideration of the case on the impeachment of the president) and the Supreme Court (for an opinion that the acts of which the president is accused contain signs of treason or other crime).

It is envisaged that the decision to impeach the president will be deemed adopted if it gets support from at least three-quarters of MPs from the constitutional composition of the Verkhovna Rada.