MP Goncharenko missed a session of the Verkhovna Rada to attend a forum in Odesa

Independent Member of Parliament Oleksiy Goncharenko was absent from the Verkhovna Rada’s plenary session on May 29 because he was hosting the Black Sea Security Forum in Odesa. Despite this, the parliamentarian’s time sheet indicated a full seven-hour workday.

This was reported by Radio Svoboda. 

Officially, Goncharenko is the chairman of the Black Sea Forum. 

“The four-day workweek was actually invented in Odesa, so how can anyone work on a Friday like today? It’s warm and sunny—it’s better to spend time by the sea,” he said during his speech. 

Journalists noted that the MP’s absence from a Verkhovna Rada session the following month was not recorded in the so-called “adjustment log.” They asked Goncharenko on what basis his workday had been logged. The MP replied that this question should be directed to those who recorded his working hours. 

“The work of a member of parliament isn’t just about attending session meetings. When choosing between Question Time with the government (which, by the way, is periodically canceled here, and there are no votes on that day) and working at this forum, I made my choice. That is my choice. I certainly take responsibility for it,” he added. 

Dmytro Razumkov, who attended the Black Sea Forum alongside Goncharenko, responded in writing that, according to the law, a deputy’s duties “are not limited to sessions.” He confirmed that he missed the session on May 29 and explained that there were no bills, resolutions, or votes on the agenda that day.

Юлія Калабайда